Storing soybeans after boiling

[Zeoliter]

Greetings from southern Japan! UK expat lived here 25 years and now getting into some serious gardening with my father-in-law. I built a big coop (100sq ft) and we have14 heans and a rooster right now. We actually also have another 4 hens and 4 roosters because we didn't know what we were doing and got 8 chicks from a "friend" that were not sexed and are yellow/white meat birds. We will be dispatching the roosters at least, very soon.

Anyhow, we are growing a lot of soybeans (eda mame) and I want to supplement the chicken feed we use. That feed is ground up pretty fine and is the only type of feed I can get. Feed and seed mills do not exist here. I researched it and see you have to roast or boil the beans before giving to the chickens. The roasting in an oven sounds hit and miss. So boiling it is.

As we only have one crop a year I'd like to preserve the beans. Can they be dried and stored like raw beans/peas?

Thanks!

 

[MadGardener]

I had decent results dehydrating lima beans after blanching. I still prefer freezing for human consumption.

I have a Food Saver vacuum sealer with an attachment for Mason jars. Dehydrated food gets stored with an oxygen absorber and vacuumed. I rehydrated with 1 part beans to 4 parts water for 4 hours. It seemed the beans took longer to cook this way.

Edited to add: The beans that I allowed to dry on the bush were much more visually appealing and did not take as long to dry in the dehydrator. Blanching after drying on the bush didn't add back much moisture.

 

[Zeoliter]

So do you think I can boil the soybeans and then air dry them for storage? I don't have a dehydrator (yet).

 

[MadGardener]

So do you think I can boil the soybeans and then air dry them for storage? I don't have a dehydrator (yet).

I intend to build a solar dehydrator eventually. May be an option if you have access to a used window. I'm pretty happy with my cheap Amazon dehydrator, but would prefer something that doesn't use power.

I'd be a little concerned air drying in my humid area. Sadly I'm not familiar with your climate, Japan would be a wonderfulplace to visit. I do think drying on the bush or in the pod before boiling would help.

You could freeze or pressure can them. Canning may not leave a palatable texture, but the birds likely won't mind as much as people.

 

[MadGardener]

It's a different kind of bean, but I'm very curious to try Leather Britches. It may give you a few ideas.

https://www.tasteofsouthern.com/leather-britches-recipe/

 

[Zeoliter]

Could you link to that dehydrator again? That link doesn't work and I have looked at a few recently. It's on my list.

Very humid here in Japan. 95-98%.

Any DIY video for that solar dehydrator?

 

[Zeoliter]

It's a different kind of bean, but I'm very curious to try Leather Britches. It may give you a few ideas.

https://www.tasteofsouthern.com/leather-britches-recipe/

Quite a few types of bean available here but never seen those.

 

[MadGardener]

Could you link to that dehydrator again? That link doesn't work and I have looked at a few recently. It's on my list.

Very humid here in Japan. 95-98%.

Any DIY video for that solar dehydrator?

Sorry, I purchased my dehydrator 9 years ago and it looks like the price went up a lot. My research led me to vertically stacking trays being easier to use. I also wanted to dry herbs, so looked for one with a lower temp setting. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0090WOCN0?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Can't really offer any suggestions on the solar route. I'm not close enough to that project to really research

 

[MadGardener]

Quite a few types of bean available here but never seen those.

I moved to the Appalachian mountains a couple years ago. Learning about the older ways has been very interesting. And lots of folks out here are still gardening, canning, and raising livestock. Definitely a refreshing change from modern suburbia! Sounds like you enjoy a simpler life as well.

 

[Zeoliter]

Sorry, I purchased my dehydrator 9 years ago and it looks like the price went up a lot. My research led me to vertically stacking trays being easier to use. I also wanted to dry herbs, so looked for one with a lower temp setting. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0090WOCN0?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Can't really offer any suggestions on the solar route. I'm not close enough to that project to really research

Thanks.