I know many of you Budget Byters already cook your own beans but I wanted to make this post for all of the newbies out there. Beans are one of the most economical and nutritious foods available so I try to use them in recipes as often as possible. Canned beans are quick and convenient but with a little planning ahead, dry beans can be just as easy and HALF the cost of canned.
Many people (including myself) shy away from cooking dry beans because it seems like such a daunting chore with the overnight soaking and hours of cooking. What I’ve discovered is that cooking beans can be as easy as “setting it and forgetting it” and, thanks to Kalyn’s recent post, I now know that presoaking is not even necessary! If you cook a large batch, the beans can be divided up into two cup containers, frozen and then pulled out of the freezer as needed. Taking frozen beans out of the freezer is just as convenient as opening up a can!
Last night, I cooked up a batch of black beans for today’s soup. The final cost for one can equivalent of dry beans was $0.40 cents. Compare that to a store bought can which usually runs me about $0.79 and I’ve cut the cost in half. Plus, I’ve eliminated salt, preservatives and a lot of wasted packaging. Have I convinced you yet?
*NOTE* This method is not advised for kidney beans or beans in the kidney bean family (like white kidney beans or cannellini) because they contain a naturally occurring substance called Phytohaemagglutnin, which can be toxic to humans and cause severe GI distress. The beans must be cooked in a full boil for at least ten minutes to break down this substance, and most slow cookers do not achieve this level of heat.
How to Kick the Can (of beans)
Here is how it’s done:
STEP 1: Pour one pound (or two for an extra large batch) of beans out onto a baking sheet and sort through to remove any stones or debris. Transfer the beans to a colander to rinse off any dust.
STEP 2: Place the cleaned and sorted beans in a slow cooker and add 6 cups of water for every pound of beans. Put the lid on, set the cooker to HIGH and let her go. Beans that have not been presoaked will take 4-6 hours to cook on HIGH.
STEP 3: Once the beans are tender, pour them into a colander and give them a quick rinse. Divide the beans into containers (re-sealable or zip top freezer bags), label, date and freeze until ready to use! Easy as that.
One pound of dry beans will yield about 6 cups of cooked beans, equal to about 3 cans.
The hands-on time to make these beans was only about 15 minutes. Once they were cleaned and sorted, they go straight into the pot and then I didn’t have to do ANYTHING until I checked them four hours later. Then it’s just a quick drain, rinse and pack into containers.
You can cook beans on the stove top if you don’t have a slow cooker although it takes more attention and care. Just place them in a large pot with a lid (same water/bean ratio), bring it up to a boil then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer until tender. Do not let the beans boil heavily or else the delicate skins will disintegrate and you’ll be left with nothing but bean fragments.
If you have any tips, tricks or notable experiences cooking dry beans, share them in the comments section below!
…the black bean soup recipe should be posted later tonight ;)
Sarah – I’ve cooked unsoaked black beans on low for 8 hours, and it worked great! I hope yours turns out okay!
I think I’ve made a “boo-boo”. I didn’t pre-soak my pinto beans (1 lb.), but I washed and sorted through them. I added them to the crock-pot this morning with enough water and set them to “low”, intending them to cook for at least 10 hours while I’m away at work. Is this enough time? Will I have tough, uncooked beans at the end of my Monday?
I precook my bean for a hour or so,, drain off the water,, and add nw hot water to the crock pot,, takes about 1/2 the time to finish them,,
I put Baking Soda in my beans to eliminate the GAS and it helps that way you do not have to pre-boil your beans!
I like to cook beans in my Stanley thermos. I soak beans in salty water overnight (contrary to kitchen folklore, salt actually helps soften beans, not make them tough), then boil in fresh water for 10 minutes the next morning. I then pop them into my trusty Stanley thermos for the day, and when it’s time to make supper, the beans are perfectly cooked! Details: http://thriftyliving.net/2008/09/07/cooking-with-stanley/
I agree that dry beans are better than canned if the canned have preservatives or sodium. But not sure they are cheaper or greener. You probably spent the 40 cents you saved on water and electricity for the crockpot. And you have to wash the baking sheet, the colander and the crockpot with hot water. Do more energy andcwsterbussge there.
Trader Joes has canned beans with low sodium and no preservative for around .89 cents. It’s probably a wash environmentally and cost-wise.
Somebody asked if you can can beans. You can. It is easy with a pressure canner, but has a very long canning cycle. I think an hour or more at high temps…like canning meat. I normally just freeze mine, though I do can a bunch maybe once a year for emergencies…like I realize I have run out of frozen beans.
We’re looking forward to our first batch. I particularly want to appreciate your method for sorting/picking before rinsing. I’ve never thought to use a tray before and it made a huge difference- found the pebble with my eyes instead of my teeth! Also, we’ve enjoyed 3 or 4 recipes since finding you and all have been ‘keepers’. Thank you.
Thanks for the quick reply Beth. The batch I made today turned out great, so I don’t see any reason to pre-soak if it doesn’t reduce the time. -Brandon
I’ve cooked them both soaked and not soaked, but used the same cooking time for both… so, I don’t know if you can reduce it, but I do know that it won’t make them overly mushy :)
Does anyone know if the slow-cooker time is reduced if I were to take the time to soak the beans beforehand? Thanks for this article! Testing out my first slow-cooker batch right now :)
Brandon
If this can be cooked on a slow cooker, I guess it can be too on a rice cooker.. Hmm gonna give it a try. Thanks for this secret recipe.
http://www.ricecooker5cup.com/
Thanks for this great recipe! I made it, freezed it in separate containers and defrosted some of the shrimp, rice, and black bean recipe. Yum!
My mom cooks a lot of her food in the oven overnight! She cooks down tomato sauce, salsa, apples for apple sauce, etc. The food can be cooked in big roasters, it doesn’t burn, similar to a crock pot in that you really don’t need to check on it very often. However you can make greater quantities at one time if needed.
Kerah – Some people swear by soaking beans to reduce gas, but I’ve never found it to make a lick of difference (whether cooked on the stove top or in the slow cooker), so I don’t bother doing it. My body doesn’t seem to notice the difference :) So, it’s up to you!