Cooking Dried Beans

[fifi]

When I was a kid, we always grew them and ate them a lot. I am still here. (Much to the dissappointment of some. ) I find it interesting that lima beans are one of those things that some people absolutely HATE, sort of like cilantro. I wonder if it is one of those genetic differences in taste perception.

[cakewench]

Wow, I love you for starting this thread, fifi!

So I have a question: how does one save old beans? Yes, in the bean-plentiful US, you would probably just toss them and pick up another pack, but I am very reluctant to do so here in Germany. My mother was kind enough to mail me 3 packs of Goya black beans after I complained of not being able to make my favorite soup here (I've located canned kidney beans in the supermarkets, and that's about it). I soaked the beans overnight, I simmered in the morning once I realized I wasn't getting anywhere with the soaking alone... and still not much progress at that point. After cooking a bit longer, I finally put the soup together, and blended a larger portion of it than usual with the stick blender.

My fiance loves the soup, because it's a style of cooking he has never experienced over here. Meanwhile, I am because my soup is still.. grainy, or whatever you want to call the bits o'hard bean in there. I've let it simmer most of the evening now, and it seems to be becoming edible, to me, finally.

Any suggestions will be much appreciated, as I might be having this experience with the next two bags, as well.

*edited* to add that we don't have a slow cooker here!

Edited February 4, 2004 by cakewench (log)

[bloviatrix]

I've been following this thread since the inception, and finally the urge overcame me. I decided to make a bot of black beans (it was the only kind we had in the house).

I'm using Russ's instructions, so here's what I did --

1) boil up about 3 qts water

2) preheat oven to 250

3) in large pot, place beans, 2 garlic cloves - chopped, 1 bay leaf, 2 chipotles, and 1 tsp of kosher salt. Add boiling water and bring everything back to boil

4) place pot in oven.

I'm going to check the water level every 30 minutes of so. The apartment is smelling of smokey chipotles. I'll report back when they're done.

Edited February 4, 2004 by bloviatrix (log)

[badthings]

Other than chickpeas and cannelinis (sp?), what constituties "old world" beans?

Cannelini are in fact a variety of Phaseolus vulgaris, "new world beans," meaning simply that they are native to the americas. The other main new world variety is P. lunatus.

My question: does "butter bean" always refer to some kind of P. lunatus?

Aside from fava and chick peas, other old world "beans" are lentils (genus Lens), soybeans (Glycine), and the various members of genus Vigna (black-eyeds, mung beans, cowpeas, etc.), which you may or may not consider beans.

Fellow dorks can waste some time on the taxonomy of Fabaceae here.

[bloviatrix]

Have you guys that one of the ads up top for this thread is for Camilla Red Beans and when you click on the link it says they're all sold out? I wonder if eG has something to do with that?

Anyway, my beans are done. The apartment smells like broiled hotdogs - garlicy and smokey. I took a taste of the beans - the broth is great. And the beans are nice and tender. Guess what I'm having for dinner.

[hjshorter]

12 pounds of Camellia brand red beans were just dropped on my doorstep. I think I know what's for dinner.

[ronnie_suburban]

12 pounds of Camellia brand red beans were just dropped on my doorstep.  I think I know what's for dinner. 

Apparently Heather, you've cornered the market

=R=

[hjshorter]

12 pounds of Camellia brand red beans were just dropped on my doorstep.  I think I know what's for dinner.  

Apparently Heather, you've cornered the market

=R=

Whaddya mean?

[ronnie_suburban]

12 pounds of Camellia brand red beans were just dropped on my doorstep.  I think I know what's for dinner.  

Apparently Heather, you've cornered the market

=R=

Whaddya mean?

Directly above your post, Bloviatrix posted that the after she clicked on the ad/link to the Camilla Red Beans (at the top of the page), she learned that they were sold out. Now, 12 pounds of them show up at your door...I was just being silly, or trying to be anyway.

=R=

[hjshorter]

I get it.

Damn, maybe I could fence them and earn some real money.

[rancho_gordo]

Yesterday I made a small batch of some rare Flor de Junio I was hoarding. Just to tempt fate, I sauteed some onions and garlic in a wee bit of bacon fat, added the dry beans, coated them, then water. Then I held my breath and salted lightly. And it worked. Once cooked. these tasted like "better the next day" beans and less than half the amount of salt I'd normally use.

This is really great!

[oatmeal]

All this talk of successful non soaked salted beans is making me nervous. For years I have yelled at my co-workers when they tried to cook unsoaked beans. "What, do you want to give everyone in town gas?" I'd cry. Then I'd catch someone out of the corner of my eye putting some salt in a pot of cooking beans. Again the yelling, "What, do you want to serve tough beans?" and "Don't you know that the liquid is going to reduce and we will have a huge pot of overly salted beans?" Have I been a fool? Tomorrow, before anyone shows up at work, I am going to cook some unsoaked white beans with salt. I can hardly wait.

[marie-louise]

All this talk of successful non soaked salted beans is making me nervous. For years I have yelled at my co-workers when they tried to cook unsoaked beans. "What, do you want to give everyone in town gas?" I'd cry. Then I'd catch someone out of the corner of my eye putting some salt in a pot of cooking beans. Again the yelling, "What, do you want to serve tough beans?" and "Don't you know that the liquid is going to reduce and we will have a huge pot of overly salted beans?" Have I been a fool? Tomorrow, before anyone shows up at work, I am going to cook some unsoaked white beans with salt. I can hardly wait.

I was skeptical, too. So I cooked two pots of the same beans, side by side, one salted, one not. (I don't think I tried soaked versus not.) The difference was amazing. You might want to try 3 or 4 variations on the methods of soaking, salted vs. not, and then have a taste test at work.

PS Thanks, Russ Parsons. Someone posted a link to your first article on another cooking board years ago. I didn't realize that you were the person that wrote it until I recently came across your name on my notes (I just thought of it as "that LA Times article." ) I like beans so much more now that I cook them this way!

[Rachel Perlow]

* One chef told me he never allowed his beans to be cooked on top of the stove. Only by cooking them in the oven is it possible to get the slow, steady pace they need, he claimed.

I cooked beans both on top of the stove and in the oven. With constant attention and a ready flame-tamer, I could manipulate the temperature well enough to keep the beans at a sufficiently slow simmer. But, covered, in a 250-degree oven, the cooking was almost effortless. All I had to do was check every half-hour or so to make sure there was sufficient water.

The effect of the cover was particularly amazing. Cooking beans in one test without a cover took six hours. The same quantity of beans, cooked at the same temperature with a lid, was done in about 1 hour, 15 minutes ( without pre-soaking).

I'm trying this method right now. I brought about 2 quarts of water to a boil in my 5 quart oval Le Cruset, added 1 lb of unsoaked small red and white beans and 1 tsp salt and returned to the boil. Slapped the lid on and put in the oven.

Is this enough water or should I check the beans?

I just checked them and there was lots of steam when I moved the lid. But I put it right back on. That heavy lid must lend almost a pressure cooker level of pressure and I didn't want to lose it in case that lends to the beans quick cooking.

[Rachel Perlow]

OK, count me in the "I can't believe it really worked" camp, a la roasted cauliflower! After an hour and fifteen in the oven, the beans were done. Period. No soaking, and they held their shape while not being too firm at all. In fact, next time if I'm going to use them in a way that they will be cooked additionally (I'm making chili), I'd take them out after an hour.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Russ Parsons!

I can't believe that the old soak & boil for hours method is still the recommended one. We need to spread the word. At the very least this should be a Daily Gullet article. Hallelujah!

[bloviatrix]

Thanks for reviving this thread. I used the "Parsons" method to prepare my black beans for chili several weeks ago. Because of the aromatics I added to the liquid, the chili was even more flavorful than usual. I'm totally sold. (and it's so easy.)

[fifi]

We need to spread the word. At the very least this should be a Daily Gullet article. Hallelujah!

I am so glad we have another convert. Onward to better beans!

I think the article is a fine idea. (psst... Hey Russ!)

[ExtraMSG]

That's the only way I cook beans. It's the primary reason I bought a Le Creuset, too. It's so much easier.

[Rachel Perlow]

Does it work as well with pots that don't necessarily have as heavy a lid as Le Creuset?

Also, now I need more bean recipes, since I'll be cooking them so much more! Post in them in RecipeGullet people!

[fifi]

I don't think the weight of the lid has anything to do with it. If you do the math you find that you really aren't developing any significant pressure in the pot due to the weight of the lid. I cooked beans with this method for years before I got my LC. I do think that the weight of the pot evens out the temperature because of the mass of the pot. It is the same principle as with crockery. I am probably going to add an Emile Henry to my toy collection just because Wolfert says it works. Then I also use the crock pot if I am only doing a pound. It just seems like I do what seems like a good idea at the time. The crock pot takes a little longer because you don't have the heat on all sides but I can just set it to low and go shopping without worrying about it. I am more likely to use the oven in the winter.

You asked about recipes and I looked in my collection and find... I don't have any! Next time I do a pot I will take note and enter it, especially if they are particularly good. (Not all of my ideas are as good as they seemed at the time. )

[marie-louise]

I haven't tried ALL these variations for aromatics, but here's some ideas I've collected from various sources-I'm sure others can add more.

First of all, the basic recipe (I like to add some aromatics at the beginning, in addition to the salt.)

BASIC BEANS Note this recipe is for 1 cup of beans, not 1 pound.

Makes 2 1/2–3 cups cooked beans, which serves 2-3 as a meal or 4-6 as a side dish.

1 cup beans, rinsed well

1/2 tsp. salt (less if use salted stock)

3 cups water or diluted stock

Basic Aromatics:

1/2 medium onion, quartered

1–2 bay leaves

1 large clove garlic, smashed

several large parsley springs

Tie aromatics into a cheesecloth. Bring all ingredients to a boil, cover, & cook in a 250º oven until done (approximately 2 hours for flageolets; 2 1/2 hours for cranberry beans). Remove the aromatics and discard them.

VARIATIONS FOR AROMATICS

Stick whole cloves into the onion, use 2 bay leaves, and add smoked ham or turkey (decrease salt) for beans that are smoky and slightly spicy.

Add 1/2 cup chopped carrots to sweeten the beans.

Add whole allspice and a piece of a cinnamon stick to black or red beans.

Add rosemary or thyme for a nice herbal quality to white and lima beans.

TO FINISH BEANS: (I really like these slightly warm, served w/ grilled sausage or lamb.)

Put the warm beans in a bowl & toss them w/ 1 large shallot, finely diced or 3 scallions, including a little green, diced; 1 small clove garlic, pressed; 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped; 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil; salt & pepper to taste. Serve w/ lemon wedges. Serve hot, at room temperature or cold. Variation: Toss w/ 1/3-cup Pesto or Salsa Verde.

[ExtraMSG]

I don't really use recipes for beans, but here are some things in my template:

1) Sautee aromatics, add spices and beans

2) 10 Cups of water to 1 lb of beans

3) No acids until the beans are the texture you want them

4) Lots of salt

5) Bring to simmer

6) Add covered to 250 degree oven until done

I think that's about it. McGee explains the acid thing, if I remeber right. Apparently acids will prevent the beans from softening properly. If you want extra mushy beans you can even increase the alkaline properties of the water. I think that's what baking soda does in beans. I try not to screw with the pH. Beans are so bland, imo, they need lots of salt. I treat it almost like pasta where traditionally you want the water like the sea. I don't go that far because I'm often reserving any leftover liquid, but I think it makes a huge difference to have adequate salt in the water.

[redfox]

Insipired by Rachel's raves, I made a batch today myself, and it is lovely!

I brought 4 cups of water to a boil in my smaller Le Crueset, added half a pound of picked and rinsed cranberry beans, about 3/4 t. salt, a bay leaf and a few smashed cloves of garlic. Back up to a simmer, on with the lid and into the oven -- my oven runs cold, so I set it to 300 which I think did give me an actual temperature of 250 (my thermometer is busted). But 1 hour was definitely not nearly enough time for these guys. Maybe they are old, maybe cranberries are slow cookers? BUT after about an hour and forty-five minutes, they were ready and so good! Really delicious, ideally salted, keeping their shape very well but with absolutely no unwanted crunch. Creamy and firm, both.

Edited to add: And we're using your preparation with the scallions and lemon tonight, Marie Louise. Once again, eGullet saves the day.

Edited March 19, 2004 by redfox (log)

[ExtraMSG]

2 hours is usually closer for me, btw. I would have put way more salt than that, though!

[redfox]

Yeah, but you also have a higher proportion of water to beans, which probably makes a difference. I was pretty skeptical about using that little salt, myself. I love salt! But I thought the end result was pretty much ideal.

I thought I probably could have gotten away with using less water than that too, by the way.