Dried Beans

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Dried Beans

Dried beans belong to the family of plants called legumes. Distinguished by their shape, beans are usually kidney-shaped or oval (peas and lentils are also legumes, but shaped differently than beans).

Beans in the World’s Cuisines:

  • Cuba: moros y cristianos
    • Mexico: refried beans, frijoles a la charra, etc.
    • France: cassoulet
    • Italy: pasta e fagioli
    • Greece: hummus-like purees
    • Egypt: dfina (a beef stew with white beans, chickpeas, sorrel, allspice and hard-boiled egg)

Purpose of Soaking:

  • Returns moisture to dry-packaged beans
  • Reduces cooking time
  • Makes beans easier to digest by breaking down the oligosaccharides (indigestible sugars which cause flatulence)

Method:

  • Inspect, sort and rinse beans to remove rocks or dirt

Traditional Soak:

  • Pour a volume of cold water equivalent to approximately 5 times the beans’ volume over the dry beans
  • Soak the beans for 8 hours or overnight
  • Drain the beans and discard the soaking water
  • Rinse the beans with fresh, cool water

Quick Soak:

  • Place the beans in a large pot and cover with approximately 5 times the beans’ volume of cold water
  • Bring to a boil and allow to cook at a boil for 2-3 minutes
  • Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour
  • Drain beans and discard soaking water
  • Rinse the beans with fresh, cool water

Cooking :

After soaking, simmer beans in fresh water or stock. Keep the stock at a gentle simmer to ensure even cooking and prevent split skins.

Since beans expand and absorb moisture as they cook, it may be necessary to add more warm cooking liquid periodically to keep the beans covered. Stir beans occasionally to prevent sticking.

Taste the beans for tenderness. They should be tender, but not mushy. Drain and cool the beans immediately after they reach the desired tenderness to halt the cooking process, prevent overcooking, and prevent bacterial growth

Other Cooking Considerations:

Add salt only after the beans are tender. If added before, salt may cause the bean skins to become impermeable and make the beans tough. Add lemon juice, vinegar, tomatoes, chili sauce, catsup, and molasses or wine after the beans are fully cooked. These and other ingredients rich in calcium or acids can prevent beans from becoming tender.

Do not add baking soda to beans. Baking soda robs the beans of B-vitamins and affects the flavor of the beans.