Show Easy, forgiving, healthy and economical, beans are a home cook's secret weapon. Yes, canned beans are convenient, but knowing how to cook dried beans gives you flexibility, and makes for a far more delicious meal. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about preparing beans and some of their relatives in the legume family, including lentils and split peas, both on the stove and in the pressure- or slow-cooker. Before You Start
Choosing Your BeanThere are dozens of varieties of beans, but these are the ones you’re most likely to encounter. Use this list to figure out what to buy when you want them to fall apart into a soup or dal (lentils, flageolet and split peas), or hold their shape for salads (adzuki, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, cranberry and kidney). As a general rule, 1 cup dried beans makes about 3 cups cooked.
SoakingSoaking your beans helps them cook faster and more evenly, and it can also make them easier to digest. If you add salt to the soaking water (in other words, make a brine), your beans will cook even faster; the salt helps break down their skins. Here are a few methods; choose the one that best fits your schedule. And keep in mind that you never need to soak legumes like lentils or split peas.
SeasoningYou can simmer beans and other legumes in nothing but plain water with salt and get great results. But before you start cooking, take a minute to add the herbs, spices, stock and aromatics that make beans even better. Even a humble onion and a bay leaf works wonders.
Salt & Spices
Herbs
Aromatics
Meat & Stock CookingYou’ve soaked your beans (or maybe not) and they’re ready for some heat. Simmering them on the stove is the time-honored method, and we’ll tell you how to do it. But you can also cook them in a slow cooker or a pressure cooker — whatever you prefer.
Testing for DonenessHow do you know when your beans are ready to eat? Read on for the signs that it’s time to taste — and don’t toss that cooking liquid.
Simple Pinto Beans
StorageHow and where you store your beans, lentils and more, both before and after cooking, can dramatically affect flavor and texture.
CollectionCollectionCollectionWhat to do with beans after soaking?Instructions. Soak the beans overnight. ... . Drain the soaked beans. ... . Transfer the beans to a cooking pot. ... . Add water and bring the beans to a boil. ... . Reduce to a low simmer and cook. ... . Check the beans after an hour. ... . Add the salt when beans are just barely tender. ... . Cool and store the beans.. What do you do after you soak red kidney beans?Drain the soaked beans and place them in a Dutch oven or large pot with 10 cups of fresh water. Add the bay leaves to the pot. Bring to a boil for about 5 minutes, then reduce heat to a simmer. Let the beans simmer for 45 minutes and up to 90 minutes until tender and soft.
Do you rinse red beans after soaking?The beans will expand, so make sure you cover by several inches of water to allow for this. After soaking using either method, drain and rinse the beans. Place the beans in a large pot and cover again with the same ratio of fresh water.
Do you have to use beans immediately after soaking?The short answer to this question is no. You don't have to soak your dried beans overnight. We'll get to what you can do instead in a second, but first, a note about why we soak beans. Soaking beans in the refrigerator overnight will reduce the time they have to cook drastically.
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