Well, they ARE very good. In the picture above, the beans on the left between the taller poles are the Half Runners. I put in some metal "T" poles and then strung some cord between for support for the vines. Folks around here call them "White Half Runners" because when they get ripe enough to produce "shellies", the mature bean is pure white. Uncoated seed is also white. There's some others that are darker colors (I am told).
We get a small package of salt pork from the grocery and put about half a package into what we call a "mess of beans" when they are cooked. Now, a "mess" is usually enough to have a meal (with seconds) on the first go around and then at least two leftover adventures. Using the salt pork really means that you need no other seasonings - perhaps some additional salt to taste. The little bit of fat softens and flavors everything and contributes to a dark "rue" that fills the pot. It is aromatic and makes the whole house smell like "good cooking". Sometimes we throw a few small new potatoes into the pot to add another dimension. This is southern comfort food I grew up with.
Some folks let them ripen longer, but we like all of our green beans with just the snapped bean - no shellies. Blue Lakes have no strings. Half Runners and Rattlesnake beans have that string that must be removed during the "snapping".
For those who don't know, most of the green beans you get in a can at the grocery are Blue Lake variety. There are a few other stringless varieties that are used, but most are Blue Lake. They're just easier for the commercial canning processes (no strings).
So, in the end, you can harvest your beans early and use them as only snap beans. Or, you can wait a little longer and have both snaps and shellies. Pinto beans are a good example of beans which are "shellies only". But, they can also be harvested early as snap beans.
Some other beans that have done well and tasted good here at the Muddy Bucket Farm are Turkey Craw, Greasy Beans, and Peanut Beans. All three have "strings" to remove, but taste really good when you use salt pork.
When I pressure can any of these, I blanch them and then load the jars with a teaspoon of canning salt. When the cans are opened, I can still put a small piece of bacon in the pot and get the "salt pork" flavors stirring.
Quote:
Originally Posted by halleone
Ted, I am curious about White Half Runner beans. I'm guessing half runner means they throw runners of some length, do they need support? And eating them with salt pork, are they in the green snap stage, or shelled out? Being from the North, I don't know anything about them, but you made them sound very good....
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