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Instead of buying canned beans does anybody cook their own beans?
Started
by Michele Salway
on May 24, 2010
Can you guys be more specific? I've bought raw, fresh beans a couple times now. I put them in a pot, in water, on the stove to cook them. But they're just plain that way. Some people mentioned cajun or mexican seasoning. What exactly do you do? My last batch of beans, a HUGE batch of red beans, I ended up throwing most in my compost b/c I didn't eat them fast enough b/c I didn't find a good and tasty way to eat them! I don't like their flavor much plain. I threw some on pizzas I made. But what do you guys do? When you put them in the crock-pot, what else do you put in the pot with them? That sounds super easy, and I have a crock pot I never use, so I'd love to find good recipes to use it for!
Thanks!
Your own stuff is always best, but I second the Eden rec, their cans are BPA free, and they sell sodium-free options as well.
I usually cook my own beans. It is a little time consuming but I think the key is I usually soak my beans overnight and then rinse and cook on the stove. For flavor I only add a little salt while they are cooking and then depending on what I'm eating them with sometimes I will add a some beans to my a bowl of brown rice and add some Braggs or salsa is good. We also like to cook them and then put them in food processor and add salsa . super good. I usually just cook black or pinto beans, but last week I did some garbonzo beans... : )
Hi I wanted to add a little tip I've heard. Add salt at the end because it can make the texture weird if you add salt while cooking. but you can add all your other flavors when you strat cooking. I know technically how to cook beans but I always am unsure how to actually make them yummy. Like for lentils I like to add onions and balsamic vinegar and parsely, or make them curry flavor, but I never know what to add to other kinds of beans. Maybe I am over thinking it. Do you guys make beans to stand alone or to add to a dish that you make?
I just throw them in the crock pot over night!
I have made both plain and flavored beans. It depends on what you are going to do with them that week. I used to cooked them in the crock pot, but then decided to cook them on the stove so that I can skim the foam off (to make them less farty). It is super easy to make your own, and so much better for you. I never use the canned stuff. All you have to do is soak them, overnight if you can, but I have soaked them for as little as 3 hours and then cooked them with no problems. I make a pot of beans and a pan of rice every Sunday. Sometimes spicy spanish rice, sometimes plain rice....and mix the beans in!! Yummo!!
Speaking of 'farty' (lol), be sure to put a piece of kombu in the pot with your beans while they are cooking, it will not change the taste but will make them easier to digest so you won't be so gassy afterwards!
I cook my own as well with a piece of kombu, usually black, pinto or aduki:)
Hi Sarah Noel,
Here is my bean recipe that everyone loves!
For pinto or black beans: soak beans overnight in the fridge with more water than you think you will need. (This makes the beans more nutritious and digestable, so make sure to plan in advance. They can sit several days soaking so it's easy to always have some soaked beans on hand.) Drain and rinse the beans, then put them in a crock pot or a pot on the stove with water to cover, a thumb sized piece of kombu, chopped onion, garlic, and one or more canned chipotle chiles in adobo (I really missed adding bacon to my beans, but have found the chipotles in adobo to be a great substitute for the smoky flavor.) Bring to a boil, the cover and simmer till tender, then add salt. (Adding salt at the end keeps the skin tender.) I always think the longer they cook, the better they taste.
For garbanzos (chick peas) or navy beans I leave out the chilis. Even just the beans, kombu and a little salt is good.
Hope that helps!
Did my own variation of the Azuki and Squash recipe using a crock pot, Not Good! I enjoy SunVista canned beans, add some chilli of your choice and Voila! Delish the sodium content is not too bad either....
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