Beans in a slow cooker??

[XeniA]

I just today took delivery of my new slow cooker, but the cookbooks I also ordered are going to take a couple more weeks. Tomorrow I'd like to make some simple beans (which is why we bought it). Can anyone offer me basic guidance?

[boufa06]

So far, I have not cooked beans in a slow cooker. If you are thinking of cooking Fasolada using dried beans, soak the beans first until they expands. Put the beans in a pot and bring it to a boil. Dump the water and transfer the beans to your slow cooker along with the chopped ingredients. Put enough water and turn the knob to high. After a few hours, check to see how the beans are doing. It should probably take about 8 hours for the beans to be cooked. When the beans start to soften, adjust the temperature to medium. Once it's cooked, adjust it to low and let it keep warm till serving time. Unlike normal cooking and pressure-cooking, the amount of water in the cooker will remain the same as when you first put it in.

Once you have determined the number of hours it takes to cook the beans, you can even prepare it just before you retire for the night or even before going to work. I used to do it this way when I was preparing pork leg and tripes.

[kadesma]

I just made a pot of pinto beans and bacon which we had last night for dinner. I rinsed and sorted them, put them in the cooker, covered them with beef broth and set them on high to get started. After two hours I set the temp to low and let them cook all night. before going to bed I added the rest of my ingredients. Worked well in my new slow cooker. I've done this for years In my old one. It's so easy and trouble free. Good luck and enjoy your new cooker.

kadesma

[XeniA]

Originally Posted by boufa06

... If you are thinking of cooking Fasolada ...

Ah-ha Boufa! I was wondering when I saw your "kolokithopita" recipe (which sounded great, by the way) if you were maybe Greek ... and now you mention "fasolada" so I know you are!

Yup, fasolada is what we have in mind (very, VERY wintery day over here!). Since I've never owned or cooked in a slow cooker, probably what I'll do tomorrow is bring it down to the office and do it there so I can keep an eye on it. I'm going to have to warm myself up to the idea of putting something on to cook and actually leaving the house for hours!

There are advantages to having a family-owned business since I can cook beans and work at the same time!

Thank you and Kadesma for your advice. I'll do my best and let you know how they come out!

[bethzaring]

Hi Ayrton!

My "bible" for cooking beans is a booklet put out by the Michigan Bean Commission about 35 years ago. For cooking dry beans in a crockery cooker, it says,

Place beans in boiling water (enough to cover) and simmer for 10 minutes. Then place beans in crockery cooker and add 6 cups water per pound of beans. Cook on low for 12 hours. This takes care of both the soaking and initial cooking steps.

good luck!

[boufa06]

Ayrton, the cat is almost out of the bag! Well, I am not Greek but I have Greek connection. Yes, this fall is not what the Greeks are expecting - cold, windy and isolated floods. In line with the erratic weather, I think a dish of 'Trahana' (homemade if possible) with chicken is also ideal. Or how about Oriental curry chicken? Have fun with your slow-cooker. Incidentally where did you buy it from?

[XeniA]

Bethzaring, thanks -- it's helpful to know both the time and the amount of water.

Boufa, I got it from Amazon in the U.K. and a friend brought it down to us (Amazon doesn't ship electrical appliances out of the U.K. and crock pots don't exist in Greece to the best of my knowledge). (And yes, trahana sounds pretty yummy too!)

[kitchenelf]

Originally Posted by Ayrton

(very, VERY wintery day over here!)

What is a very, VERY, wintery day like in Greece? I've never been there and haven't compared on a map where it falls in longitute and latitute - so, just curious! (I know, off topic - you can PM me if you want).

[boufa06]

Ayrton, I know they are not available in Greece (even rice cookers), that's why I was wondering how you managed to get it. I have two crockpots purchased from Singapore.

[XeniA]

As you know from my PM, Boufa, I got it from England. Greece has yet to discover these ... I'm contemplating importing!

Meanwhile, my beans have now been on ... wait a sec, let me check my watch ... for TEN hours! Finally they're done in terms of tenderness of the beans, but I want a bit less liquid so I've just taken off the top. We started them on 'high' for about an hour, then half of the day on 'med' then back up to high since after 5 or 6 of those hours they were still very much uncooked. I gather it takes awhile to get the hang of this?!

Kitchenelf, a "very, VERY wintery day" here in Greece can mean well below zero and heaps of snow (in Florina), but here in Athens usually it just means bitterly cold with a wind coming in off the sea. You know how damp air can be all that much more penetrating?

Yesterday wasn't the coldest day I've ever lived here really, it was just so unexpectedly cold for October. After a blissful 3.2 days of autumn weather after the *&%# endless, relentless, unceasing heat of summer, personally? I'm just not ready for frozen feet and cold noses!

[boufa06]

Ayrton, I am sure you will do very well importing them since soups especially, Fasolada, Faki, Revithia and Patsas are popular in Greece.

Glad that your bean soup turned out well.