Content

• Ingredients
• Dry Bean Recipe
• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: How to Cook Dry Beans
• In a pressure cooker
• Method 2 of 3: How to Cook Canned Beans
• Method 3 of 3: Recipe Variations
• Tips

Red beans occupy a rather modest place in the modern culinary landscape. While many may find beans boring and uninteresting, they are actually rich in nutrients and delicious when cooked properly. With just a few recipes, you can turn one or two cups of red beans and a few additional ingredients into a top-notch meal. And most importantly, it will cheapbecause beans cost much less meat and some vegetables.

Ingredients

Dry Bean Recipe

• Three cups (450 grams) dry red beans
• Water
• Salt (to taste)
• Two (2) garlic cloves (optional)
• Half (1/2) white onion, chopped (optional)
• Two (2) large carrots, chopped (optional)
• One (1) chopped bay leaf (optional)

Steps

Method 1 of 3: How to Cook Dry Beans

1. 1 Sort and wash the beans. Dry beans are among the most nutritious and readily available foods and can be purchased at your local grocery store. However, dry beans require some preparation before boiling. Start by scattering the beans on a flat surface and looking for shriveled and discolored beans. Remove them as well as any small stones.
   • After that, pour the beans into a colander and gently rinse them under a slight pressure of running water. This will remove small debris and dirt particles that you may have missed when you were sorting through the beans.
   • Regardless of the amount of beans, the cooking process is almost the same. This section assumes that you are cooking 450 grams beans (about 3 cups dry or 6-7 cups cooked beans), which is designed for 4-5 servings.
2. 2 If possible, let the beans soak overnight. Transfer the picked and washed beans to a large saucepan, fill it with water 2.5 centimeters above the level of the beans, and refrigerate the pot overnight. During this time, the beans will soften slightly and absorb the water. It will enlarge slightly and wrinkle slightly, which is normal.
   • Although this is not the need, it is best to soak the beans if you have time. This will shorten the cooking time and cook the beans more evenly. Plus, soaked beans are a little easier to digest and, let's face it, cause less gas.
3. 3 Bring the beans to a boil. If you've been soaking the beans overnight, remove them from the refrigerator, drain them, and refill them with water 2.5 centimeters above the level of the beans. If you haven't soaked the beans, fill them with water and place them on the stove. Heat high and bring water to a medium boil.
   • To prevent the water from foaming and overflowing, you can splash some vegetable or olive oil into it.
   • If you are using garlic, onions, or any of the other ingredients listed above, add them to the water as soon as you put the pot over the fire.
4. 4 Reduce heat so the water boils slightly. When the water begins to boil vigorously, turn the heat to low. After that, the water should boil slightly. Stir the beans lightly. Place a lid over the pot, but leave a gap to allow steam to escape.
5. 5 After about an hour, start checking to see if the beans are ready. Dry beans are almost always cooked fairly for a long time... You can stir the beans about every 15 minutes, but don't expect them to cook in less than an hour. After an hour, you can check if the beans are ready: to do this, take out one bean and squeeze it with your fingers (of course, after it has cooled down). Don't eat raw or undercooked red beans. This can lead to a temporary disorder similar to food poisoning (see the Tips section below).
   • If the beans crunch a little, they are not ready. The beans should be completely smooth and soft, almost pasty on the inside.
   • Be patient. Dry beans can be cooked for one to four hours before they are cooked. Resist the temptation to turn up the heat, as this can cause the beans to cook unevenly.
6. 6 When the beans are slightly soft, add a little salt. As soon as you notice that the beans are starting to soften, add a few teaspoons of salt to the water. This will give the beans a delicious, pungent flavor.
   • In no case not add salt earlier. If you add salt before the beans begin to soften, it will take longer to cook and will not cook smoothly.
7. 7 Remove the beans from the stove and let cool. Continue stirring and tasting the beans every 10-15 minutes. When the beans are completely soft, they are ready! Remove the pot from the stove and wait for the beans to cool in the water in which they were cooked.After that, serve the beans on the table or put them in the refrigerator with the water.
   • If the beans seem too watery, you can drain them. part water, but try not to drain all of it. It is necessary to leave some water in order for the beans to retain their consistency and taste. The water in which the beans were boiled is also quite tasty and full of nutrients. This water can be used for a variety of soups.

In a pressure cooker

1. 1 Prepare the beans for boiling as described above. With a few minor changes, cooking beans in a pressure cooker (slow cooker, slow cooker, etc.) is similar to boiling them in a saucepan. Start with the same steps as described above: sort and wash the beans, cover them with water and, if possible, let them soak overnight.
2. 2 Transfer the beans to a pressure cooker and cover them with water. If you've soaked the beans overnight, drain the water, transfer the beans to the pressure cooker, and fill with fresh water. Otherwise, just put the dry beans in the pressure cooker and fill them with water about 2.5 centimeters above the level of the beans. In this case, the pressure cooker must be less than half full.
3. 3 Preheat the pressure cooker to high pressure. Secure the lid and place the pressure cooker over medium to high heat. When the pressure builds up in the cooker, reduce the heat to keep the pressure constant. If you have an electric pressure cooker, just set it to high pressure.
   • If you are adding garlic and other vegetables, add them before securing the lid.
4. 4 Count on much faster cooking. Beans are being cooked in a pressure cooker much faster than a regular saucepan. Most pressure cooker recipes take the beans for 22-30 minutes. After about 20-22 minutes, you can check if the beans are ready and decide how long to cook.
   • When the beans are done, place the pressure cooker under running cold water to relieve the pressure, then drain and rinse the beans.

Method 2 of 3: How to Cook Canned Beans

1. 1 Check which beans you have: simple or with additives. Unlike dry beans, canned beans are very diverse. Some canned foods contain only "regular" beans and liquid with preservatives. Other canned foods may contain sauce. Some canned foods contain ready-to-eat beans that can be simply reheated. Take a look at the label and find out what type of canned beans you bought.
   • When in doubt, take a closer look at the label. Many manufacturers put on the jar sample recipes and advice on how best to use a particular product.
2. 2 Wash the plain beans. Plain canned beans are usually covered with clear, viscous brine. This helps to maintain freshness and increase shelf life, but brine can give an unpleasant "unnatural" aftertaste. To get rid of the brine, just put the contents of the jar in a colander and rinse the beans under cold water for a few seconds.
3. 3 Heat the beans in a saucepan or microwave. The canned beans are already cooked, so just reheat them before eating. If you have plain beans, add a small amount of water to the container you will be heating them in after rinsing. If the beans are canned with sauce, you can simply reheat them in that sauce. If you are using a microwave oven, be sure to bring an oven-safe container, such as a ceramic or glass bowl, rather than a metal or plastic container.
   • During the hike, you can reheat the beans and sauce right in the tin can. Just open the jar from the top and carefully place it over the fire. The easiest way to do this is if you have a metal grate above the fire. If there is no such grate, you can put the jar on a stone near the fire.Be careful not to burn yourself.
4. 4 You can also add plain beans to other meals. In canned food, beans are already boiled, which are easy to use in other recipes. If these dishes require boiling, add the beans at the very end to keep them from overcooking. Ready-made canned beans can be added to cold dishes.
   • In the next section Here are some recipes for using red beans. Unless otherwise noted, both cooked and prepared canned beans can be added.

Method 3 of 3: Recipe Variations

1. 1 Try making red beans with rice. This traditional dish of the southern United States is healthy, satisfying, and delicious. The proteins and dietary fiber contained in beans go well with the carbohydrates in rice. For a real feast, red beans and rice can be complemented with other traditional South American dishes like gumbo, jambalaya, or hot sausages!
2. 2 Try to cook Chile. This spicy stew is arguably one of the most popular dishes that use red beans. Chili usually contains meat ("con carne"), and there are countless ways to prepare it. Vegetarians can use a variety of vegetables. To give the dish a traditional look, you can complement it with a couple of slices of cornbread.
   • If you are preparing this dish from dry beans, you must cook it almost to full readinessand then transfer to a pot of liquid chili ingredients. This will cook the beans until cooked, without boiling them over. If you are using canned beans, add them towards the end.
3. 3 Try bean soup. Bean soup is delicious, nutritious, and easy to make — all you need is beans, water, and your favorite vegetables and seasonings. You can also add ham (or ham-flavored seasoning) for a traditional flavor, although sausage, chicken, beef, or other meats are also fine. There is no “one right” way to make bean soup, so you have a lot of creativity! You can find suitable recipes on the internet.
   • If you have dry beans, you can boil them almost to full readiness, and then add other ingredients to the saucepan.
   • If you're looking for something new, try adding chopped tomatoes - they go great with almost any bean soup. In addition, the tomatoes will color the grayish water to a brownish-orange color, and this soup will look very appetizing.
4. 4 Try a cold bean salad. Perhaps you have several types of canned beans? Drain, rinse the beans, add some olive oil and salt, and stir for a low-calorie salad that's rich in protein and fiber. Try adding chopped red onions, tomatoes, and corn to add variety and flavor to your salad. Nevertheless, such a salad is delicious without additional ingredients!
5. 5 Try bean puree, or hummus. It's extremely simple. Season the beans with a little salt, pepper and olive oil and grind them in a blender or food processor until you have a smooth paste.
   • For a richer hummus flavor, add some tahini (sesame paste) and lemon juice - these are the ingredients found in traditional hummus. Garnish with cayenne pepper and parsley before serving.

Tips

• Different types of beans are cooked in a similar way, so the tips above will usually work for black or white beans as well. Cooking times may differ for some types of beans (for example, chickpeas take a very long time to cook).
• Do not eat raw or undercooked beans. This can lead to food poisoning.Although such poisoning is rarely a serious hazard, it can lead to several hours of nausea and vomiting.