We love limas. My favorite is the Fordhook variety but I like to pick them young. There is no comparison to homegrown limas and limas found in the grocery store. I have tried numerous times to buy them, even buying the Fordhook variety, but they are very mealy. Some things I like to can and some freeze. Limas I like to freeze. They have much better favor.
After they are picked I find a nice place to sit and shell.
Shelling limas is not hard, just give the bean a twist and it pops open. With your thumb nudge the beans out of the pod.
I washed the shelled beans twice to remove any dirt.
Now they are ready to freeze.
I have a special pan I blanch my beans in.
Fill the pan about half full of water. When the water comes to a boil add some limas to the top part (sieve section).
Bring to a boil for 1 minute. Lift the sieve section out of the pan and dump the beans into a pan to tap water to cool for several minutes. Then I dump them into ice water to finish cooling. The reason I put them in tap water first is simply to cool them some and help save on the amount of ice needed.
After they are cool I spoon them into freezer boxes or bags.
I write the date on the top and put them in the freezer.
