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Beans. How do you cook them?
Started
by catgirl
on November 14, 2009
I'd like to incorporate more beans in my diet. I tend to start off with the best intentions but end up eating salad and pasta more nights than not. I probably don't get the iron and protein I need from my diet. I'd like to eat more beans but if I start eating a lot more I'd prefer to use dried beans rather than canned beans. How do most of you like to prepare dried beans? Is a pressure cooker necessary? I keep hearing that this is a valuable tool in regards to cooking dried beans however since I'm also in the market for a rice steamer I don't' want to end up with a bunch of unnecessary appliances if they don't provide a lot of value or if I could have been using one appliance for the same thing. Any opinions would be appreciated! Thanks!
I cook my beans with 2 parts water to 1 parts beans in a saucepan. So far this seems to be fine. I can't afford a pressure cooker right now either and I'm moving so I'm trying to get rid of thins since I'm downsizing and won't have much space.
hi girls. i chucked my microwave 2 weeks ago and have been using a pressure cooker for everything. it is real easy. i have not tacked the beans yet. i love the rice and squash in it!
hi girls. i chucked my microwave 2 weeks ago and have been using a pressure cooker for everything. it is real easy. i have not tacked the beans yet. i love the rice and squash in it!
Thanks Amy. The main reason I was considering a new purchase is because I'm returning a defective crock pot and they're going to either give me cash or I can purchase something else from the same company. Do you find cooking the beans in a saucepan very time consuming? I just feel like I'm always in a rush with 2 kids and trying to get dinner on the table.
Bonny, So if I was considering a rice steamer or a pressure cooker would you say the pressure cooker was the way to go because you can also cook rice in it?
Also, Bonnie, I've been trying to avoid my microwave too after reading Alicia's book .... but it's so hard. I do a lot of quick reheating in it. I wish I could just get rid of it but it's built in to my kitchen and as long as it's there, it's so tempting to use it when I know it will avoid me having to wash another pot with my poor dry cracked over washed hands!
if you have the kind diet p.239 gives info.
growing up my mother followed the same type of steps.
soak overnight, drain off water and replace with fresh water (this step reduces the gassiness of the beans). palce on stove, bring to boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 45 min to an hour.
im sure this can also be done in a crock pot, if it needs to be done as soon as you get home.
i cannot find where i read it but i remember something about not adding salt until the end due to it effecting cooking time and texture. dont take my word for this due to lack of great memorie :)
Thanks Heather. I do have the book but forgot that was there. Thanks for the reminder. Also, I was wondering if having a pressure cooker would save me any time?
I don't find the cooking on the stove taking alot of time at all. I do that while I'm preparing our veggies for dinner and the next days lunches and by then their done. I will have to try the soaking overnight trick though. I've never tried that. See untill reading Alicia's book I bought beans in a can and the 90 second envelope brown rice. Now i'm buying all fresh stuff in bulk. I never realized all the processed crap in the prepackaged stuff. Some beans I do still buy in cans but only the Eden organic and I rinse them very well before cooking.
19 Comments