How do you cook dry beans?

skonly
skonly Posts: 371
edited December 26 in Recipes
I eat a lot of dry beans. Usually add garlic, onions, celery, carrots, peppers and stuff like that. Whatever I have on hand.

Just wondering how most of you make yours. I use a big pot on the stove but mostly use my little crockpot. I eat different kinds of bean and sometimes get bored.

If food prices go up the way the news keeps reporting I think we will all be eating beans and be thin. lol

Replies

  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    I eat a lot of dry beans. Usually add garlic, onions, celery, carrots, peppers and stuff like that. Whatever I have on hand.

    Just wondering how most of you make yours. I use a big pot on the stove but mostly use my little crockpot. I eat different kinds of bean and sometimes get bored.

    If food prices go up the way the news keeps reporting I think we will all be eating beans and be thin. lol

    The only time I will cook up a fresh batch of beans is over an open-flame - I wont do the crockpot-thing or over-the-stove-thing... the campfire brings so much more to the creation of a bean-based meal. My husband likes it when I incorporate some of the bacon-fat from cooking bacon, when I sautee the vegetables (corn, onion, celery, tomato, red/orange/yellow pepper, fresh herbs and spices) and some beer... I never have leftovers when I make up my beans.

    Chili is always made in a separate pot over an open-flame - considering real chili has no beans at all, they are best kept separate in my mind.
  • ekking69
    ekking69 Posts: 44
    I don't cook dry beans, but really want too. My only attempt so far was a failure. How do you do it in the crock pot? Do you still have to do the whole soaking thing? Or just a rinse?
  • Josephina57
    Josephina57 Posts: 170 Member
    I don't cook dry beans, but really want too. My only attempt so far was a failure. How do you do it in the crock pot? Do you still have to do the whole soaking thing? Or just a rinse?
    wash the beans, put in crockpot, add enough water to cover by 2 inches, cook on low till done.
  • grubb1019
    grubb1019 Posts: 371 Member
    I don't like my beans in a crock-pot, I can never seem to get them soft enough. I like mine a little mooshy. For navy beans I rinse them, soak them over night, rinse them again in the morning. Then I cook them on low/med with some diced ham in them and sometimes onions. I cook them for several hours until they are soft.
  • skonly
    skonly Posts: 371
    I should have worded the topic differently. I know how to cook them. I meant to get different ideas on things to add.

    I usually do let mine soak overnight. If not I bring to a boil, turn off and cover and wait about an hour. I like to use a crockpot because I don't have to keep checking on them. I made some today. Nothing fancy. Just red beans, I don't like to mix.

    Made some polenta too. It's been a while since I did that. I use a crockpot for it too. Just made a little, probably enough for 2 people but I'll eat it all. lol.
  • guacamole17
    guacamole17 Posts: 109 Member
    we add an roughly chopped onion, tons of garlic cloves, touch of oil (this makes a difference some how its like <2 tbsps for the whole pot), some frozen sausage, and towards the end, some cajun seasoning to taste. We also use mostly broth instead of water to cook them - huge difference.

    We cook ours until they are just mush with little actual broth left and serve with corn bread! yum!
  • UncleMac
    UncleMac Posts: 13,860 Member
    Rinse then soak overnight. Bring to a boil. Once they've started to soften (time depends on type of bean) then I pour off most of the water, transfer into my claypot, pour maple syrup over the beans, then bake for a couple hours. I sometimes put bacon or ham on top.
  • Heather_Rider
    Heather_Rider Posts: 1,159 Member
    I don't cook dry beans, but really want too. My only attempt so far was a failure. How do you do it in the crock pot? Do you still have to do the whole soaking thing? Or just a rinse?
    wash the beans, put in crockpot, add enough water to cover by 2 inches, cook on low till done.

    ^ this. I put mine in just before bed & let them cook on low until the next day at supper time.
  • amsohs85
    amsohs85 Posts: 166
    You can either soak the beans over night or do a quick soak in warm water for at least an hour. Always drain off the soak water and make sure to remove any debris. Place beans in cookware and add water to about 2 inches above beans. You can cook the beans on the stove, over a fire or in a crockpot. The rules are pretty much the same. There is a belief that you shouldnt salt the beans till they are almost done (supposedly salt makes the beans hard) but i usually salt half way through. If you are using the beans in chili definetely do not add tomatoes or anything acidic untill the beans are done because they will take forever to cook.When i make navy or great northern beans i add some diced ham or bacon and diced carrot and onion. Very similar to bean with bacon soup.
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