Cooking beans sounds so simple! But I’ve been making all the mistakes you spoke about all my life. I watched your last video about cooking beans in an Instant pot and learned I should be cooking them at a lower temperature for a longer time, I tried it on my induction hob which is great at maintaining a temperature with the small white beans that are famous where I live in Italy (beans of Pergatorio). I have never managed to cook them as I want to eat them but your method worked!!!! So thank you so, so much. I will be trying all your other recommendations from now on. You are a fantastic teacher, I’m sorry I can’t attend any of your classes, but thank goodness for TH-cam. Your pasta recipe is also the best I’ve found.
Really great info! I say this as someone who has been cooking beans from dry for 15 years or so (I think I may have introduced to you the idea of sous vide beans in a comment some years ago). A couple of additional tips: Aromatics can be difficult to separate from beans when cooking for a long time -- onion can get overcooked and slimy, rosemary leaves can separate from stems and add an undesirable texture. The solution is to get a giant tea-ball (bigger than a baseball, and put all the aromatics in it -- I often use a Suzanne Goin recipe from Sunday Suppers, and use 1/2 cup onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 sprig fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1-2 chile's de arbol, and a cinnamon stick). The flavor will infuse the beans, and you can remove the actual aromatics easily. If you use an Instant Pot (and perhaps other electric PC's), investigate the delay function. I add chickpeas, salt, water, baking soda, and aromatics in a teaball in the morning, set a 10 hour delay (the soaking time), 25 minute pressure cook, go to work, and they are done and on "keep warm" when I get home.
Please ignore all the sniping - you make wonderful and friendly content that is very helpful and accurate. You’ve upped my cooking game in so many ways over the last few years. Thank you for sharing your skills with the world!
I saw your previous video when you talked about slow cooking with the instant pot. I have your previous version which works great with its lid. I can tell you I have never made beans easier then with this method. Cannellini beans in 8 hours and the giant beans for 15 hours :) No more mushy or uncooked beans. The 2 most popular Greek beans and you made my life so much better with the slow cooking method and honestly no more stomach problems. thank you so much!
One of my favorite ways to cook beans in the winter is bake them in a covered cast iron Dutch oven. A good thermometer allows me to adjust to a slight simmer. It's hands off and heats the house nicely. I'm home so no worries. I do bring to a boil on the stovetop first to get them started. Otherwise, it's another reason to love my Instant Pot.
Oh my goodness! Perfect timing for your video! I just purchased some dried lima beans, cranberry beans (Borlotti) and cannellini beans for a soup. I have never used dried beans before! Thanks, so much, for your videos!
I was not brought up with beans in my diet and was unaware how good home made from dry could be. The bean liquid is amazing. I still have a lot to learn about how to use.
I always brine dried beans overnight with a salt and baking soda mix! Brining dried beans at least overnight partially removes oligosaccharides which cause gas, and leptin which hinders nutrient absorption. Using 3 parts salt to 1part baking soda in brine preseasons beans, strengthens bean skins (due to ion exchange) to prevent blowout, and makes insides creamy while ensuring even cooking in a reduced time vs. no-soak or quick soak method. More beans for all!
Good tips. I would like to add a tip about an issue I don't often see addressed. If you have very hard water, use purified water if you don't have a pressure cooker. It's the only way I can get my beans to soften and become edible.
That's a great tip. Baking soda solves the hard water problem. Mine is very hard, but with baking soda my beans soften even with tap water. I figured it's easier and cheaper to add baking soda than to buy bottled water.
Yay! thanks for posting this. I have started a "higher" fibre diet and so have to look at beans, but dubiously looking at my results...ALL the problems you address...i was a bit disheartened and thought, oh well, I can always stock up with canned beans, but the frugal farmer in me hates the short cuts. The long way usually gives the tastiest result, i don't know why.
Great essay! Lots of info for legume-cooking... The only thing I would add is for cooking in a normal, stovetop pressure-cooker, most of the "sturdy beans" like chickpeas, kidney beans, pinto, mayo coba, etc. will cook to perfection in 10m with some salt, a pinch of baking soda, and water to cover about an inch above, after a 12-hour soaking. I get perfect, tender chickpeas this way!
You have no idea how excited I am. Thank you for all your hard work. I have this thing for dry beans and legumes. I keep buying them and trying. I actually even grow them, all kinds. This past season I grew the large Greek ones you mention, so I am especially looking forward to them. I also grew black turtle beans but they are mush. I did all the right things in the pressure cooker, etc but I think because they were dried from this recent season, they may not be as hard as older beans that have had time to dry out more. I put them in the freezer and will use them in some baking. I will try again but with less time, lol. 😅
❤Mary’s Kitchen taught me to soak beans for 48 hours for the healthiest nutrition with dried beans. I cook beans in a large batches to save in the refrigerator for recipes during the work week to save time. Great video - Thank you! I love my instant pot! 😊
Right in time, I'm cooking cassoulet for the first time today with a dry bean. I feel like this isn't the first time you've released a video that is perfectly timed with my cooking plans.
I love eating an assortment of beans and have found over the years that cooking with beans from a can is never as delicious as starting the meal by soaking the beans in water and baking soda. Like Helen mentioned, it is important to discard the soaking water and not use it to cook your beans in it. Fresh water for the actual cooking results in the most delightful flavor and avoids any potential digestive side effects.
10:12 - *That has been the preferred way for traditional French-Canadian Bean recipes for a long time: Just soak the beans overnight, dump it in a crockpot/slow cooker with molasses, lard/bacon, Brown sugar/Maple Syrup, onions, mustard powder & spices and just let it cook for 10 hours... Super easy!*
Fava beans (ful) are my favourite, but so difficult to cook! I always buy them canned. My last attempt was an overnight soak in baking soda, then three hours of high pressure in an instant pot. Even then, some of the skins were tough.
I love to sprout fava beans! But After sprouting I take off the skin, then I minute steam in the IP they are perfect! Otherwise I buy without shell, they cook super fast after soaking
I finally found that I need to cook dry beans using a stovetop pressure cooker. I’m at a high altitude (7,000 ft) and just boiling them doesn’t work well. I’ll have to try the baking soda idea. ❤
I do have some very old pinto and kidney beans, probably 2-3 years at this point. Overnight soak(just water but I might try some salt next time), about 1 teaspoon baking powder in around 6L of water, boil on high with the lid ajar(keep the opening small enough to maintain the boiling but big enough to avoid boiling over, you can tell from the bubbles/foam building up). Only needs 30 minutes for the kidney/pinto beans. For me chickpeas cook faster. Only needs 20 minutes but they are newer than my kidney and pinto beans.
a little baking soda in the cooking liquid for chick peas (canned or fresh) is one of my two secrets for the best hummus you've ever eaten, otherwise the final texture is never smooth enough. an absurd amount of homemade tahini is the other secret. always use more than the recipe calls for.
I like to cook most bean dishes until the beans at least start to break up. 😂 On the rare occasion that I want them to stay whole, I agree, a pressure cooker/instant pot works very well.
With high-quality heirloom beans like Rancho Gordo Midnight Black, you may want to skip soaking to achieve a more flavorful and robust bean broth. You don’t have to worry about lectins as long as you boil the beans for 10-15 minutes before lowering the heat to a simmer and cooking them for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until they reach your preferred tenderness, even if you want them slightly al dente.
I’ve been buying RG beans for a looong time, and there are a couple, like Caballero and Royal Coronas, that are notorious for uneven cooking, and not soaking just won’t work. And some, like Alubia Blanca, turn to mush if soaked. Bottom line, like Helen said, it completely depends on the bean. My absolute favorite are the Rio Zapes that I grow every year, shell fresh, quick blanch and freeze. Now that’s a treat!
@ I completely agree. I was simply trying to highlight an alternative perspective regarding the quality of bean broth, specifically in relation to texture and lectin concerns. It’s incredible that you grow your own beans-hopefully, I can get there one day! I’m curious, what dishes do you make with them?
@ It’s a time consuming process from start to finish, so I keep it really simple to let the flavor if the beans shine - just water, some good EVOO, salt, a garlic clove and maybe a sage leaf or two if I’m in the mood. It’s like a taste of the garden in the middle of winter.
So with your new bean knowledge, will you ultimately cook them in your instantpot after soaking? Other than split peas, I cannot easily find Dutch beans in the US and generally mail order them, but I have little knowledge of which are sturdy or delicate.
Don't soak, lower the heat, salt the water, and undercook them slightly. Then turn off the heat and let them cool in their liquid before using. The lentil type matters too. Try du Puy (also known as French green) or black lentils. Some varieties turn to mush no matter what you do.
I love beans, but I've definitely found them to be inconsistent. Sometimes creamy and delicious, sometimes grainy and unappealing. I'm looking forward to learning how i might make them more consistently
Yay! I've literally come across all of these issues, great vid explaining what I was doing wrong! 😁 Is there any reason not to use some better-than-bullion or stock instead of just salt?
I would try 275F-300F in a covered pot. If you are starting with cold water it will take a few hours for them to come up to temperature. You can play with completely covered vs leaving the lid slightly ajar to see what gives you the best temperature (you are trying to get 195F).
I'm going to have to read my boyfriend the riot act about not cooking kidney beans all the way - he often gets impatient and puts the raw beans in the recipe he's cooking, then doesn't cook them all the way when he gets hungry
Food safety in general is often condensed down to a single temperature, like "you must cook your chicken to X temp". But it is always a function of temp AND time. Most things can be cooked at a lower temp for longer time and still be just fine.
I think this far too strong --> "If they don't agree with you, don't eat them". This should really be "if they don't agree with you, incorporate them into your diet SLOWLY". The reason beans don't agree with many people is because of oligosaccharides: complex carbohydrates in beans. Our stomachs and small intestines can't digest these but the bacteria in our guts can. Compounds like raffinose get broken down by a few species of gut bacteria, but if you're not used to eating beans, and the raffinose they contain, those species of bacteria explode in population, producing lots of gas as a byproduct. The solution is not to quit, its to go slowly and allow your microbiome to acclimate!
13:41 Heads up from a local: 8 bucks is extortion. Don't cost more than 3. But their problem is what you mentioned far earlier: continuity. They have none. I'll pay the 8 bucks, but I kinda demand continuity at that price.
Ok Helen, I'm confused. First you give a chart that says to destroy the lectins you need to pressure cook beans for 45 minutes without pre-soaking, then two examples (black & pinto beans) in your notes are less!
The article I quoted was talking about red kidney beans. Their cooking time is longer. Also, I am using a natural release. This means that the pot stays pressurized for much longer. The times I am giving is how long you should keep the heat on.
Cooking beans sounds so simple! But I’ve been making all the mistakes you spoke about all my life. I watched your last video about cooking beans in an Instant pot and learned I should be cooking them at a lower temperature for a longer time, I tried it on my induction hob which is great at maintaining a temperature with the small white beans that are famous where I live in Italy (beans of Pergatorio). I have never managed to cook them as I want to eat them but your method worked!!!! So thank you so, so much. I will be trying all your other recommendations from now on. You are a fantastic teacher, I’m sorry I can’t attend any of your classes, but thank goodness for TH-cam. Your pasta recipe is also the best I’ve found.
It’s always a better day for me when I see a new Helen video! This one was full of great information and, as always, artfully presented. thank you!
Really great info! I say this as someone who has been cooking beans from dry for 15 years or so (I think I may have introduced to you the idea of sous vide beans in a comment some years ago). A couple of additional tips: Aromatics can be difficult to separate from beans when cooking for a long time -- onion can get overcooked and slimy, rosemary leaves can separate from stems and add an undesirable texture. The solution is to get a giant tea-ball (bigger than a baseball, and put all the aromatics in it -- I often use a Suzanne Goin recipe from Sunday Suppers, and use 1/2 cup onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 sprig fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1-2 chile's de arbol, and a cinnamon stick). The flavor will infuse the beans, and you can remove the actual aromatics easily. If you use an Instant Pot (and perhaps other electric PC's), investigate the delay function. I add chickpeas, salt, water, baking soda, and aromatics in a teaball in the morning, set a 10 hour delay (the soaking time), 25 minute pressure cook, go to work, and they are done and on "keep warm" when I get home.
Please ignore all the sniping - you make wonderful and friendly content that is very helpful and accurate. You’ve upped my cooking game in so many ways over the last few years. Thank you for sharing your skills with the world!
I saw your previous video when you talked about slow cooking with the instant pot. I have your previous version which works great with its lid.
I can tell you I have never made beans easier then with this method.
Cannellini beans in 8 hours and the giant beans for 15 hours :) No more mushy or uncooked beans.
The 2 most popular Greek beans and you made my life so much better with the slow cooking method and honestly no more stomach problems.
thank you so much!
Ah -- you made my day :) I am so happy that my obsessive testing makes someone's life better
@@helenrennie :)
One of my favorite ways to cook beans in the winter is bake them in a covered cast iron Dutch oven. A good thermometer allows me to adjust to a slight simmer. It's hands off and heats the house nicely. I'm home so no worries. I do bring to a boil on the stovetop first to get them started. Otherwise, it's another reason to love my Instant Pot.
Oh my goodness! Perfect timing for your video! I just purchased some dried lima beans, cranberry beans (Borlotti) and cannellini beans for a soup. I have never used dried beans before! Thanks, so much, for your videos!
start with cranberry beans. they are the easiest. but god forbid don't cook them all together ;)
@@helenrennie Oh, you are to funny! I promise I will absolutely not do that!!!
I was not brought up with beans in my diet and was unaware how good home made from dry could be. The bean liquid is amazing. I still have a lot to learn about how to use.
I can't wait to try the baking soda/salt soaking method! Since I don't have a pressure I'll try with a sturdier bean and cook on the stove.
I always brine dried beans overnight with a salt and baking soda mix! Brining dried beans at least overnight partially removes oligosaccharides which cause gas, and leptin which hinders nutrient absorption. Using 3 parts salt to 1part baking soda in brine preseasons beans, strengthens bean skins (due to ion exchange) to prevent blowout, and makes insides creamy while ensuring even cooking in a reduced time vs. no-soak or quick soak method.
More beans for all!
Good tips. I would like to add a tip about an issue I don't often see addressed. If you have very hard water, use purified water if you don't have a pressure cooker. It's the only way I can get my beans to soften and become edible.
That's a great tip. Baking soda solves the hard water problem. Mine is very hard, but with baking soda my beans soften even with tap water. I figured it's easier and cheaper to add baking soda than to buy bottled water.
Yay! thanks for posting this. I have started a "higher" fibre diet and so have to look at beans, but dubiously looking at my results...ALL the problems you address...i was a bit disheartened and thought, oh well, I can always stock up with canned beans, but the frugal farmer in me hates the short cuts. The long way usually gives the tastiest result, i don't know why.
Great essay! Lots of info for legume-cooking... The only thing I would add is for cooking in a normal, stovetop pressure-cooker, most of the "sturdy beans" like chickpeas, kidney beans, pinto, mayo coba, etc. will cook to perfection in 10m with some salt, a pinch of baking soda, and water to cover about an inch above, after a 12-hour soaking. I get perfect, tender chickpeas this way!
You have no idea how excited I am. Thank you for all your hard work.
I have this thing for dry beans and legumes. I keep buying them and trying. I actually even grow them, all kinds. This past season I grew the large Greek ones you mention, so I am especially looking forward to them.
I also grew black turtle beans but they are mush. I did all the right things in the pressure cooker, etc but I think because they were dried from this recent season, they may not be as hard as older beans that have had time to dry out more. I put them in the freezer and will use them in some baking. I will try again but with less time, lol. 😅
if they haven't been dried for too long, you might want to skip soaking and reduce the cooking time. good luck with your beans :)
❤Mary’s Kitchen taught me to soak beans for 48 hours for the healthiest nutrition with dried beans. I cook beans in a large batches to save in the refrigerator for recipes during the work week to save time. Great video - Thank you! I love my instant pot! 😊
Right in time, I'm cooking cassoulet for the first time today with a dry bean. I feel like this isn't the first time you've released a video that is perfectly timed with my cooking plans.
I must be psychic ;)
I love eating an assortment of beans and have found over the years that cooking with beans from a can is never as delicious as starting the meal by soaking the beans in water and baking soda. Like Helen mentioned, it is important to discard the soaking water and not use it to cook your beans in it. Fresh water for the actual cooking results in the most delightful flavor and avoids any potential digestive side effects.
10:12 - *That has been the preferred way for traditional French-Canadian Bean recipes for a long time: Just soak the beans overnight, dump it in a crockpot/slow cooker with molasses, lard/bacon, Brown sugar/Maple Syrup, onions, mustard powder & spices and just let it cook for 10 hours... Super easy!*
she says for the long slow cook, don't soak overnight.
@@anne-marielittenberg8950 *Argue with generations of my ancestors who did it that way then.* 😜
there is nothing wrong with soaking overnight for a long slow cook, but it will shorten the cooking time.
Fava beans (ful) are my favourite, but so difficult to cook! I always buy them canned. My last attempt was an overnight soak in baking soda, then three hours of high pressure in an instant pot. Even then, some of the skins were tough.
I love to sprout fava beans! But After sprouting I take off the skin, then I minute steam in the IP they are perfect! Otherwise I buy without shell, they cook super fast after soaking
I finally found that I need to cook dry beans using a stovetop pressure cooker. I’m at a high altitude (7,000 ft) and just boiling them doesn’t work well. I’ll have to try the baking soda idea. ❤
this video is a game changer indeed!!! Excellent vid!!!
Thank you. I have to cook beans for my Mom every week!
I do have some very old pinto and kidney beans, probably 2-3 years at this point. Overnight soak(just water but I might try some salt next time), about 1 teaspoon baking powder in around 6L of water, boil on high with the lid ajar(keep the opening small enough to maintain the boiling but big enough to avoid boiling over, you can tell from the bubbles/foam building up). Only needs 30 minutes for the kidney/pinto beans. For me chickpeas cook faster. Only needs 20 minutes but they are newer than my kidney and pinto beans.
Thank yo for the inspiration.
I do my sous vide beans in jars. A bit more prep, a lot less messy. Ready to cool and store.
a little baking soda in the cooking liquid for chick peas (canned or fresh) is one of my two secrets for the best hummus you've ever eaten, otherwise the final texture is never smooth enough.
an absurd amount of homemade tahini is the other secret. always use more than the recipe calls for.
I assumed my garbanzo problem was due to my altitude, my water boils at only 199°. I'll try the baking soak trick!
I like to cook most bean dishes until the beans at least start to break up. 😂 On the rare occasion that I want them to stay whole, I agree, a pressure cooker/instant pot works very well.
I had issues with beans until I got my instant pot.
Perfect beans every time...
My GE Cafe induction range came with a thermometer that clamps to the pot and interfaces with the burner so I can hold a pot at any temp +/- 3 degrees
With high-quality heirloom beans like Rancho Gordo Midnight Black, you may want to skip soaking to achieve a more flavorful and robust bean broth. You don’t have to worry about lectins as long as you boil the beans for 10-15 minutes before lowering the heat to a simmer and cooking them for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until they reach your preferred tenderness, even if you want them slightly al dente.
I’ve been buying RG beans for a looong time, and there are a couple, like Caballero and Royal Coronas, that are notorious for uneven cooking, and not soaking just won’t work. And some, like Alubia Blanca, turn to mush if soaked. Bottom line, like Helen said, it completely depends on the bean. My absolute favorite are the Rio Zapes that I grow every year, shell fresh, quick blanch and freeze. Now that’s a treat!
@ I completely agree. I was simply trying to highlight an alternative perspective regarding the quality of bean broth, specifically in relation to texture and lectin concerns. It’s incredible that you grow your own beans-hopefully, I can get there one day! I’m curious, what dishes do you make with them?
@ It’s a time consuming process from start to finish, so I keep it really simple to let the flavor if the beans shine - just water, some good EVOO, salt, a garlic clove and maybe a sage leaf or two if I’m in the mood. It’s like a taste of the garden in the middle of winter.
So with your new bean knowledge, will you ultimately cook them in your instantpot after soaking?
Other than split peas, I cannot easily find Dutch beans in the US and generally mail order them, but I have little knowledge of which are sturdy or delicate.
Exploded lentils... that's my grief
Don't soak, lower the heat, salt the water, and undercook them slightly. Then turn off the heat and let them cool in their liquid before using. The lentil type matters too. Try du Puy (also known as French green) or black lentils. Some varieties turn to mush no matter what you do.
I love her in "The Affair" , Mcnulty's girl
I love beans, but I've definitely found them to be inconsistent. Sometimes creamy and delicious, sometimes grainy and unappealing. I'm looking forward to learning how i might make them more consistently
So, have people used the sous vide setting on their Instant Pot?
Yay! I've literally come across all of these issues, great vid explaining what I was doing wrong! 😁
Is there any reason not to use some better-than-bullion or stock instead of just salt?
no reason. go ahead and use them
Lots of bean lore here, thanks.
Helen, I have a ceramic Boston bean pot. If I want to cook cannellini in my gas oven, what temperature range should I be playing with?
I would try 275F-300F in a covered pot. If you are starting with cold water it will take a few hours for them to come up to temperature. You can play with completely covered vs leaving the lid slightly ajar to see what gives you the best temperature (you are trying to get 195F).
Adding baking soda to beans can destroy some of the B vitamins particularly B1, adding a piece of kelp works very well in tenderizing the beans
I WANT them mushy. If they don't meld, they are improperly cooked. Definitely, slow cooking in the instapot is correct, though.
I'm going to have to read my boyfriend the riot act about not cooking kidney beans all the way - he often gets impatient and puts the raw beans in the recipe he's cooking, then doesn't cook them all the way when he gets hungry
Food safety in general is often condensed down to a single temperature, like "you must cook your chicken to X temp". But it is always a function of temp AND time. Most things can be cooked at a lower temp for longer time and still be just fine.
Using baking soda destroys vitabin B in legumens tho...
I love cooking them slow in Dutch oven on stove top
I think this far too strong --> "If they don't agree with you, don't eat them". This should really be "if they don't agree with you, incorporate them into your diet SLOWLY".
The reason beans don't agree with many people is because of oligosaccharides: complex carbohydrates in beans. Our stomachs and small intestines can't digest these but the bacteria in our guts can. Compounds like raffinose get broken down by a few species of gut bacteria, but if you're not used to eating beans, and the raffinose they contain, those species of bacteria explode in population, producing lots of gas as a byproduct. The solution is not to quit, its to go slowly and allow your microbiome to acclimate!
_"...take them with a grain of salt."_ Orrrrr, baking soda? ;)
👍🏻👍🏻
Hello
You MUST add boiling water to already boiling beans. NOT cold or room temperature water. Otherwise the beans can harden and never get soft.
13:41 Heads up from a local:
8 bucks is extortion. Don't cost more than 3.
But their problem is what you mentioned far earlier: continuity. They have none.
I'll pay the 8 bucks, but I kinda demand continuity at that price.
Ok Helen, I'm confused. First you give a chart that says to destroy the lectins you need to pressure cook beans for 45 minutes without pre-soaking, then two examples (black & pinto beans) in your notes are less!
The article I quoted was talking about red kidney beans. Their cooking time is longer.
Also, I am using a natural release. This means that the pot stays pressurized for much longer. The times I am giving is how long you should keep the heat on.