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| Beans (legumes) visible in the photo: pinto, black, white, yellow, kidney, black eyed pea, split pea & lentil The bean jar is an ever-changing landscape of beans. |
Walking into the studio the other day, I overheard a conversation about beans. Two of the guys from the metal shop were discussing baked beans using canned beans. You know the kind: loaded with salt and expensive when compared to a bag of dried beans. One guy mentioned that he was looking to change his recipe a bit, but all he could find about beans was to soak the dried beans overnight. That was too long and troublesome.
Really?
There is an easier and quicker way to soak dried beans. Do you know it? They obviously didn't and so I spoke up. Here's how you do it:
• Wash the beans, however many you need, whatever kind you want
• Put them in a pot with water to cover them plus a inch deeper
• Bring to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes
• Remove the pot from the heat source, cover it and let it sit for an hour
• Drain, rinse and add to your recipe.
Easy peasy, lemony squeezy. Cheap, easy and healthy.
You're welcome.
Can beans be too old? I've had some that never get soft enough. (Overnight or quick method.)
ReplyDeleteI forgot - as a consequence, I use canned beans - less waste in general, and no wasted time.
ReplyDeleteI love beans but rarely fix them. Having read this post, I am hungry for them. Thanks
ReplyDeleteJust made black eyed peas this way last week. On the stove this week - cannelli (white kidney) beans. Not officially going vegetarian, but eating less and less meat.
ReplyDeletegreat tip, thanks!
ReplyDeleteGreat tip, Paula! This is news to me, thanks for passing it along~
ReplyDeleteHuh, I didn't know that. Then again, I rarely cook beans. Was thinking that chili would taste good though this weekend. Rain and colder weather coming in. Happy Fall!
ReplyDeleteEasy ranchero beans: do the boil & soak 1 hour thing, then cook using a jar of salsa as part of your recipe. I also fry up some onions with chopped bacon & add that. Uh oh - there goes healthy.
ReplyDeleteCook up chick peas and make your own hummus! Cook up other kinds of beans (fava, great northern) and make hummus out of those. Cook up red and black beans for chili. I've always got at least 4-5 different kinds of dried beans on hand.
Yeppers - that's pretty well how I do it. I never KNEW beans could be so good until I moved to western Nebraska, where the beans are "made"!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great top tip...I'll have to give it a go :o)
ReplyDelete