Are borlotti beans poisonous

[MaryContrary]

Paranoia has set in! I've had a lovely crop of borlotti beans this year, for the first time, and while shelling them got to wondering how to cook them.
Are they like kidney beans in that you've got to boil them for a certain time before they are edible? Anyone out there in the know?

[9ball]

They need boiling for about 20-30 minutes until soft to bite - you don't use the pods just the beans. I'm not sure if they're poisonous if undercooked but they wouldn't be very nice either way. Hope that helps.

[contadina]

I think that it's only kidney beans that can be poisonous if you don't fast cook them for 10 minutes at the start of cooking. I do this with all dried beans after soaking overnight as it ensures that the scum is easy to spoon off (which helps to cut down on flatulence). After this you can simmer them for the rest of their cooking time.

[red]

I think it depends if they are dried or not. if they are fresh, like peas, then cook until soft, but if they are dried, soak overnight then cook.

[maggienetball]

They are not poisonous. I eat them fresh off the plant. A short boil will suit them fresh and longer if dried. Don't need a long presoak either.

[MaryContrary]

Thanks for the advice guys, boiled them for ten minutes then let them simmer in a stew. Yum! No wonder they are a staple in Italy. Will definitely grow more in the future.

[Des]

On a side note: Ever wonder how they figured out that those poisonous beans were okay once you'd cooked them? I mean, if they'd killed your Grandad and made Great-Aunt Mabel very ill, then you probably wouldn't be adding them to your stoo, would you?

[MaryContrary]

Went with popular consensus and found out that borlotti beans are fantastic. If you haven't tried them yet, do! Easy to grow, cropped well, look fab and taste delicious!

I boiled them for 10 minutes, then simmered for about 40, longer to make them a bit softer.

Have dried some too, for the store cupboard, and saved some for planting of course.

[Archie]

I do runner bean seed the same way, dried, soak overnight, and slow cook all day, then mash up and freeze into small packets.
They are a bit bland so should accept different flavours, so far only used as additive to chilli con carne. White and black seed look good on the plate. Not unlike cooking dried peas and the beans I can buy from Julian Graves.

[Millymollymandy]

Glad I found this thread. My hubby has brought me some borlotti bean seeds from England, which I've never tried before, so looking forward to growing something different for a change. We've decided against courgettes next year - we are bored with them!

[Archie]

Warning tho, I overdosed on the dried beans the other day, bound up for a few hours, thought I was gonna die.The answer might be mix with something less smooth.