Quick-Soak Beans, Easy Time-Saving Method, Dried Beans Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you quick soak and cook dry beans? ›

Quick Soak: This is the fastest method. In a large pot, add 6 cups of water for each pound (2 cups) of dry beans. Heat to boiling; boil for 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and soak for at least 1 hour.

Bring cold water to a boil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over high heat. Add beans and salt, and return to a simmer; cover. Bake beans in the preheated oven until tender, about 1 hour and 10 minutes, checking after 30 minutes to ensure beans are still covered with water. If necessary, add just enough water to cover.

An overnight soak before boiling is the default method because hydrating beans before cooking improves their quality, plus eliminates some of the starches that cause gassiness. But, an 8-hour overnight bath isn't always convenient. Enter quick-soaking, a technique that will shave about 7 hours off your task.

Others, like Joe Yonan, the Food and Dining Editor of the Washington Post and author of Cool Beans, insist that in most cases, soaking is unnecessary– and may even lead to flavor loss. The only consensus is that soaked beans take less time to cook than unsoaked.

Like most stored foods, beans are best stored in the absence of oxygen and light. Oxygen can lead to rancidity of bean oils and light will quickly fade bean color. The packaging choices are #10 cans or Mylar-type bags. Canning jars are suitable for smaller quantities providing the jars are stored in a dark place.

Some tutorials do a “quick soak” method which instructs you to bring the dry beans to a boil, let them stand for one hour, and then proceed with canning. I suppose you can do this if you like, but I prefer the overnight soak.

Let the beans soak in the hot water for an hour. Drain, rinse, and cook! Drain the beans into a colander, rinse and then cook according to your favorite recipe.

Bottom Line. If beans make you uncomfortably gassy, sprinkle a little baking soda into their soaking water. It will reduce the volume of gas produced by the legumes, plus, they will cook quicker. If you're even shorter on time, you may want to try some of our favorite recipes to make with a can of black beans.

Sprinkle in some baking soda

As it turns out, baking soda significantly decreases the levels of raffinose, the gas-causing sugar present in beans. When should you add baking soda to beans? It works best with just a pinch (about 1/16 of a teaspoon) sprinkled into dried beans while they soak in water before cooking.

Soaking thoroughly cleans accumulated buildup on the surface of the bean, such as dirt, pesticide residue or contamination from rodents and insects. Soaking also allows beans to cool evenly. Like grains, soak at room temperature for 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

What happens if you don't rinse beans? ›

Canned beans are packed in a solution of water, salt, and starch. That solution can leave a glossy film on the beans, interfering with not only mouthfeel (slimy beans are a little off-putting), but also the ability of the beans to cling to other ingredients in the dish and absorb those flavors.

Why are my soaked beans still hard? ASSUMING you soaked them long enough and added a little salt to the water, that's normal. They only soften a little when soaked, cooking afterwards is what really softens their texture. They may just be too old.

Just take your favorite beans (pinto, black eyed peas, chickpeas, lima beans) and cover them with your favorite broth or stock or even water seasoned with salt, spices, herbs and other aromatics like onion and garlic, and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.

Fun Fact: Discarding the soaking water and rinsing beans can help make cooked beans more digestible. Some people choose to save the soaking liquid because some nutrients are leeched from the beans into the liquid during soaking. We prefer to drain our soaking liquid but you can decide what works best for you.

The great thing about beans and legumes is they won't lose their protein and mineral value over time. However, after two years, they may lose some of their vitamin properties. Beans stored in a pantry and airtight containers such as mason jars will stay fresh for up to 3 years.

Store dry beans in a cool, dry place and avoid high temperatures and high humidity to maintain freshness. Store unused dry beans in a resealable plastic bag or tightly covered, non-metal container for up to one year.

To quick soak, put the beans in a medium sauce pan and generously cover them with water. Bring the beans to a boil, let them boil for one minute, and then turn off the heat. Let the pot sit for an hour or more until they are tender to the bite. Letting the beans sit for a longer amount of time is usually fine.

Soaking beans is critical to ensuring a safely canned product. Do not can dried beans without soaking.

Soaking thoroughly cleans accumulated buildup on the surface of the bean, such as dirt, pesticide residue or contamination from rodents and insects. Soaking also allows beans to cool evenly. Like grains, soak at room temperature for 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Should you cook beans in the water they soaked in? ›

Some people choose to save the soaking liquid because some nutrients are leeched from the beans into the liquid during soaking. We prefer to drain our soaking liquid but you can decide what works best for you.

For quick-soak method

Bring up to a rolling boil and cook for 1 minute, then remove pan from heat and let beans soak for 1 hour. Step 2Drain beans and return to pot. Cover with 4" of water and add onion, garlic, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, then reduce heat low and cover.

If you soak the beans for longer than 12 hours, you run the risk of the beans losing both their characteristic flavor and texture. At that point, you'll be dealing with a gritty, tasteless bean that does no one any favors at dinnertime.