Canned Beans vs Dry Beans

[awbrig]

My scallop recipe for tomorrow night - our XMAS Dinner alone - calls for cranberry beans, kidney beans and cannellini beans (dry) to be soaked overnight and then braised with butter, chicken stock, assorted vegetables and rosemary for 90 minutes.

To save time, i am going to be using canned beans of the three. Is the quality of this dish going to be seriously compromised?

Thank you!

[Stone]

Assuming you have decent canned beans, I've never noticed a problem with them. In fact, my attempts to make fresh beans have been such failures (they usually fall apart, or they're mealy), that I've practically given up. (They may get done quicker -- keep testing so they don't fall apart. 90 minutes isprobably too long.)

Edited December 20, 2002 by Dstone001 (log)

[Jinmyo]

I favour tinned beans. I can't discern any loss in quality as long as it's a reputable brand.

Just make sure you rinse the horrid liquid and gack away well.

[Suvir Saran]

I favour tinned beans. I can't discern any loss in quality as long as it's a reputable brand.

Just make sure you rinse the horrid liquid and gack away well.

I am glad you are honest Jinmyo. I clicked on this thread fearing I would find those that swear they can taste a difference.

I was worried I would have to challenge them to a blind tasting to identify what dishes were cooked with canned versus fresh.

I am so happy you think like me Jinmyo. It gives me more confidence in myself.

I rinse the beans very well, and do not worry after that.

And take this seriously, I used to only use dry beans... but now, I use canned ones.. and no one can ever tell the difference.

[Nick]

I can't imagine using canned beans. What brands are you using?

[awbrig]

Joan of Arc - Kidney

Progresso - Cannellini

and still have to go out and find canned cranberry beans

[Suvir Saran]

Joan of Arc - Kidney

Progresso - Cannellini

and still have to go out and find canned cranberry beans

Does CT not sell canned beans?

But jokes aside, you will do just fine. Rinse them well. And you will not notice any difference.

[SobaAddict70]

I recommend Goya, also for kidney beans.

SA

[pjs]

Goya. Rinse them. Only shortcoming with canned is that I find them slightly overcooked.

PJ

[Malawry]

I find many brands of canned beans to be overcooked. Although some of the canned beans out there, like Westbrae Naturals, are not overcooked, and work just fine. For dishes that I plan to cook for a long time, like baked beans, I prefer to use dried beans so that I can ensure they won't be library paste by the time I'm through with them. And that's the best reason to buy dried beans: you can control the texture better. The second best reason to buy dried beans: they are even cheaper than the canned ones. I used to stock both, but since I started school I've stuck to the dried ones. They take planning but not really hands-on time.

Dstone, I wonder how old your dried beans were. I buy mine from the natural foods co-op, where turnover is decent. The stuff in the supermarket is less fresh, in my experience.

[La Niña]

At least for chick peas, there's a definite difference in taste between canned and soaked/cooked.

[torakris]

I guess I am a fan of both. They both have their uses.

I always have tons of cans of kidney beans and garbanzos and a can or two of cannellini and black beans. These last two are usually reserved for bean mashes or purees.

When making a salad I always go for the dry beans because the texture is not nearly as mushy (especially for the canellini and black beans).

You just can't beat the convenience of canned, the only thing I want for my birthday is a pressure cooker!

[Simon Majumdar]

I find most canned beans to be infinitely preferable to the dried.

Any difference in taste is minimal and the convenience factor is immeasurably better

I always keep a stock of canned beans in the larder as they can be used in a million and one different ways

S

[Adam Balic]

I find most canned beans to be infinitely preferable to the dried.

Any difference in taste is minimal and the convenience factor is immeasurably better

I always keep a stock of canned beans in the larder as they can be used in a million and one different ways

S

I prefer dried. Most canned beans that I have used in the UK contain sugar, which makes the beans taste funny. Even very good quality Italian of Spanish beans in jars have that "I've come from a tin" taste. This taste disperses with cooking, but often the period of time it takes for this to occur results in the beans breaking up.

Canned chickpeas (garbanzos?) taste particularly foul.

No texture control in the canned beans also.

[Monica Bhide]

I guess I am a fan of both. They both have their uses.

I always have tons of cans of kidney beans and garbanzos and a can or two of cannellini and black beans. These last two are usually reserved for bean mashes or purees.

When making a salad I always go for the dry beans because the texture is not nearly as mushy (especially for the canellini and black beans).

You just can't beat the convenience of canned, the only thing I want for my birthday is a pressure cooker!

I have the same opinion!!

[StephenT]

I favour tinned beans. I can't discern any loss in quality as long as it's a reputable brand.

I've obviously always had disreputable tinned beans then. I find them a bit too squishy.

[Simon Majumdar]

I find most canned beans to be infinitely preferable to the dried.

Any difference in taste is minimal and the convenience factor is immeasurably better

I always keep a stock of canned beans in the larder as they can be used in a million and one different ways

S

I prefer dried. Most canned beans that I have used in the UK contain sugar, which makes the beans taste funny. Even very good quality Italian of Spanish beans in jars have that "I've come from a tin" taste. This taste disperses with cooking, but often the period of time it takes for this to occur results in the beans breaking up.

Canned chickpeas (garbanzos?) taste particularly foul.

No texture control in the canned beans also.

People like you make me sick to my stomach.

You come on here with your la de da ways and your poncey bean fascism and expect everyone to bow down and worship.

Well you can take your dried beans and ..........

have a great time in Italy BTW

S

[Ron Johnson]

At least for chick peas, there's a definite difference in taste between canned and soaked/cooked.

Which one tastes better? Can you describe the difference? Is it noticeable enough to affect the flavor of hummus?

[Toby]

To save time, i am going to be using canned beans of the three.  Is the quality of this dish going to be seriously compromised?

Yes.

[Wilfrid]

I'm surprised at some of you. I used to use canned beans when I was a lazy slug, but when I changed to dried beans my life improved immeasurably. For most purposes, canned beans are too soft, too squishy and break down much to easily. If you are making a dish which requires long, slow cooking, such as cassoulet, canned beans just won't stand up to it.

No, no, no.

My Beloved does use canned beans to make the relevant part of rice and beans, but in that case, of course (of course), the intended end result is a soupy broth with a few beans floating in it. That's fine, and maybe they're fine for purees too.

I actually make an exception for canned chickpeas, as they seem to hold up pretty well, and I was planning to use them in my callos a la madrilenas next week. Having seen Adam's and Nina's comments, I may try the dried ones; I am always willing to learn.

[La Niña]

Yes, I notice the taste difference in the humus when I used canned vs. dried. Dried tastes, hmm...grainier? A bit chalkier (and I mean that in the good way)? And I never cook them as soft as the canned ones.

FYI, re pressure cooking beans - I often do them in the microwave. Works beautifully. Soaking and coooking.

Edited December 20, 2002 by La Niña (log)

[Suzanne F]

I'll be really surprised if you can find canned cranberry beans -- maybe at some fancy-schmancy upscale health-food store (or is that an oxymoron?). Now, if you can find them FRESH -- that is absolutely the best. Are they in season now?

La Niña -- do tell: how in the nuker? Sounds like a great use!

[Coop]

Awbrig may I also suggest using canned scallops. That way you can guarantee the same level of mediocrity throughout the dish. Please it can't be that hard to prepare dried beans. The only difficult part is to find fresh, dried beans. From the previous harvest. I know in Vancouver they are readily available in specialty markets. Soak then over night. Rinse off soaking liquid, simmer in fresh unsalted water with a few onion slices and a clove of garlic. Taste them often for doneness then when tender season them with salt and pepper. Another alternative is frozen beans from a specialty or "health food" store. By the way I have never seen canned scallops thank god.

[cakewalk]

Interesting thread. I never used to use canned beans (because I never found them anywhere when I was living in Israel). But here in the States, I found them and I use them. I avoid the ones with sugar (I seem to read labels more than I read books these days) and rinse them off, and they're usually quite fine. I love canned garbanzos as a snack, sprinkled with salt & pepper, never mind cooking them in anything!

But several of you have mentioned using "fresh" dried beans. Can someone please explain a bit more? I thought the reasoning behind dried foods is for their preservation, so they won't spoil and can be stored for long periods of time. What kind of time limitations are there on dried beans? What does it do to their taste, their texture, etc?

[La Niña]

Re: beans in the microwave. Barbara Kafka's first microwave book has lots and lots of useful information on this subject. That's how I got my start doing beans in the microwave. It's fast and easy and flawless.