Soaking and cooking beans at home, instead of buying canned, may seem overwhelming, but is in fact a simple process. Preparing beans at home also makes it possible to control the quality of the water involved in the process, cook to a desired tenderness, reduce gassiness and avoid potentially dangerous chemicals associated with canned foods (see the link below from the Environmental Working Group on canned foods and Bisphenol A).
Soaking the Beans
Beans can be soaked and cooked in a regular pot, or even better, in a crock pot. First, rinse the beans in a strainer or colander. Place the rinsed beans in the pot, and fill with water, ideally filtered, well above the level of the beans (the beans will grow significantly as they soak). Push any floating beans to the bottom, and soak overnight or for 8-12 hours.
Soaked beans can be cooked immediately, or frozen in batches at this point and cooked in smaller batches at later dates.
Cooking the Beans
Once the beans are soaked, drain the water well, and refill, again well above the level of the beans. Add a strip of Kombu seaweed – Kombu is generally thought to reduce the gassiness of the beans, reduce foaming while cooking, shorten cooking time and tenderize the beans (kombu can be purchased online or at most health food stores). If cooking in a pot, bring water to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover with the lid slightly ajar, or leave the pot open. Check the beans after 15-20 minutes, and skim the foam off the top. Be sure to watch the water level and add more water as needed. Ideally, use a small pot or hotpot (more efficient) to bring the water up to temperature before adding.
If using a crock pot, set on high, there is the added flexibility of cooking overnight or leaving the house. Less water will be lost, but if leaving the beans unsupervised, be sure the water level is high enough to accommodate bean growth and some water loss without the beans emerging. Otherwise, follow the same instructions as pot cooking but always with the lid in place.
Beans will require different lengths of time, depending on the type of bean, but in general should be cooked until a warm bean can be squished easily against the roof of the mouth with the tongue.
Beans can remain plain, and added to foods or processed into spreads like hummus or bean dips and spreads. Beans can also be spiced near the end of cooking to be eaten solo or have other ingredients added to create a bean-based soup. Finished beans can also be refrigerated for limited amounts of time for later preparation.
Soaking and cooking beans at home is a great way to save money, store larger quantities, reduce unnecessary packaging and control food quality.
Environmental Working Group Report on Bisphenol A and Canned Foods
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