Dry Beans
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prissygal
Posts: 39 Member
Does anyone cook dry beans? I've heard that they cause weight gain, any opinions here?
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Replies
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They are a good, low-fat source of protein. Like all other foods, they don't make you gain weight unless you eat too much of them.
Best way to cook them is in the oven - they stay firm and keep their shape.
Preheat the oven to 150C/300°F. In a large ovenproof saucepan with an ovenproof lid, or a lidded casserole dish, mix together the rinsed beans, enough water to cover plus a couple of centimeters (3/4") more and seasonings such as onion, garlic, bay leaves, etc... Salt quite heavily (I use 2 1/2 teaspoons for 1 pound of beans). Place in the oven and cook for about 1-1/2 hours, or until beans are tender. Check every half hour to make sure the water level is not getting too low. Once the beans are tender, remove from the oven and discard the vegetables used for seasoning.0 -
I use dried beans because of the sodium in canned beans. I've never tried cooking than in the oven. So you don't have to soak then overnight? Have you ever freezed thir extra cooked beans?0
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Some dried beans are toxic and require traditional soaking or you will get sick. Do not cook beans directly in crockpots, microwaves or ovens in the same water used for soaking. The toxin in beans is leached out in the soak water and must be discarded. One that comes to mind are kidney beans, but I believe at least fava beans, white beans and lima beans have the same chemical. When soaking these beans, the bean water must be discarded and not used in the recipe. All beans can be boiled for at least 10 minutes to make them safe (discarding the water) and canned beans are safe straight out of the can, but raw beans must be briskly boiled and the water discarded. People get sick all the time from putting these raw beans in slow cookers. I provided an FDA link below. http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/CausesOfIllnessBadBugBook/ucm071092.htm0
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I soak them, then drain, rinse, and put in new water. I add diced onion, garlic, peppers, etc. and any herbs I'm in the mood for and cook them in a cast iron dutch oven. I do not add salt until they are almost done - about the last half hour. Adding salt too early can affect shape and texture. They can crumble or kind of melt to nothing, or always stay a little hard in the middle.
I've never had crockpot beans turn out quite right. They need to boil.0 -
I freeze black beans, kidney beans and chickpeas after soaking and boiling. That way I can cook them in bulk because it takes so long. The frozen beans can be used in any recipe that you would use canned beans. I NEVER cook them with salt.0
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I rinse and then do a hard boil for 10 minutes. Let sit in the water (burner off) for 2 hours. Then rinse thoroughly. Fill with clean water and boil until done. I always throw in rough cut onion, celery, garlic. Drain and you can freeze what you are not using. Freeze in individual portions for future use0
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Thank you everyone for the great information. I have several bags of beans just sitting in my kitchen cabinet. Your posts inspire me to use them next week. Beans are a good source of protein which I find I lack when I am tracking calories on MFP. Maybe adding beans to menu will help me add more protein.
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I cook dried beans all the time. I don't add anything, just follow the soak, rinse, drain, cook instructions on the package and divide and freeze for adding to rice or other recipes later.0
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I also use dry beans in my menus. They are a good alternative to animal protein, especially when they are combined with pasta or rice so that the protein is more complete ... but for the most part. I cook them up and keep them for adding to my soups, stews, and as salad toppings.
Someone wrote about Kidney beans making you sick ... here is what I found....
Kidney beans are pulses ,,, as are peas and lentils, and the same kidney bean lectin is found in white (cannelloni) and broad beans such as fava. Here are the cooking instructions to prevent digestive issues that can occur with improper preparation.
Preventing red kidney bean poisoning
This type of food poisoning occurs as a result of consuming raw or undercooked kidney beans. So in order to prevent this from happening, take the following precautions:
Soak the red kidney beans for up to 8 hours. This can be done overnight if you prefer.
Drain and rinse these beans. Throw this water away
Put these beans in a pan of cold water and bring to the boil
Boil them for at least 10 minutes to destroy the toxins
Simmer them for 45 minutes to an hour
If these beans are still hard in the centre then cook them for longer until they have softened.
Follow any cooking instructions carefully and do not be tempted to shorten the cooking time.
the source for this info is: http://www.medic8.com/healthguide/food-poisoning/red-kidney-bean-toxins.html0
