Help! How to cook beans?

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Cynthia P - 27 Apr 2007 20:06 GMT

Well, I had planned to make a big pot of chili tonight and I thought I
would try to cook my kidney beans from scratch.

I soaked them overnight, rinsed and drained them this morning and put
them in the pressure cooker, just covered with water. The directions
said bring to a boil over high heat, put the cooker lid on, bring it
to the second ring (high pressure) adjust heat to stabilize (nearly
had to go to low heat for that) and cook for 10-12 minutes.

I chose 10 minutes, because I wanted firmer beans, like what you'd get
in a can. But what I got is VERY mushy beans. Oh, they taste OK, I
mashed a half cup in a bowl with a little olive oil, vinegar, salt and
pepper as a snack, but they aren't suitable for chili or salads or
anything I was planning to do with them!

Where did I go wrong? Too much cooking time? Was a 10 hour soak too
much? Should I not have used a pressure cooker?

I use a little baking soda in the overnight soak, about a tablespoon
for 2.5 cups of dried beans.

I guess I need to go to the store for canned beans now. Any ideas for
what to do with the mushy beans? I presume I can freeze them if anyone
has any good recipe ideas.

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Cynthia
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Del Cecchi - 27 Apr 2007 20:11 GMT

> Well, I had planned to make a big pot of chili tonight and I thought I
> would try to cook my kidney beans from scratch.
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
> what to do with the mushy beans? I presume I can freeze them if anyone
> has any good recipe ideas.

I just cook them in a pan so I can monitor the process. Beans seem to
be really variable in required cooking time.

Make Pasta Fagoli (pasta fazool)

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Del Cecchi
"This post is my own and doesn’t necessarily represent IBM’s positions,
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Cynthia P - 27 Apr 2007 21:47 GMT

> I just cook them in a pan so I can monitor the process. Beans seem to
> be really variable in required cooking time.
>
> Make Pasta Fagoli (pasta fazool)

Well, I didn't want to have to be on my feet monitoring them so much,
that's why I tried the pressure cooker.

We don't eat much pasta around here, given that hubby is diabetic,
otherwise, sounds good.

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Cynthia
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Del Cecchi - 28 Apr 2007 01:33 GMT

>> I just cook them in a pan so I can monitor the process. Beans seem to
>> be really variable in required cooking time.
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> We don't eat much pasta around here, given that hubby is diabetic,
> otherwise, sounds good.

I suppose you could use whole wheat pasta. And the diabetics I know
still eat pasta. Besides pasta fazool doesn't really have that much
pasta in it.

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Cynthia P - 28 Apr 2007 03:17 GMT

>>> I just cook them in a pan so I can monitor the process. Beans seem to
>>> be really variable in required cooking time.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> still eat pasta. Besides pasta fazool doesn't really have that much
> pasta in it.

Oh, I would definitely do whole wheat pasta... I actually prefer it to
regular pasta! I'm not saying we never eat pasta, it's just a fairly
rare item on the menu and I think I am out of whole wheat pasta right
now anyway, as it is hard to find around here. I might actually have
to mail order it if I want it.

I think my current plan is to try the kidney bean curry tomorrow
morning... and freeze it for later. Besides, it sounds like a good
recipe to try out in the new electric wok hubby bought me for my
birthday and which I haven't used yet, LOL!

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janice - 27 Apr 2007 21:05 GMT

>Well, I had planned to make a big pot of chili tonight and I thought I
>would try to cook my kidney beans from scratch.
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>what to do with the mushy beans? I presume I can freeze them if anyone
>has any good recipe ideas.

I cook my beans in a pan of boiling water, but you do need to boil
them hard for 10 minutes to get rid of the poisons they contain, then
turn the heat down and cook them for however long it takes.

Or better still buy them already canned.

janice

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Cynthia P - 27 Apr 2007 21:41 GMT

> I cook my beans in a pan of boiling water, but you do need to boil
> them hard for 10 minutes to get rid of the poisons they contain, then
> turn the heat down and cook them for however long it takes.
>
> Or better still buy them already canned.

I did read something about a particular toxin that kidney beans
have... but I'm guessing I need not worry with THESE beans, LOL!

I usually buy canned, but I was thinking it might be easier to learn
to cook them myself, less sodium, possibly better flavor, less lugging
of heavy cans while I recover from the plantar fasciitis, etc...

I went web searching... 10-12 minutes seems to be the recommendation
for pressure cooking, though I think one site mentioned 5-14 minutes.
Some sites said avoid salt... another said add a little to toughen the
skins. I'm thinking maybe I just need to try it for a little less
time, say 7-8 minutes.

I also saw some sites that recommended doing things like
beans/rice/grains in something called an Ohsawa pot inside the
pressure cooker.

I did find a recipe or two for a red kidney bean curry... that might
be tomorrows project with the mushy beans. That or making a bean dip.

Could have been worse... I had no foaming troubles, no exploding
beans, no exploding pot, LOL!

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Beverly - 28 Apr 2007 12:19 GMT

> Could have been worse... I had no foaming troubles, no exploding
> beans, no exploding pot, LOL!

Never make dumplings in a pressure cooker. You will have foaming and
exploding problems. Don't ask how I know this :)

Beverly

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Cynthia P - 28 Apr 2007 18:39 GMT

> Never make dumplings in a pressure cooker. You will have foaming and
> exploding problems. Don't ask how I know this :)

I will endeavor to avoid that...

I've made a lovely butternut squash soup with the pressure cooker, but
I really don't have a ton of experience with it yet.

Hubby claims his mom cooked various beans in a pressure cooker
successfully, but of course, he has no idea what she did. I'll try
again at some point. Meanwhile, I get to try and make rajma, the
kidney bean curry this morning.

If successful, at least I'll have an out for future bean experiments
gone wrong!

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Cynthia
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Cynthia P - 28 Apr 2007 22:24 GMT

> I did find a recipe or two for a red kidney bean curry... that might
> be tomorrows project with the mushy beans. That or making a bean dip.
>
> Could have been worse... I had no foaming troubles, no exploding
> beans, no exploding pot, LOL!

Well! I just finished making a quadruple recipe of Rajma (red kidney
bean curry) and it is quite tasty!

This is the recipe I found:

http://www.sailusfood.com/2006/01/24/rajma-jeera-rice-curried-red-kidney-beans-w
ith-cumin-rice/

I did not have ghee, I used canola oil (I did not quadruple that... my
new electric wok is non-stick, so no need.) I used my food processor
to do the onion/garlic/ginger paste and to chop the tomatoes and that
worked well.

Oh, as I'd forgotten to save the bean juice from cooking my beans, I
substituted a cup of chicken broth instead and used only a half cup of
water at the end of the recipe. The recipe seems a flexible sort... at
least it survived my preparation.

I think it should make a fine side dish with some grilled chicken and
vegetables. I'm munching a half cup, but the rest will freeze as soon
as it is cool enough. My quadruple recipe made about 8 cups. And I
still have beans left over!

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Cynthia
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Doug Freyburger - 28 Apr 2007 19:54 GMT

> Well, I had planned to make a big pot of chili tonight and I thought I
> would try to cook my kidney beans from scratch.
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> Where did I go wrong? Too much cooking time? Was a 10 hour soak too
> much? Should I not have used a pressure cooker?

I have cooked beans in a crockpot but not a pressure cooker.
I have done either over night soak or bring to boil but not
both and either method worked fine. My best guess is the
same applies to pressure cooker use - Either/or over night
soak or bring to a boil first.

> I guess I need to go to the store for canned beans now. Any ideas for
> what to do with the mushy beans? I presume I can freeze them if anyone
> has any good recipe ideas.

Bean soup by diluting them thin. Bean paste thickness and
use them as a dip (blend in some fresh green herbs, cool
over night for the flavor to marry in, should be great). Use
as a thickening agent in a stew.

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Cynthia P - 29 Apr 2007 08:09 GMT

> I have cooked beans in a crockpot but not a pressure cooker.
> I have done either over night soak or bring to boil but not
> both and either method worked fine. My best guess is the
> same applies to pressure cooker use - Either/or over night
> soak or bring to a boil first.

Yeah, that might be the next thing, to try a different soaking method.
Though the pressure cooker cookbook did list both methods.

> Bean soup by diluting them thin. Bean paste thickness and
> use them as a dip (blend in some fresh green herbs, cool
> over night for the flavor to marry in, should be great). Use
> as a thickening agent in a stew.

Yeah, I was thinking bean dip and fresh veggies as a possibility. I've
still got leftovers, even quadrupling the kidney bean curry recipe
didn't use them all up. Who knew 2.5 cups of dry beans could swell
like that, LOL?!

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