Dried Bean Question

[suziquzie]

Oh nothing....

But seriously I did think it's an odd day where GB has never cooked something or didnt know something!
I feel so useful today!
It wont last.....

[jennyema]

Geebs

I use both canned and dry beans, depending on what I am making.

I make blackeyed pea salad (and other bean salads) all the time in the summer and have to say that it is one of those things I would probably never make with dry beans.

No matter how experienced you are with dry beans, the texture can come out funky. Too hard, too mushy. Plus sometimes the shells come off and the beans split apart.

This doesn't matter that much if you are making baked beans or beans and rice or pasta fagioli, etc. But in a cold bean salad it can.

THAT SAID..... you really need to try it on your own and see what you think of it.

Make sure to simmer them very gently. And salt your cooking water.

Good Luck!!

[Robo410]

I get better results (more tender beans) if I soak overnight. Yes you need to cook them after that. How long? up to an hour depending on size and age...(even more if they are old).

While beans will last forever on your shelf, you will need a pressure cooker and a day to soften an old bag of beans!

I buy what I need as I need them (except red lentils which can be hard to find so I like to keep a bag on the shelf) and BEP which disappear at NewYears so I buy some by Thanksgiving to have on hand.

Enjoy...

[GB]

Jenny that is good to know. I did not realize there would be an application where canned would be better over dried, but that seems to make sense.

[jennyema]

You need to be the judge

I AM happy to know that you are finally cooking your first dry beans. That was a hidden secret of yours, wasn't it?

[GB]

Yeah, my dirty little secret.

[Andy M.]

You can cook them in the crockpot or on the stovetop. I don't think yoiu have to soak them before cooking. The presoaking just speeds up the process.

[GB]

I guess that would make sense Andy, since they are soaking as they cook anyway.

[jennyema]

Soaking and tossing the soaking water a few times help prevent beans from making you fart, if that's an issue.

[GB]

So if I want to annoy my wife and make the kids laugh then I should not change the water

I have heard that Epazote helps with that as well. I got a Penzys gift box for Fathers Day and Epazote was included so I thought I might try some of that and see how it goes.