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Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 cups 474g Recipe makes 5 cups) The following items or measurements are not included below: beans
Calories 0
Calories from Fat 0		(0%)
Amount Per Serving		%DV
	Total Fat 0.0g	0%
	Saturated Fat 0.0g	0%
	Monounsaturated Fat 0.0g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0g
	Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg		0%
Sodium 9mg		0%
Potassium 0mg		0%
Total Carbohydrate 0.0g		0%
	Dietary Fiber 0.0g	0%
	Sugars 0.0g
Protein 0.0g		0%
how is this calculated?

Basic Dried Beans

Recipe #49960 | ½ day | 1 min prep | add private note

⁽²⁹⁾ RATE IT NOW Print Recipe

By: Tish
Jan 6, 2003

There are two steps to cooking beans: soaking and cooking. Soaking allows dried beans to absorb water; which makes them start to dissolve the gaseous starches that can cause discomfort. Cooking beans makes them tender and digestible. And rinsing them after soaking and draining any water after cooking will further help to reduce the gas-producing starches.

5 -6 cups (change servings and units)

Ingredients

1 lb dried beans (your favorite)
10 cups water

Directions

1
Note: Lentils, split peas and black-eyed peas do not need to be soaked.
2
Pick through the beans, discarding any discolored or shriveled beans or any foreign matter.
3
Rinse well.
4
Traditional Slow Soak: In a 5-quart saucepan, cover 1 pound dried beans with 10 cups water.
5
Cover tightly and refrigerate 6-8 hours or overnight.
6
Drain and rinse the beans.
7
Hot Soak: In a 5-quart saucepan, bring 10 cups water to a boil.
8
Add 1 pound dried beans and return to a boil.
9
Remove from the heat; cover tightly and set aside at room temperature 2-3 hours.
10
Drain and rinse the beans.
11
Quick Soak: In a 5-quart saucepan, bring 10 cups water to a boil.
12
Add 1 pound dried beans and return to a boil; let boil 2-3 minutes.
13
Cover tightly and set aside at room temperature 1 hour.
14
Drain and rinse the beans.
15
Gas-Free Soak: (The best method for gas-free beans, developed by the California Dry Bean Advisory Board.) In a 5-quart sauce- pan, place 1 pound of beans in 10 or more cups of boiling water; boil for 2-3 minutes, cover and set aside overnight.
16
By morning, 75 to 90 percent of the indigestible sugars will have dissolved into the soaking water.
17
Drain, then rinse the beans thoroughly before cooking them.
18
COOKING BEANS: When cooking beans, do not add salt or acidic ingredients, like vinegar, tomatoes or juice- which slow the cooking substantially; add these ingredients when the beans are just tender.
19
Cooking times vary with the types of beans used but also may vary with their age.
20
Beans are done when they can be easily mashed between two fingers or with a fork.
21
Always test a few beans in case they have not cooked evenly.
22
Return the soaked, rinsed beans to the 5-quart saucepan.
23
Cover the beans with 3 times their volume of water.
24
Add herbs or spices (not salt), as desired.
25
Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender (the time will depend on the type of bean, but start checking after 45-60 minutes).
26
Do not boil them since this will break the skins.
27
Check the level of the water and add more if it gets low.
28
When the beans are tender, drain and use in recipes; or for later use, immerse them in cold water until cool, then drain well and freeze in 1- to 2-cup packages.
29
One pound of dried beans will yield about 5 or 6 cups cooked beans.
30
PRESSURE COOKING: This is one of the quickest ways to cook beans.
31
After you've soaked 1/2 pound of beans, place them in a 4-quart pressure cooker with 4 cups water.
32
Cook at 15 pounds pressure following the manufacturer's directions for the type of legume you are cooking.

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Featured Reviews for This Recipe

From: Allison F

On Sep 10, 2009

I had always used canned beans and this is so much better. I did the traditional soak the first time and quick soak for the second time and both times, they came out perfectly. Thank you!

1 person found this review helpful

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From: bmcnichol

On Aug 25, 2009

Great technique to cook dried beans. I had never cooked dried beans before so tried this method. This worked for me using the quick soak method. I froze the beans for future recipes.

0 people found this review helpful

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From: emily hauer

On Jan 28, 2006

This is brilliant! For some reason I never thought of freezing cooked beans. And since I rarely plan my meals ahead of time, I always end up using canned beans. However, there is no truth to the rumor about salt slowing the cooking process. And beans taste so much better if there's some salt in the cooking water.

8 people found this review helpful

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From: landlocked #2

On Oct 22, 2006

Thank your for posting this recipe. I always thought making basic beans was more difficult tha it is. I made them using the HOT SOAK method, and tbey came out perfect! I don't have as much time to make them today, so I am going to try the QUICK SOAK method.

5 people found this review helpful

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