Monday Yumday: Ditch the Canned Beans

For some reason, several of my friends have recently asked how to cook beans, so I was thinking that maybe some of you would like to know too. If the only beans you’ve eaten have come from a can, a whole new world is about to open up for you! First things first. Get yourself a good-quality pressure cooker. The brand I use is an Aeternum. Here is some great info on that and other brands. It’s true that beans can be cooked on the stovetop or in a slow cooker, but those methods take much longer than the 35 minutes needed in a pressure cooker. And if you are sure to take precautionary measures when using a pressure cooker, this tool will be your new best friend in the kitchen.

Cooking beans from scratch – that is when you buy them dry and cook them at home – makes for the most flavorful, perfectly textured, easily digested, highly nutritious beans you’ve ever eaten. I’m pretty sure that the main reason people don’t like beans and have issues with digesting them, is because they are rarely cooked properly – even in restaurants. The way to know that your beans are fully cooked, take one and press it between your pointer finger and thumb. If the inside of the bean is completely smooth and creamy, they’re done. If it is at all mealy or has tiny hard chunks, they need to be cooked longer.

So, here’s how to cook dried beans:

1. Spread dry beans onto a cookie sheet with sides and sort through them removing cracked or imperfect beans and rocks. Rinse well and place in a large bowl with four times as much water as beans to soak. Let sit 8 hours or overnight – I do this even with lentils. Drain and rinse well.

2. Read my safety tips on using a pressure cooker. Put the soaked and drained beans in your pressure cooker (never fill more than half way) and cover with fresh water that goes an inch or two higher than the beans. Bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off any foam that rises to the top. Add a strip of kombu seaweed if you like, for added minerals. Some folks say that kombu helps with digestion, but I haven’t found it to make much difference. Never add salt at this stage, as it toughens the skins and makes the beans harder to cook and digest.

3. Follow directions on your specific pressure cooker. The basic idea is as follows… Secure the lid of the pressure cooker and allow to come up to pressure. When the cooker starts to make a hissing sound, reduce heat to low and cook for 35 minutes. Then, remove from heat and allow pressure to come down naturally or transfer the entire cooker to the sink and run cold water over the lid to reduce pressure – this is the quick-release method. Once the pressure has completely dropped and there is no sound coming from the cooker, open the lid being sure to turn it away from your body to prevent steam burns.

4. Transfer cooked beans to jars (read about my jar fetish) to store them for further preparation later, or season as you would canned beans.

Once you’ve made your own beans and you see how economical and delicious it is, you’ll never want to eat those from a can again. Take it from my family – we’re a trio of bean snobs. Then again, we eat a whole-foods vegan diet and avoid soy and wheat, so beans comprise our primary protein source. We have a lot of experience with beans! We also eat plenty of quinoa and kale, which contain significant amounts of protein and dense nutrition. Read this for more info on vegan protein sources and eat with confidence, knowing that you’re supporting your own health and that of the planet, as well as caring for animals. Enjoy!

What’s your favorite way to eat beans?

P.S. See more of my recipes on our website, here. If you make any, we’d love to see some pics, so feel free to post to our Facebook and Twitter pages!