Dried Beans

ldalbello
ldalbello Posts: 207 Member
edited December 19 in Recipes
I thought I would buy dried beans as I can control the sodium. Does anyone else do this and how do you cook them. I bought mine in bulk and have no instructions. Thanks
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Replies

  • mamamudbug
    mamamudbug Posts: 572 Member
    I bring water to a boil, put the beans in, let them boil for a minute or two, turn off the heat and then let them soak for an hour. After an hour I drain the water, refill the pot with clean water and beans and cook anywhere from an hour and a half to almost 3 depending on the type of bean.
  • ldalbello
    ldalbello Posts: 207 Member
    Thanks !
  • ColleenRoss50
    ColleenRoss50 Posts: 199 Member
    The following website has some information that should be very helpful (gives soaking and cooking times for various kinds of dried beans):

    http://whatscookingamerica.net/Vegetables/driedbeantip.htm
  • heidikat72
    heidikat72 Posts: 42 Member
    the pre-boil step described above is the quickest but if you don't want to do that - you put them in water to soak the night before then drain and proceed as above started with the fresh water
  • Mercenary1914
    Mercenary1914 Posts: 1,087 Member
    Crockpot
  • nigel061
    nigel061 Posts: 109
    Crockpot

    Not sure if I am right, but some dried beans need to be boiled to destroy lectins that can cause bad stomach upsets - crockpots don't reach this high temperature I recall.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    Slow cooker is the way to go with these. Just put the beans in the pot, fill with water, and let them cook on low for 7-8 hours until they are soft and edible. We use beans as side dishes for dinner every week. They are great.
  • Mercenary1914
    Mercenary1914 Posts: 1,087 Member
    Crockpot

    Not sure if I am right, but some dried beans need to be boiled to destroy lectins that can cause bad stomach upsets - crockpots don't reach this high temperature I recall.

    I have done that before (boil them first)...but I always was thinking I was speeding up the process...Good not know Thanks!
  • autumnk921
    autumnk921 Posts: 1,374 Member
    Can you do the same thing with dry split peas....I have a couple of bags of those & I love split pea soup in the can but wanted to try to make it on my own...
  • CookieCrumble
    CookieCrumble Posts: 221 Member
    Crockpot

    Not sure if I am right, but some dried beans need to be boiled to destroy lectins that can cause bad stomach upsets - crockpots don't reach this high temperature I recall.

    I heard this too and lived in fear of dried kidney beans for years. I still buy tinned ones now.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    Can you do the same thing with dry split peas....I have a couple of bags of those & I love split pea soup in the can but wanted to try to make it on my own...

    Yes.

    I make split pea soup in the crock pot. Similar recipe to this:

    http://southernfood.about.com/od/crockpotsoup/r/bl17c5.htm
  • Senestrorsum
    Senestrorsum Posts: 11 Member
    This! http://budgetbytes.blogspot.ca/2010/12/how-to-kick-can-of-beans.html She as many good beans recipes too!
  • bllowry
    bllowry Posts: 239 Member
    Wash and sort through dried beans (sometimes small pebbles are in the bag). I use my Mum's way of cooking beans, perfect for a busy life. Cover with boiling water and add a heavy pinch of ground ginger.(Ginger takes out some of the gasiness from the beans) Let soak for a minimum of an hour, but this is easier if done the night before. In the morning drain and rinse the beans. Put beans in either the crock of a crock pot or a dutch oven with a tight lid. Add around a cup and a half of veggie broth or water to the pot, a quartered onion, a couple smashed cloves of garlic and whatever seasonings you like. I use salt, pepper and marjoram. Cook on low all day in the crock pot, or in a 275 oven if you're using a dutch oven. Perfectly tender beans every time without worry of them burning.
  • stephaneb74
    stephaneb74 Posts: 151 Member
    This is how I do my black beans...--. Soak over night, drain then pressure cooker for 15 to 20 minutes.... done
  • CookieCrumble
    CookieCrumble Posts: 221 Member
    This! http://budgetbytes.blogspot.ca/2010/12/how-to-kick-can-of-beans.html She as many good beans recipes too!

    Thank you! I've added that site to my favourites. :smile:
  • DPernet
    DPernet Posts: 481 Member
    Lots of Beans can be poisonous if cooked incorrectly. Be very careful. With Kidney beans for example they have to be soaked for a minimum of 8 hours and then boiled for at least 10 minutes. Be very careful of using them in a slow cooker. If the temperature doesn't get above 80 degrees Celcius they can get even more toxic.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    Lots of Beans can be poisonous if cooked incorrectly. Be very careful. With Kidney beans for example they have to be soaked for a minimum of 8 hours and then boiled for at least 10 minutes. Be very careful of using them in a slow cooker. If the temperature doesn't get above 80 degrees Celcius they can get even more toxic.

    For kidney beans in the crock pot, I usually cook them on high instead of low. The water is boiling in the pot this way.

    Good to point this out though.
  • kokaneesailor
    kokaneesailor Posts: 337 Member
    Rinse in colander, check for foreign objects, place beans in pot or bowl, add water to about 2 inches above beans, soak over night. In the morning discard the water ( unless you enjoy tooting) add fresh water to cover, about 2 inches should do, you can add more as the beans absorb the water during the cooking process. Place pot on stove, bring to a boil then reduce to simmer for a couple of hours or beans are soft enough for your liking. Eat them, yum. Toot toot! Have fun. Freeze any leftovers that you can't use. :wink:
  • wftiger
    wftiger Posts: 1,283 Member
    Crockpot

    Not sure if I am right, but some dried beans need to be boiled to destroy lectins that can cause bad stomach upsets - crockpots don't reach this high temperature I recall.

    Yes, red kidney beans (actually this might be for the white kidney beans as well) must be pre-soaked (5 hours) and boiled for at least 10 minutes prior to putting in the crock pot. All others are fine to go right into the crock pot
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
    Can you do the same thing with dry split peas....I have a couple of bags of those & I love split pea soup in the can but wanted to try to make it on my own...

    If you are making homemade pea soup you really don't need to pre-soak.

    In the bottom of a dutch oven I carmelize onions and brown some ham if I've got some .
    Then add water and scrap up all of the yummy brown gooeyness on the bottom of the pot.
    Add a bag of peas then
    Add water (about 4-8 cups I start with the peas covered by and 1" or so and add more as it cooks)
    cover and cook over a low heat stirring every 15 -20 minutes so they don't stick .
    Add water as necessary to get the consistency you like

    If you like chunks of veg in your soup, you can add celery, carrots and potatoes, about an hour before the soup is done
    If you like you soup thick, but not chunky add them early and they'll break down and be come part of soup.

    My favorite part is the croutons...
  • auntiebabs
    auntiebabs Posts: 1,754 Member
    Lentils don't really need pre-soaking...

    In my college days (before microwaves)
    I used to put up a pot of rice and throw a handful of lentils in it, cover, set the timer for 20 minutes.
    Chop carrots and onions, then throw them in, by the time the timer went everything would be done.

    Added other things depending on what I had on hand. Then serve and top with cheese.
  • harlanJEN
    harlanJEN Posts: 1,089 Member
    You've gotten some good replies.

    I"m popping on to add my 2 cents. I'm a Kentucky girl, so that means PINTO beans. Cooking them from dry - absolutely the best.

    Here is what I do .. easy greasy.

    Soak them overnight. Rinse. VERY WELL. This removes dirt and debris AND what I call "bean gunk" - which is what gives some folks "gastric distress".

    THEN .. I either cook them on the stove or yes, I use a crock pot.

    Either way .. I put them in a pot first - cover with cold water. Bring to a boil on the stove - turn heat down a bit and cook for 5 - 10 minutes. Pour that water out. Rinse with cold. Then refill with cold water - covering the beans and then another inch or so above.

    If cooking on stove, bring to boil, then turn down heat to simmer. Simmer, stirring and adding additional water as necessary.

    Traditionally, cook with hamhock or some fatback. Hamhock is the BEST in my opinion. But .. don't have to. Don't salt until after the beans are cooked. Can add garlic, hot pepper flakes .. other seasoning to taste.

    OR if cooking in crock pot. Do the 10 minute boil, rinse, put beans in crock pot with water - cover with a bit above. Won't need as much water in the crock pot since it won't be cooking down as much due to the lower heat. Oddly enough - or prob it's just ME - but I don't like to put hamhock in my beans if I'm crock potting them. For some reason - just isn't "right". I've had some GREAT beans in the crockpot though. Sometimes, even better than cooking on the stove. Crockpot - I put on high temp - low just doesn't work well.

    When beans are done - salt to taste. Add other seasoning if desired.

    Oh! I NEVER have gastric distress with my beans :)
  • terri0527
    terri0527 Posts: 678 Member
    Lots of Beans can be poisonous if cooked incorrectly. Be very careful. With Kidney beans for example they have to be soaked for a minimum of 8 hours and then boiled for at least 10 minutes. Be very careful of using them in a slow cooker. If the temperature doesn't get above 80 degrees Celcius they can get even more toxic.

    I never knew this about beans:noway: ...wow, glad I read this post
  • ldalbello
    ldalbello Posts: 207 Member
    Thanks for all the replies. I am making black beans.
  • SyntonicGarden
    SyntonicGarden Posts: 944 Member
    I use a pressure cooker and low sodium veggie broth instead of water. Takes well under an hour and gets hot enough. Then I drain, rinse, and use. Pressure cookers can be dangerous if you don't know how to use one though, so be careful.
  • nigel061
    nigel061 Posts: 109
    Lots of Beans can be poisonous if cooked incorrectly. Be very careful. With Kidney beans for example they have to be soaked for a minimum of 8 hours and then boiled for at least 10 minutes. Be very careful of using them in a slow cooker. If the temperature doesn't get above 80 degrees Celcius they can get even more toxic.

    The boiling part is the important thing not the soaking
  • jefflturn
    jefflturn Posts: 41
    Try a pressure cooker. The electric ones are inexpensive and you can cook the beans in a fraction of the time. You can even set it up to cook them just before dinner with the delayed start up feature they have. Trust me on this it blows a slow cooker (Crockpot) away.
  • thaislcrd
    thaislcrd Posts: 76 Member
    I don't recall ever eating beans from a can! I cook them in water with seasonings, bay leaf (that I later remove) and don't always soak them. To speed up the cooking time, I use a pressure cooker, but if you don't have experience with those, be careful, cause they can be dangerous if you forget and the water dries. When beans are cooked, on a separate pan, brown some ( I use lots) garlic and onions with some cooking spray and when very hot, add about a cup of the beans then mix them all up with the remaining beans that you cooked. It's very good and has a lot of flavor. I sometimes cook them with a whole beet root, peeled and cut into four pieces that I later remove since I can't stand to eat them. You can't taste them in your beans!
  • DPernet
    DPernet Posts: 481 Member
    Lots of Beans can be poisonous if cooked incorrectly. Be very careful. With Kidney beans for example they have to be soaked for a minimum of 8 hours and then boiled for at least 10 minutes. Be very careful of using them in a slow cooker. If the temperature doesn't get above 80 degrees Celcius they can get even more toxic.

    The boiling part is the important thing not the soaking

    True, but ewwww, unless you like your beans extra crunchy.....
  • mamamudbug
    mamamudbug Posts: 572 Member
    Lots of Beans can be poisonous if cooked incorrectly. Be very careful. With Kidney beans for example they have to be soaked for a minimum of 8 hours and then boiled for at least 10 minutes. Be very careful of using them in a slow cooker. If the temperature doesn't get above 80 degrees Celcius they can get even more toxic.

    The boiling part is the important thing not the soaking

    Must be. I've never had a problem with any beans and I've never soaked them overnight.
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