[Hammer]

A friend of mine was telling me about his granny making leather britches. I know that she would dry the whole green beans to make this and not much else. I wondered if anyone here knows how this is done?

 

[LWMSAVON]

here's a how to that I have on my website.


http://www.thrifty-mama.com/ristas_leather_britches.htm

Use a needle and thread and string the beans. Fill the thread as full as you need too, but leave a little space for air to circulate aroudn them.

Then hang up to dry in a dry place out of any dampness

They look so pretty hanging on the wall near the kitchen window

 

[Lady TS]

I've never made them myself, but have been wanting to.
Here's what my source says to do:
"Pick the green beans when young and string them on heavy thread, like long beads, one after the other. Hang the lines in a sunny place to dry thoroughly. It may take as long as a month or even two. When dried, store in baskets for winter use. To use, wash the beans wel. and soak 2 cups dried beans in 2 quarts of water for an hour or so. Add 1/4 pound diced salt pork, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Stir, then simmer very gently for at least 3 hours or until beans are tender, adding boiling water if needed to keep them from burning. Manna: Foods of the Frontier" From Reader's Digest Country Ways: A Celebration of Rural Life. p 141

Hope this helps!
Tanya

 

[Hammer]

Thanks to both of you. My friend said they tasted nothing like green beans, much better, and I thought that there would be more involved than this.

I've never made them myself, but have been wanting to.
Here's what my source says to do:
"Pick the green beans when young and string them on heavy thread, like long beads, one after the other. Hang the lines in a sunny place to dry thoroughly. It may take as long as a month or even two. When dried, store in baskets for winter use. To use, wash the beans wel. and soak 2 cups dried beans in 2 quarts of water for an hour or so. Add 1/4 pound diced salt pork, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Stir, then simmer very gently for at least 3 hours or until beans are tender, adding boiling water if needed to keep them from burning. Manna: Foods of the Frontier" From Reader's Digest Country Ways: A Celebration of Rural Life. p 141

Hope this helps!
Tanya

 

[Carla Emery]

Thanks for the leather britches discussion here on Testers! I learned a few things too! Will be putting this info into the 10th edition.
Carla

 

[Pony]

here's a how to that I have on my website.
http://www.thrifty-mama.com/ristas_leather_britches.htm

All I found was a discourse on scepticism... Which is all well and good, but I need help with leather britches.

Help?

Pony!

 

[OD]

This is what my Foxfire book says about Leather Breeches:

"String tender green beans. Fill a long needle with a long, strong thread. Push the needle through the center of the bean, pushing the beans together at the end of the thread, filling from knot end to needle. Hang up the strings by one end in the dry air, but not in the direct sunlight. This gives the beans a better flavor. Let them remain hanging until the beans become dty. Store in a bag until ready to use."

I thought there was something about cooking them, too, but I can't find it. I'll keep looking & add it later if I can find it.

 

[OD]

OK, I found it.
"Sometimes during the winter, take a string of dried green beans down, remove the thread, and drop them in a pot of scalding water. Then add a good hunk'a meat" (ham, pork, or the like, depending on your taste) and cook all morning.
Now they's something good ta'eat. I'd rather have them as t'have canned beans."

 

[marvella]

i've made them. around here they're called shab beans, but i don't know why.

both recipes posted above are correct, except i didn't put them in direct sun, but hung them up to dry on the rafters of the front porch.

to tell the truth, i didn't care much for them.

 

[Carla Emery]

Hey, HT finally got the technology back to where I can be notified when somebody posts in TESTERS. That is so helpful to me! I got back a week ago from on tour and had 2,000+ e-mails waiting, mostly junk, :grump: but some good stuff so I had to sift all through it. Then I had to get out the weekly newsletter that I send now ([email protected]) when I'm home. (E-mail me if you want on the list.) Saturday is farmer's market so I always spend Thursday and Friday harvesting. And then there's TESTERS and leather britches. You folks have already provided better answers than I could have. Thank you!
Carla