wilkes

**Should be add salt & water

I don't know how others do theirs, but we washed them,then soaked ours overnight in a large pot of water. The next day we would re-wash one more time, put in a large pot (depending on how many you are going to cook), add a chunk of streaked meat or fat back, add salt,water...then cook until tender. You, of course, will also want to bake some cornbread to go with them!

good food

I am so glad I read this thread. I actually have some leather breaches in the freezer and I don't know what to do with them. How do you cook them?

An old screen door is the best method if you don't have an extra room. Support it (the screen door) with blocks or sawbucks, and cover with gauze.

Thanks for all the good response. I can't wait till winter, so I can eat me some good ole leather britches beans!!

The last time I dried green beans I did it in the back window of my car while I was working. My parking place was in the hot sun.

They can also be hung in a screened in porch or a bedroom not used with the a/c not on in it. Mom would lay hesr on a screen to dry but my Aunt hung hers from a string on the porch.

if you have a food dehydrator you can dry your leather britches that way

(I didn't read the whole thread....someone may have already suggested this)

We always tied several knots (like you do a sewing thread) at the end of about a 3-foot string, then threaded the string thru the needle and holding a bean at the end, pass the needle thru the center of the bean and pull it down to the knot you tied at the end...then keep repeating until string is almost full. We then hung them in our attic and left until beans were completely dried. Then we took them down,pullled out the string and bagged them. This saves having to turn them if you are going to use sheets...hanging, they will dry on the string

Sounds good to me about the freezers.have also string them up like Redfly suggested does work.do u have an upstairs closet available? Good place to dry also.

Thanks guys- I remembered that some used screen and placed in an old car, but I don't have a junk car. I will figure something out, as I don't want to leave them out in the open for flies and such. Now, supposing I do find an old car, and screen. How long should this drying process take? As I remember, they have to be completely dry, and some folks stored them in a freezer so they would not get bugs in them after drying. Does that sound about right??

Lay them down on a screen and put them in the back of a old (junk) car that has all the windows. Works every time

Use an old screen to place them on so air can pass thru to help them dry quicker. We have access to the attic good place to dry them. You do not have to worry about rain.I think they are the best tasting beans of all beans.

My Grand Mother use to use and Large Sewing Needle and A heavy Thread, and would string them up about three feet long and hang them in a room to dry.

I want to dry some beans for leather britches. I remember we used to put them out daily on a sheet, and bring them in before sundown allowing them to air dry.