Rehydrating beans FAIL/weird dilemma:

NumbrsNerd

For the very first time, I rehydrated my own beans this weekend for chili. Stupid me followed the quick soak method and did not test them prior to making the chili.

Today, I got to enjoy semi-crunchy beaned chili. Not the best texturally, but tasted fine.

Anywho, I Google-searched how to finish hydrating my beans: can I just keep cooking the chili?

Turns out, undercooked kidney beans are poisonous and cause horrible food-poisoning-like digestive problems, or so says the Internet. The articles say as little as 5 beans can make you sick - I had like 15 to 20.

Does anyone have experience with this? Do you eat crunchy beans and you've never been sick? (This is what one coworker tells me). Have you eaten undercooked beans and gotten sick? (If it's true, why are there no warnings on the bag?!?)

Am I in for a fun evening?

ETA: Clarification: my concern is the undercooked beans I've already ingested. I am looking for opinions on whether or not I am likely to be sick this evening and if so, how horribly sick. What I've read is kind of scary. I will continue to cook the remaining chili or toss it. That is not my concern here.

Thanks,

_John_

cyanogenic glycosides do not sound appetizing to me....

NumbrsNerd

cyanogenic glycosides do not sound appetizing to me....

elaborate, please?

_John_

cyanogenic glycosides do not sound appetizing to me....

elaborate, please?

don't worry about it, you'd be dead already if...

I'm joking. They're compounds that can release cyanide (competes with oxygen for cellular respiration). They are deactivated when you properly cook certain types of beans.

NumbrsNerd

cyanogenic glycosides do not sound appetizing to me....

elaborate, please?

don't worry about it, you'd be dead already if...

Thanks for being so helpful.

capricorn2721

I think the quick soak method requires you to still cook the beans, just not so long a time as the regular way. Don't know if crunchy beans are actually poisonous, but I do know from personal experience that they will give you a big stomache ache and gas, bloating etc which is very very uncomfortable.

skinnyinnotime

You don't want to eat undercooked beans, they will make you sick. Yes, keep cooking it!!

NumbrsNerd

I think the quick soak method requires you to still cook the beans, just not so long a time as the regular way. Don't know if crunchy beans are actually poisonous, but I do know from personal experience that they will give you a big stomache ache and gas, bloating etc which is very very uncomfortable.

I did cook them - just not long enough, apparently! I will also switch to the overnight soak method going forward.

I can take stomach ache/bloating. I got concerned with the idea of horrible diarrhea/vomiting. Thanks for replying with your personal experience!!

silver_arrow3

You didn't actually cook the beans... You soaked them, yes, but you would have to cook them separately from the chili. Once they are cooked, that's when you would add it to the chili. I'm sure it's possible to overcook chili, but you might have to do it if you want cooked beans.

sheermomentum

Yeah...not the healthiest thing you could have, even if they don't actually kill you. You might want a little gas medicine later . You can try to keep cooking the chili, but the acidity of the tomato juice is going to make the beans take a very long time to finish cooking. Do you have a crock pot? If so, I'd add a little more water and leave the whole batch on overnight, on the theory that it probably can't hurt. I don't think you can overcook chili unless you scorch it, and some extra liquid should prevent that.

I"m sorry I can't advise more on the effects of eating crunchy beans. I did do a quick search and found this thread where a guy was worried cuz he was doing it for 2 weeks before he found out it was not a good idea: http://www.veggieboards.com/t/55293/toxicity-of-uncooked-beans-how-serious . So, apparently he survived the experience, but did have some unpleasant effects.

Hope your tummy is ok!

CallMeCupcakeDammit

I was wondering about that! I've done the quick soak a couple of times and ended up with crunchy beans (tried soaking a little longer the second time, it didn't help). I didn't throw up, but I didn't feel well both times. I was also using the beans in salad, not chili, so they didn't even get cooked. I haven't used the quick soak method since.

NumbrsNerd

I was wondering about that! I've done the quick soak a couple of times and ended up with crunchy beans (tried soaking a little longer the second time, it didn't help). I didn't throw up, but I didn't feel well both times. I was also using the beans in salad, not chili, so they didn't even get cooked. I haven't used the quick soak method since.

Thank you! This is what I need to hear! My husband has classes tonight after work, so it's just me and my four year old until late tonight. I was having nightmares of violent vomiting and diarrhea!! I can seriously take just not feeling well!

CallMeCupcakeDammit

I was wondering about that! I've done the quick soak a couple of times and ended up with crunchy beans (tried soaking a little longer the second time, it didn't help). I didn't throw up, but I didn't feel well both times. I was also using the beans in salad, not chili, so they didn't even get cooked. I haven't used the quick soak method since.

Thank you! This is what I need to hear! My husband has classes tonight after work, so it's just me and my four year old until late tonight. I was having nightmares of violent vomiting and diarrhea!! I can seriously take just not feeling well!

I thought it was just a coincidence, I didn't think it would really be the beans. Live and learn!

IPAkiller

For the very first time, I rehydrated my own beans this weekend for chili. Stupid me followed the quick soak method and did not test them prior to making the chili.

Today, I got to enjoy semi-crunchy beaned chili. Not the best texturally, but tasted fine.

Anywho, I Google-searched how to finish hydrating my beans: can I just keep cooking the chili?

Turns out, undercooked kidney beans are poisonous and cause horrible food-poisoning-like digestive problems, or so says the Internet. The articles say as little as 5 beans can make you sick - I had like 15 to 20.

Does anyone have experience with this? Do you eat crunchy beans and you've never been sick? (This is what one coworker tells me). Have you eaten undercooked beans and gotten sick? (If it's true, why are there no warnings on the bag?!?)

Am I in for a fun evening?

ETA: Clarification: my concern is the undercooked beans I've already ingested. I am looking for opinions on whether or not I am likely to be sick this evening and if so, how horribly sick. What I've read is kind of scary. I will continue to cook the remaining chili or toss it. That is not my concern here.

Thanks,

This had me in tears at my desk. Partially because of your fail, mostly because it reminded me of my many epic cooking fails. Thank you so much.

NumbrsNerd

For the very first time, I rehydrated my own beans this weekend for chili. Stupid me followed the quick soak method and did not test them prior to making the chili.

Today, I got to enjoy semi-crunchy beaned chili. Not the best texturally, but tasted fine.

Anywho, I Google-searched how to finish hydrating my beans: can I just keep cooking the chili?

Turns out, undercooked kidney beans are poisonous and cause horrible food-poisoning-like digestive problems, or so says the Internet. The articles say as little as 5 beans can make you sick - I had like 15 to 20.

Does anyone have experience with this? Do you eat crunchy beans and you've never been sick? (This is what one coworker tells me). Have you eaten undercooked beans and gotten sick? (If it's true, why are there no warnings on the bag?!?)

Am I in for a fun evening?

ETA: Clarification: my concern is the undercooked beans I've already ingested. I am looking for opinions on whether or not I am likely to be sick this evening and if so, how horribly sick. What I've read is kind of scary. I will continue to cook the remaining chili or toss it. That is not my concern here.

Thanks,

This had me in tears at my desk. Partially because of your fail, mostly because it reminded me of my many epic cooking fails. Thank you so much.

Yeah - I failed! :ohwell: :laugh: I'm glad I provided you with a laugh. Too bad that fail progressed from "doh" to panic that I'd be hugging a toilet all night. I'm a *hopefully former* processed food junkie trying to learn to cook REAL food....