"Generally, it takes about 5 minutes to boil green beans in a covered pot of salted water. The timing depends on your texture preference. For beans with a little bite, aim closer to 4 minutes, while 6 minutes will soften the vegetable more. Keeping the pot covered helps trap steam, which speeds up cooking without leaching out too much flavor. You'll know they're done when they turn bright green and can be easily pierced with a fork."
"If you're planning to freeze green beans, boiling becomes part of the blanching process. Blanching preserves the color and that snappy texture while stopping enzymes that cause spoilage. For this, boil beans for 2 to 3 minutes - shorter than if you were cooking them to eat right away - then plunge them into an ice bath. This halts the cooking instantly and locks in freshness before freezing."
"The trick to great boiled green beans is balancing flavor and texture. Always salt your water before adding beans - this seasons them from the inside out. For extra brightness, add a pinch of baking soda to the water. It helps maintain that vivid green color, though be cautious not to overdo it, as too much baking soda can affect the taste. Once boiled, draining and tossing beans in a splash of olive oil, butter, or lemon juice instantly elevates them from plain to crave-worthy."
Green beans peak from late spring through early fall. Boiling in a covered pot of salted water typically takes about 5 minutes; 4 minutes yields a crisp bite, 6 minutes softens them. Covering the pot traps steam, speeding cooking while retaining flavor. Beans are done when bright green and easily pierced with a fork. For freezing, blanch by boiling 2 to 3 minutes then plunging into an ice bath to stop enzymes and preserve color and texture. Salt the water to season internally, and a pinch of baking soda can help maintain vivid green color. Finish drained beans with olive oil, butter, lemon, sautéed aromatics, or crisped bacon.
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