JUST
THE FACTS: BEAN BASICS
Always
Wash & Sort Dry Beans and Peas
Look
for any foreign material prior to cooking dry beans. Foreign
material may include: small rocks, adobe or clay, bits
of vine or pod and undersized or malformed beans. The
industrial packaging process continues to grow and improve,
however, nothing beats hand picking for a high quality
bean dish.
Hard
Water Will Slow Down the Cooking Process
Hard
water is bad news for dry bean cooking. Hard water will
slow down the cooking process or bring it to a complete
halt and the beans will not become tender. If you have
trouble getting dry beans to become tender, use either
distilled water or try using 1/8 teaspoon of baking
soda for each cup of dry beans to soften the water.
Tomatoes
Will Stop the Cooking Process!
Do
not add tomatoes before the dry beans are tender. Acidic
ingredients such as tomatoes, lemon juice, vinegar or
wine will stop the cooking process.
BEANO
works!
If
you are not used to eating a diet high in beans, take
it slow and easy. Increase your intake a little at a
time to help your intestinal tract adjust.
DRY
BEAN MATH
1 pound dry beans = 2 to 21/2 cups
1 cup dry beans = 2 to 3 cups cooked beans
1 19 oz can cooked beans, drained = 2 cups
1 16 oz can cooked beans, drained = 1 3/4 cups
1 15 oz can cooked beans, drained = 1 1/2 cups
JUST THE FACTS: BEAN COOKING
BASICS
Slow soak: Soaking dry beans in
water overnight isn't really necessary.
Fast soak: Boil dry beans for a couple of minutes and
let them soak for one hour before cooking.
Faster soak: Boil dry beans over medium heat for 10
minutes. Soak, covered, for 30 minutes. Cook.
Super fast: Use canned beans! They're already cooked,
just drain and rinse.
Cooking: Drain well. Add 2 cups water per 1/2 cup presoaked
dry beans. Cook for about 1 hour. If the beans aren't
presoaked, lengthen the cooking time by 1 hour. Skim
off the scum that surfaces during cooking.
Exceptions: Lentils and split peas don't need presoaking;
they take only 1-11/2 cup beans and cook in 20-35 minutes.
CROCKPOT
METHOD
This is a great method to cook
beans. No soaking necessary! Place washed and sorted
beans in the crockpot with enough water to cover the
beans by at least three inches. For all day cooking,
cook on low. For half day cooking, cook on high. Season
the beans before you cook them (if desired) but do not
add tomatoes (or any other acidic ingredients) until
the beans are cooked. |
