How do you cook dried beans so that....

[Halftime Hope]

.....they are less, ahem, musical?

 

Ok, I fess up.  That was a fun subject line, but it's a serious question.

 

Dd is moving into her own off-campus apartment soon (senior year--yaay!), so she'll have a kitchen and can really cook.  As a vegetarian, she eats lots of bean, but so far, all from cans.  (Yuck on the can lining junk.) While she's home, I want us to learn how to cook dried beans.  I can cook beans if pressed but don't have anything that remotely resembles expertise.

 

Best tips?

 

Thank you!

 

 

[bettyandbob]

I soak, dump the soaking water, cook dump the water again, rinse then use.

 

with canned beans, I drain and rinse before I use.

[happi duck]

I agree.  I think soaking and then cooking with fresh water helps.

[Seasider]

A hot soak does the trick. It supposedly breaks down the starches that we have trouble digesting.

 

Bring a pot of water (enough to cover the beans) to a rolling boil; add beans and boil for 10 minutes. Remove pot from burner, put lid on pot and allow beans to stand.

 

When I first received instructions and began doing this, I was told 4 to 10 hours for the soak time. I have left them for as little as 2 hours up to overnight (ie, hot soak them last thing before bed, put them into the crock pot before breakfast to cook on low all day). We like our beans and rice on the creamy side - if she prefers them firmer, experiment with different soak/cook times.

 

After soaking, discard soaking water and rinse the beans before cooking according to your desired recipe.

[Lara in Colo]

buy beano

[Pawz4me]

I soak beans overnight (usually about 12 hours).  Pour off soaking water.  Throw them in the crock pot, add fresh water and something for seasoning (ham hock, etc.).  Cook on low until done.  None of us ever have any noteworthy "musical" reaction.  I always heard that adding a pinch of baking soda helps, but we never have any issues using the above method so I've never tried it.

[Spy Car]

Soak them. Over-night (or more) is best, but the hot-soak method (bring just to a simmer, and cover for an hour) is good too.

 

Then rinse. Then cook.

 

Often, I will rinse the (plain) beans again just as they are getting tender, and the last cooking time will include any seasonings, or things like tomato-based products (if applicable).

 

The last rinse is optional. If one uses a crockpot (which really is an easy and fool-proof way to make beans and bean-based stews) that last rinse may not happen.

 

Between rinsing and eating beans regularly there ought to be no problem (for those that don't have some sort of intolerance). It seems like the internal flora adjusts to regular bean eating. We eat beans, legumes, pulses all the time and never have gastric distress. Beans are a mainstay of our diet. It is amazing (once you start branching out) how many different tastes, textures, colors, and flavors the world of beans offers. With all the varieties available, eating beans does not have to be boring.

 

Bill (a bean enthusiast :D)

[Violet Crown]

Water, water, water. Wash in plenty, soak in plenty (with some baking soda), rinse in plenty, resoak in plenty, rinse again and cook in plenty. This takes a while so we do big batches. The more times you reheat 'em, the better. Don't forget the comino.

[LostSurprise]

I was just reading yesterday that tumeric helps. Its a big part of curry and SE Asian cooking. Its anti-inflammatory. 

[Renthead Mommy]

My friend just started canning her dried beans.  Once I get a pressure canner I'm going to try as well.  We rarely eat them now because I don't like them out of the can, and soaking them 24 hours ahead is more meal planning than usually works around here.  (I'd soak them, and then we'd end up eating out for the next 4 days LOL!)  But canned, I can open up at lunch just for me and they are ready to go.  She keeps them prepped for soups, chilies, mexican, salads and hummus.  She also just found a recipe for canned baked beans, but has yet to try. 

[Candid]

Whatever you do make sure you boil kidney and other similar beans. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phaseolus_vulgaris#Toxicity No soak and then slower cooker, bring them to a boil!

[Halftime Hope]

buy beano     Wait for it.....yup, it took two sticky sheets off my lint brush to get it dusted off, but I bequeath you the Smarty Pants sash.  : )

[Halftime Hope]

Thanks, everyone!  Much appreciated!

[Lara in Colo]

 

buy beano     Wait for it.....yup, it took two sticky sheets off my lint brush to get it dusted off, but I bequeath you the Smarty Pants sash.  : )

 

I would like to thank the members...........................

[Spy Car]

I miss that Kay (kalanamak) is not living and able to disagree with me on this point (as she unfailingly did in the past) so I will just have to argue her side too, but I think pressure cooking in a lousy way to make beans. Yes it is "fast," but the beans get mushy too easily.

 

Don't listen to Bill. Pressure cookers are great!

 

*sigh*

 

Bill

[redsquirrel]

Well, as a vegetarian and someone who cooks and eats a LOT of beans, I have to admit that the crock pot makes much nicer beans than the pressure cooker. But, if I want to make a bean soup quickly then the pressure cooker is the way to go. If I am going to process the bean beyond just cooking it (hummus, refried beans etc) then I pressure cook them. If I need a well cooked yet firmer bean (black beans and rice, chick pea curry etc) then crock pot. I use both on a regular basis

 

As to the gas production, I honestly think your body needs more fiber on a regular basis.  Beans are full of fiber. First of all, my family eats a LOT of beans and never have gas from them. Someone made a bean joke to my kids and they didn't understand it. They are not ones to pass up a good fart joke, so this was true ignorance. My husband has even commented that he thinks it is odd that beans don't make him gassy at all. His brother made a comment about 'paying the price later on' about a bean salad and it took a moment for DH to figure out what he was talking about. It just isn't a part of our reality.

 

We have come to the conclusion that we just eat a lot of them, and our bodies are used to a high level of fiber. I just happen to track my food with my iphone and I know that I generally consume at least 40 grams of fiber on a typical day. Yes, some days less, but some days more. It keeps me full and must keep my digestive system healthy.

 

For example, we had refried bean roll ups for dinner and I am certain that both boys had at least 1/2 a cup of hummus during the day. No gas. I think that we just get a lot of fiber in our diets and our digestive system deals with it.

 

If it was just me and the boys then maybe it could be some genetic fluke, but it is all four of us. I don't, but DH comes from a family that complains a whole lot about digestive ailments. My SIL's make comments all the time about their husband's spectacular gas, and my ILs both consume antacids and fiber supplements and all kinds of stomach OTC meds. It is a family topic of discussion....except for my husband. He eats a largely vegetarian, high fiber whole foods diet and has no issues. We don't have any antacids in the house, or any stomach medication at all. We just don't need it. It think it is the fiber, and beans are full of fiber.

 

Here is Alton Brown on the topic of beans (with a good description about why the gas happens) and it is well worth the 20 mins of your time:

 

http://youtu.be/LHAYB2SrUHM

 

The gas discussion happens at about 10 mins in, but really the whole thing is great.

[Greta Lea]

Along with the soaking, rinsing and soaking again, I cook beans with a potato in the pot of beans. Discard the potato when the beans are done. Do NOT eat the potato!

[Renthead Mommy]

I miss that Kay (kalanamak) is not living and able to disagree with me on this point (as she unfailingly did in the past) so I will just have to argue her side too, but I think pressure cooking in a lousy way to make beans. Yes it is "fast," but the beans get mushy too easily.

 

Don't listen to Bill. Pressure cookers are great!

 

*sigh*

 

Bill

 

 

If you are responding to what I said, I wasn't talking about cooking them in a pressure cooker.  I was talking about canning them.  But to can them, you can't can them in a water bath canner, you have to can them in a pressure canner.   

[SarahW]

Put baking soda in the first soak water. A tablespoon or two.

 

There are fancier ways to "pre-process," but the baking soda is the only one I consistently remember and have time for.

[ebunny]

As an Indian vegetarian, we eat a huge amount of legumes and beans. I always follow the same method- Wash and Soak beans or any legumes in warm (to touch)water for 24 hrs. Rinse every few hours when the water turns cold, and replenish with warm water.

 

Fwiw, I use a pressure cooker to cook them. ;-)

[Spy Car]

If you are responding to what I said, I wasn't talking about cooking them in a pressure cooker. I was talking about canning them. But to can them, you can't can them in a water bath canner, you have to can them in a pressure canner.

No, I was responding to earlier posts. I've never pressure canned. Is it good?

 

Bill

[Spy Car]

As an Indian vegetarian, we eat a huge amount of legumes and beans. I always follow the same method- Wash and Soak beans or any legumes in warm (to touch)water for 24 hrs. Rinse every few hours when the water turns cold, and replenish with warm water.

 

Fwiw, I use a pressure cooker to cook them. ;-)

You may need to fill the role of my "friendly antagonist" on the pressure cooking issue, because I really don't like having arguments with myself.

 

Yes you do!

 

Stop that! :D

 

Black Spy/White Spy

[KungFuPanda]

When I make pinto beans and chick peas in bulk, I soak overnight (I might soak chickpeas 2 days in the fridge) then dump the soak water. I then add fresh water, boil a few minutes, dump and repeat twice before finally letting them cook all the way. We get no gas from the beans when I do this. Trouble is, it's a pain and I don't always do it. When I don't, I can tell. It's the only ting that I've found that really works. I generally do a couple pounds t once and freeze when I go to the trouble. Then I'm off the hook for a while.

 

I haven't tried baking soda though. That seems worth a shot.

[Renthead Mommy]

No, I was responding to earlier posts. I've never pressure canned. Is it good?

 

Bill

 

 

She said they came out great.  Like opening a can of beans, but so much better.  And actually easier than cooking regular beans with all the soaking and boiling. 

[Spy Car]

She said they came out great. Like opening a can of beans, but so much better. And actually easier than cooking regular beans with all the soaking and boiling.

Is it "canned" in glass (like Mason jars)?

 

Bill

[kbutton]

Soak for 12-24 hours. Rinse and boil for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit with the lid on for 30 minutes. Boil again until they are tender (time varies depending on the beans). I will have to try changing the water after the 30 minute soak and see if that helps even more with the gas (this method is pretty good already). I second the freezing--I almost always make more than one pot of beans at a time--it's just as easy to soak and watch two pots as one, and then we freeze all the extras.

[Renthead Mommy]

Is it "canned" in glass (like Mason jars)?

 

Bill

 

 

Sorry, I guess that did get a little confusing.   Yes, canned in Ball mason jars, done in a pressure canner (not water bath canning).  

[Spy Car]

Sorry, I guess that did get a little confusing. Yes, canned in Ball mason jars, done in a pressure canner (not water bath canning).

And are they "cooked" as they are canned, or is there any pre-cooking?

 

Bill

[Renthead Mommy]

And are they "cooked" as they are canned, or is there any pre-cooking?

 

Bill

 

 

This is what she had sent me:

 

 

to can dried beans: soak 3/4 c per pint or 1 1/2 c per quart in clean jars overnight.  Dump water; fill with boiling water next morning and can per time recommended by your canner manufacturer.  Mine was 90 minutes for qts at 11lb.

 

 

The chick peas were great.  So much better than out of tin can type, but just as easy to just pull off the shelf and open.

[Spy Car]

 

This is what she had sent me:

 

 

 

to can dried beans: soak 3/4 c per pint or 1 1/2 c per quart in clean jars overnight. Dump water; fill with boiling water next morning and can per time recommended by your canner manufacturer. Mine was 90 minutes for qts at 11lb.

 

 

The chick peas were great. So much better than out of tin can type, but just as easy to just pull off the shelf and open.

Very interesting. Thanks for taking my questions!

 

Bill

[ebunny]

You may need to fill the role of my "friendly antagonist" on the pressure cooking issue, because I really don't like having arguments with myself.

 

Yes you do!

 

Stop that! :D

 

Black Spy/White Spy

Ha!

 

Don't freak out when I say this, but I cook all grains and legumes in my pressure cooker.. :D

[Pawz4me]

My aunt cooks beans in the pressure cooker.  They eat beans every day.  Every single day.  And they like them freshly cooked, not reheated or frozen.  It's been so long since I ate her beans that I don't remember how they tasted.  But in general she's a very good cook and not prone to short cuts just for convenience.  So I'm guessing they're pretty good.