Ask the Readers | How do you cook dried beans?
This is the only way we use beans!
I need some assistance with answering a Q&A submission I received earlier this week. I'd normally answer this on Monday, but this one is beyond my areas of expertise.
Here's the question from Kelly.
My husband has a heart condition and high blood pressure so I closely monitor the salt content in all of our food. I love beans and they are very heart healthy, however the canned stuff is very expensive and very high in salt. I have tried my hand and cooking them myself and have failed miserably! LOL Purchasing beans by the bag is so much less expensive and I can monitor just how much salt goes into them. Any advise and/or help on how to cook them from a raw form so they dont turn out like mush?
The trouble is, I don't really ever cook dried beans. I know they are one of the cheapest foods on the planet and that they are very nutritious, but I have a slight problem. My husband, dear though he is, cannot abide beans. He's fine with green beans, but not the legume sort of beans.
I actually like beans quite a bit and so does Lisey, but since there are only two of us who eat them, I usually just pop open a can. Canned beans are a lot more expensive than dried beans, but they're still a really cheap food, and this is one place I don't mind paying for a little convenience.
I'm guessing a lot of my readers are well-practiced at cooking dried beans, though! So, if you've got a method that works well, I'm sure Kelly would be grateful if you'd leave a comment explaining what you do.
I cook dried beans frequently. I always cook them in a crock pot. I just cover the beans with water and cook them all day until they reach desired tenderness. I then drain off the water and season them with my favorite herbs and spices. Our favorite is black beans seasoned with garlic, onion and cumin. I then serve the black beans with rice and various condiments such as salsa, cilantro, etc.
Oh yea! Something I can help with. I never have trouble with cooking beans using this method. They always come out creamy and no trouble with "repeating". I believe the "secret" is in the two special ingredients: lemon juice during soaking and a source of fat during the cooking.
When I make them I measure out two cups. Place in a strainer and rinse them and pick over them and throw out any that are wrinkly or otherwise beat up looking. Place them in a large stock pot and fill with water to cover by at least an inch. I then squeeze a couple of tablespoons lemon juice into the water and stir just to make sure juice is dispersed through the water. I then let these beans soak overnight (or 12 hours). I've read that some people change out the water every couple of hours but I've never done that.
When I'm ready to cook, I pour out the beans into a colander and rinse well. Put them back into your stockpot with either a ham hock or, better still, a pigs foot (probably most easily found at market with a large ethnic customer base) and a bay leaf. Fill with water to cover everything and place on a medium high heat and cover with lid. When water comes to a boil turn the heat down to somewhere near low, just to keep a healthy simmer. My beans cook in about a half an hour but you should take a large spoon and scoop up some and sample for tenderness. Take a couple of different samples.
Your beans should turn out creamy and delicious.
Okay, we use beans a lot in this household (we survive the winter with our winter bean and sausage veggie soup), and we try to use the dry kind. So through trial and error here is what I have found works best and quickest:
First I pour desired amount of beans into a large pot and cover with water. I put them on high heat and bring them to a boil. Once you see the boil bubbles start, take off of heat, cover and let soak. This is a quick soak method, and honestly I've done the whole soak for 12+ hours overnight and I think this actually works better. I usually let them soak 2-3 hours, but the freedom is in the fact that I can leave the house and come back hours later and they're fine.
Then I drain them in a colander (usually reserving a bit of the bean water for the nutrients and flavor ( I think they add to the soup). Rinse the beans, then back into the pot to cook as you want. Simplicity is beans and a ham hock cooking all day. I still prefer to cook my beans for a long time, slowly, as I think that brings out the best flavor and texture.
I've used both the quick-soak (heating to boil first then soaking, covered, off the heat for an hour or two) and the long soak without heat method. The long soak can actually make the beans absorb so much water that they can go from underdone to mushy very quickly when you are cooking them. The quick soak gives you a better chance of catching them where you want them. They aren't going to taste the same as canned beans, so if you wait for them to taste the same they will probably turn into mush. A little trial and error and I've figured out how to know when they are done.
Also, beans of different types or sizes, and beans of different ages, cook differently. The longer you store them the longer they can take, so if you mix an older and newer bag you may get uneven results.
I cook pinto beans almost every week. I sort and pick through the beans and wash them. I usually put them in my crock pot and cover with lots of water. I add olive oil and sometimes garlic and a few sprinkles of ground hot pepper that I keep on hand. Remember, they almost double in size so I watch the water level as they cook and add water if needed. I always wait until they finish cooking before adding any salt..
I cook beans much like Debbie says she cooks her beans. It is very important to monitor the water level, because it takes a long, long time for the smell of scorched beans to evaporate from a home (ask me how I know this tidbit). I have used Crisco in the past to add flavor to the beans, but I have recently started using olive oil. It works just as well, but one does need to add more spices to the beans. The best advice I have is, keep adding water.
The only advice I can give that hasn't already been given is to make sure when cooking Red Kidney beans that they are fully cooked before eating. They are toxic raw, and even more toxic when they are half cooked. Make sure they are soft before eating them!
I have never been a big bean fan but my husband is. So I tried making them. They're really not half bad! I followed the recipe from The Pioneer Woman for both the beans and the cornbread. I have had good results (at least my husband says they're what beans are supposed to be like!) and have become a regular bean cooker. This recipe does not soak the beans at all, just a slow cook. Simple, easy, worth trying. Seems like there are many different ways to cook a bean. And everybody claims there's is the best one!
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/08/beans_and_cornb/
@sara clepper
I cook them in the crock pot as well. Sometimes I presoak them overnight (usually for "tougher" beans like black beans) in the crock, then in the morning drain off the soaking water and add fresh water. Then cook on low all day (7-9 hrs).
crockpot365.blogspot.com has many bean recipes and basic how-to-crock-beans advice
I started making them in the crockpot - this website lists step-by-step instructions and they've turned out perfectly every time. I cook the whole bag at once (equivalent to more than 3 cans!) and then freeze them in 1/2 cup portions.
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/10/cooking-dried-beans-in-crockpot.html
Her recipes are great, too!
I cook dried beans for the same reason...not allowed salt. That said , here are some simple guidelines before you start.#1 Kidneys-NEVER in a crockpot-make sure they are cooked throughly-I just don't bother with them, use small red or pink beans in place of. #2The darker the color the longer they cook.#3Allways do a soak of some kind.#4 to use crockpot, rinse and soak as normal,cook on low. Sample after 3 hours-add water as needed.
Overnight soak= sort/pick thru beans for rocks and uglies. Rinse, place in large pot and fill to brim with water. Soak overnight. In the morning drain and rinse, place beans back in pot and fill with fresh water, just to cover plus a little more. Bring to a quick boil then simmer until done, anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour depending on the beans. Sample as you go and notice the time for each type of bean.
Quick soak=sort/pick thru for rocks and uglies. Rinse and place in large pot. Fill to brim with water. Bring to a quick boil. Turn off and let set at least 1hour up to 3-4. (Don't quick soak white northern longer than 1 hour.They go to mush faster.) Drain and rinse, place beans back in pot, add water to just cover and a little more. Bring to quick boil then simmer until done. Start sampling after 20 minutes.
I cook double batches and place in freezer containers in 2-4cup cont. That makes my life easier, varies the type of beans we eat, and keeps our budget down.
A friend lived in Spain for 5 years and taught me this trick for getting rid of gas. As you cook the beans place a whole carrot in the pot as well. When the beans are done, scoop out the carrot and throw it away, no gas. No kidding, it works. Carrot looks nasty, don't bother tryng to eat it, tastes bad too.
America's Test Kitchen had a segment about this very topic just last weekend or so. Go to their web site americastestkitchen.com and so a search for Tuscan Bean Soup and it will explain the method they use on how to keep the beans from getting mushy. It was a really good segment!
Good luck!
Mary
Just to keep in mind - Eden Foods offers 12 varieties of No Salt Added (salt free) canned 15oz beans that are organic and raised in the US. Cooking from dry is best, buy canned are good in a pinch and should fit in with your husband's dietary needs.
We love beans and i cook them often in the winter. A big pot of steaming beans helps heat the house! I freeze beans in the winter after cooking for summer use.
Try cooking beans with a little onion sprinkled in. The onion adds flavor without adding salt. A bowl of beans by themselves is GREAT to me but many people don't like them.
My method is NO SOAKING. I "look the beans" meaning going through them to discover stones or dirt, wash with water and put them in a pot. I add water to cover the beans and bring to a boil, then cook for only an hour or hour and a half. The beans are not mushy when cooked this way.
Good luck and good health to you and your husband!
If I missed this tidbit in the above advice, I apologize for a repeat!
NEVER ADD SALT UNTIL BEANS ARE COMPLETELY DONE COOKING
The salt somehow interferes with the beans' skins' cooking process, and they will turn out VERY tough. For best results, do the quick soak (see above comment about beans quickly going from cooked to mushy after the long soak!).
I pretty much only cook black beans. I do a quick soak (bring water and beans to a boil, then let rest off heat for an hour), then cook them until they are slightly underdone. I freeze them with just enough of the cooking liquid to cover the top of the beans in 4-c. Ziploc tubs. That's about the equivalent of 2 cans of beans, maybe a bit more.
When I want to use the beans, I thaw them out, throw them in a small pot, and continue cooking them with whatever flavorings to match the dish I'm making. I salt to taste right at the end.
This method allows me to cook up a big batch of beans (usually 2 lbs), which takes a long time, and then use them as I need them.
Kristen - you can use this method to cook a pound of beans (or less if you can buy them in bulk) and freeze in small amounts for you and Lisey. Also, leftover beans can be pureed and mixed into various things, especially soups, as a thickener and to add some protein. They're practically flavorless, so it could be an easy way to use up leftover beans before they go bad in the fridge.
Oh! I almost forgot - bean dips are also a good way to use beans. Puree like for hummus and add various spices and a bit of olive oil. Serve with sliced veggies or pita. Sometimes these dips can inspire non-legume-eaters to try a few.
I never soak my beans - it's just not needed for most kinds. I put a pound of dried pinto beans in a heavy dutch oven with enough water to cover them by an inch and a half, and add two bay leaves, a quartered onion, and a couple smashed cloves of garlic. I add salt at the beginning, and I haven't had any problems with tough beans. I bring the water up to a boil on the stove, then cover the pot and put it in a 250 degree oven. 90 minutes to 2 hours later, they're perfectly done.
I've done beans in a crock pot, but when they cook for so long, they do tend to get mushy - which is good if I'm making refried beans or red beans and rice, but not always desirable. In those cases, I add something acidic to the beans, like vinegar, lemon juice, or tomato paste. With a normal cooking method, that tends to make the beans tough and keep them from cooking well, but with a long-cooking method, it helps them keep their shape without getting mushy. Same goes for molasses in baked beans (thanks AB).
I just recently tried Matt's method of cooking beans in the oven, and I was amazed at how simple it was and how perfectly the beans turned out. I have tried soaking and cooking on the stove and in a crockpot, and like this method so much better- no soaking required and the beans were PERFECT!
I do my beans in the crock pot for the convience. I cook a large batch then put in individual qt. size freezer bags in 1 1/2 c. portions. Then I can pull them out of the freezer and use like canned beans.
Wash beans, remove any damaged ones. Place in pot, cover with water. Let soak over night. Flavor with one large onion and a good splash of Olive Oil. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat to medium low, cook until soft.
(Soaking speeds the cooking process)
I cook dried beans all the time. What I do is spill all my beans out onto the counter and pick through them to remove stones and/or broken beans. Then I dump them in a pot and fill the pot with water. I bring it to a boil, and once it's boiling, it boils for 3 minutes. Then I let it simmer until they're almost cooked (try a few beans, since they don't always cook evenly). During the cooking, I skim off any foam and any beans that come up to the top of the pot (these few beans are usually the couple of bad ones that I didn't catch during sorting). Then you add salt and simmer a little bit longer until they're done to taste.
At that point, I let them cool in the pot, then use a slotted spoon to measure out two cup portions (roughly the same as a can of beans provides), transfer to a freezer-proof container and cover with the cooking liquid. Seal the container and freeze. The night before I need the beans, I toss a container in the fridge to thaw.
You can do this in the crock pot too, if you need them to cook while you're not home.
I like this method though, because it means I don't have to cook beans all the time, and usually have 2-6 containers in the fridge of different types of beans.
Alternately, if she has a pressure cooker, the manual will have instructions for how to cook them.
I used to cook my beans in the crockpot all the time. Sometimes they'd be a bit too soft.
Then I bought a pressure cooker. I cook all my beans this way. You don't have to soak them either. But I generally do.
I rinse the beans, put them in a bowl with the right amount of water. Soak. When ready for dinner. Drain and rinse. Cover with water again (basically almost the same amt of water), cook in a pressure cooker for the specified amount of time.
Example: black beans, 5 min. Pinto beans, 6 min. Kidney beans, 9 min. Chickpeas, 13 min.
You need to add about 10-15 min to that time for the heating up and the cooling down of the beans. Times above are for active cooking time at pressure.
I thought of suggesting the pressure cooker method like Marcia above. It is really easy. If you don't have one, I strongly recommend getting one. It not only saves time, but conserves energy/electricity.
The only trick I have is to soak the beans overnight. Then pressure cook them for 5/6/9/13 min as mentioned above by Marcia.
I also add a pinch of baking soda to the soaked beans just as I place them in the cooker. This ensures that I always have evenly cooked beans.
I have also cooked these beans, and drained the cooked liquid and kept them in fridge for a week. I pull out only as much as I need for meals from the fridge all through the week. This ensures that I consume beans all through the week incorporated in different meals and at the same time it almost seems like I am using home-made-canned beans that is of course healthier than store-bought.