Beans in a Crockpot?

[PeridotDiva]

Do you have to soak dried beans in water to rehydrate them if you plan to cook them in a crockpot?

TIA

[SouthernArt]

I'm not sure if you have to, but I always do. Of course, I just cook pinto beans in the crockpot. Others might be different.

I always soak my beans overnight. I put them in the crockpot before I leave for work the next morning, and then when I get home they are done. smile.gif

[WWCarol]

Hi PeridotDiva! graemlins/wave.gif

I have to LOL about this...I have a Post-It Note on my crock-pot that says:

" Precook beans!!!"

I soak my beans and change the water several times (preferably overnight). When I have put them in the crockpot (soaked only) they do not cook in a day! graemlins/sobbing.gif So, now I cook them BEFORE putting them in the crockpot.

My crockpot cookbook says:

"Dried beans should be boiled and completely softened before combining with other ingedients. Boil all beans in 3 times their volume of unsalted water for 10 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Cover and allow to stand for 1 1/2 hours, or until completely softened.

Drain and combine with other ingredients. Be sure beans are completely softened before you add the to any sugar or tomato mixture."

The presoaking, before precooking , supposedly rids the beans of gas-producing qualities!

(I'm glad I re-read this myself. After soaking, precooking and then pressure cooking yesterday...my black-eyed peas stayed slightly "crunchy"?! Guess I'll have to follow the directions above!! :D ) graemlins/wave.gif Carol

[Momma25]

Hi Gwen!

In my home, the answer is NO, but I cook them overnight instead of during the day. I do NOT presoak or precook my beans if I am cooking them overnight in the crockpot.

I sort them (for rocks), wash them (for dirt clumps), then place them in my crockpot and turn on to Low and cook overnight, about 10 hours.

In the morning, they are soft and perfect for using. No pre-soaking or pre-cooking required.

[PeridotDiva]

Thank you all very much for responding. I felt kind of silly asking but I honestly didn't know. In the cooler months, I really enjoy beans because they are very filling for me [and easy ;) ]. I think I'll try it both ways and see what happens.

Continued success

[WWCarol]

Okay...Momma's way sounds much easier than mine...! ;) tongue.gif

Momma!! How many beans? How much water? Cold or boiling? On HI or LOW for ten hours? Specifics, please! I want to try and make this easier on myself...! ;) graemlins/wave.gif graemlins/bcbsalute.gif Carol

[Momma25]

Hey Carol!

I am what you call "a lazy cook". I want to do it the easiest way possible, with a minimum of steps, LOL!

BTW, did you see my "Crockpot Tips" in the 100+ forum?

OK, on the beans, I do this about twice a week and I do it with all different types of beans, pinto, black beans, Great Northern, kidney etc and it works with all of them.

I sort and rinse 6 cups of dried beans. I have a 6 qt crockpot. I place the rincsed beans in the crockpot and add enough cold tap water to go to about one inch below the rim of the crockpot. (Leaving about an inch allows for bubbling etc).

Then I cover and turn the crock on to Low and cook overnight, usually about 10-12 hours. In the morning, the beans are usually perfect for whatever I want to use them for. If the beans are older, they may take another hr or so, but not usually.

[KimbaB]

I tried cooking my last batch of pinto beans in the crockpot and they took forever!

Who knew they were senior citizens smile.gif

Kimba

[Charski]

So I'm getting two different things here - it sounds to me as if Momma uses her crockpot to "soak" the beans overnight at which point they are tender and ready to use in a recipe - am I correct?

What I'm getting from Gwen's question is, "can I cook dry beans in the crockpot without soaking first" and I'm assuming she means with the ingredients for whatever dish she is making? Am I still with the program here?! ;)

I use 2 pounds of dry beans at a time when I fix beans - I figure if I'm gonna go to the trouble of fixing them, there better be LOTS when I'm done! tongue.gif

I put them in a stockpot, put in water to cover by 2", bring to a boil on the stove, turn off the heat, and let sit, covered, several hours. (This, of course, after washing and sorting as Momma described.) Then I rinse them several times with fresh water to remove as much "bean gas" as possible. (I also keep plenty of Beano on hand.....)

THEN I put them in my crockpot, add whatever other ingredients the finished dish calls for - tomatoes, onions, chipotle peppers, spices, chopped turkey sausage or smoked turkey legs, etc. - and THEN I crockpot 'em for 6-8 hours on Low!

Sounds like we all have different means to the same end! :D

I LOVE beans, and if there are TOO MANY I just freeze them. It's so nice to pull them out of the freezer some cold and wintry night and only have to microwave them back to a comfort-food meal!

Char

[Momma25]

Hey Char,

No, I don't soak my beans, I actually cook them in the crockpot. No soaking, no precooking. And they are ready to eat when done, they do not need to be cooked any further. Most times we eat them at this point, so it would not be accurate to say they are "soaked", because they are really cooked. And, if I did want to use them in a recipe, they are ready, just like opening a can of cooked beans.

And another thing I do is to pressure can dried beans. This is very simple and easy and makes short work of having already-cooked beans on hand for those quick dishes.

[tbosten]

Beans in a crockpot...TWO BITS!!!! :D

Sorry, I'm in a silly mood!

Ok, it is so sad that I am sitting here totally cracking up at that! :rolleyes:

[WWCarol]

Well...I STILL don't get why my black-eyed peas weren't done after 3 DAYS of "soaking" (I forgot about them... tongue.gif :rolleyes: ), more than an HOUR of boiling, and then PRESSURE COOKING for 10+ more minutes?...!! tongue.gif

If your beans were "senior citizens", Kimba...apparently mine were already expired?! Lorna Sass, pressure cooker cookbook author says,

"Each bean is like a snowflake...!"

Well, my SNOWFLAKES had better hurry-up and get COOKED from now on!! tongue.gif

Momma, how much water is left in the crock-pot by morning? Is it still covering the beans? Just wondering...!

Hi Charski! HEY! I didn't know you knew beans about beans?!!

(Just kidding. ;) I just wanted to be silly like, TBosten! :D ) Carol

[Charski]

Oh great. Now I'm going to be humming under my breath the tune to "beans in a crockpot - TWO BITS!" tongue.gif

Carol, I may not know BEANS about a LOT of stuff, but I DO know something about BEANS! :D I cook them so often we've become intimately acquainted you might say....

Char

[WWCarol]

Oh Charski...you know I was just foolin' wit'cha! ;) :D

Any girl who mentions beans and Bean-o in the same post knows her beans!! ;) tongue.gif

(Sing to: "If You Knew Susie")
"If you knew Bean-o, like I know Bean-o
Oh! Oh! OH, What a pill!"

(Grand Finale) " Beans in a crock-pot! (cluck tongue) You BET!!" graemlins/wave.gif Carol

[Momma25]

Well...I STILL don't get why my black-eyed peas weren't done after 3 DAYS of "soaking" (I forgot about them... ), more than an HOUR of boiling, and then PRESSURE COOKING for 10+ more minutes?...!! Carol, it could be your water (hard water causes hard beans). Did you add anything to the cooking or soaking water, such as salt or tomatoes or anything? Salt or tomato products can retard softening and should be added after the beans are tender. Or it could be they were very, very old. Sometimes, really old beans will not get tender.

If you have hard water, or suspect really old beans, you can add a pinch or two of baking soda to the cooking water (not for pressure cooking though). This breaks down the fiber and can help the beans get tender.


Momma, how much water is left in the crock-pot by morning? Is it still covering the beans? Just wondering...! The water still covers the beans if I made sure I added enough water in the beginning and make sure the crockpot cover is on tight and the pot is on LOW. I have had times where I did not add enough water and in the morning, some beans were not covered by the water and these were not tender. So, I make sure I don't use more than 6 cups of dried beans and I add enough water to the pot.

I cook my beans this way sometimes 2 or more times a week. We eat a LOT of beans around here, and we brave it without the Beano! LOL!

[Momma25]

Carol,

I thought you might like to read a litle bit on beans from my website, http://www.realfoodliving.com

Here is the Bean page:

http://www.realfoodliving.com/beans.htm

[Momma25]

Here is another site that offers the "no-soak" option of cooking beans overnight in the crockpot:

http://www.meals.com/Articles/beansoup.aspx

A few tips:

Soaking dried beans overnight is often called for in a recipe, but it's not necessary - you can quick-soak beans. Some experts don't soak at all, believing that although soaking beans saves some cooking time, that same extra time enhances flavors.

A general rule of thumb for crockpot bean soups is to cook the dry beans in water for 8 or 9 hours on LOW, then drain, add the other ingredients and cook for another 1 to 2 hours on HIGH. Check your crockpot's instruction manual for any specific recommendations the manufacturer might have.

Whether in the crockpot or on the stove, cook the beans until they are soft before adding sugar or acidic ingredients like vinegar, tomato or citrus, which interfere with the cooking process.

[Charski]

Carol - you KNOW I have NO sense of humor! graemlins/crazy.gif tongue.gif

Char

[WWCarol]

Well, that was certainly informative...Thanks, Momma! smile.gif

"Blow on your beans" and the skin will split if they're done!! I'll have to TRY that!

I've got a bag of pintos cooking in the crock-pot right now...I put in boiling water, and I've got them on LOW. They look like they're doing GREAT!

I just REALLY want to make sure they are "de-toxified" ;) , if you know what I mean...! I feel like I should throw out this first batch of water, and replace with a second set of boiling water...but that would be a bunch of trouble.

Momma, do you think "adding a carrot" really helps to de-toxify? Do you do it?

(To Charski~ You've already got the brains AND the beauty!!...With time, hard work, and lotsa' $$$$ , a
sense-of-humor CAN be developed...!! ;) :D ) Carol

[Charski]

Awright, Carol -- whaddya want? You MUST be buttering me up for SOMETHIN' here! ;)

I know what it is - you think YOU can give me good-humor lessons for big $$$ right? And with you, it would be $$$ well-spent! After a week I can have 'em all goin' graemlins/crazy.gif graemlins/clown.gif graemlins/crazy.gif

I'm with ya on the "drain the beans" though - sorry, but I'd be AFRAID to eat beans that haven't been rinsed at LEAST once, from a volatility standpoint! :eek:

Char

[dmarkey]

LOL!!!!! :D You guys crack me up.

[WWCarol]

Well...My beans were ready in 4 hours! Cooking on LOW in the crock-pot, having used "boiling" water from the kettle.

So, they haven't been PRE-SOAKED or RINSED AT LEAST ONCE tongue.gif (Charski's Rule!)...SOOOOOO....

STAND BACK, Buddies!

Actually, I washed them off after they were cooked, and put them back into the crockpot with chili ingedients. Will be ready for dinner at 5:30 tonight...I guess the only REAL test for volatility would be eating them sans Bean-o. :eek: ;)

All I can say is: that sure was an EASY way to cook beans!

Experiment results posted tomorrow.

(Charski~ About those expensive humor lessons...They're not really THAT expensive, when you consider what you're getting! ;) )

Hey, Diane! I just answered you over on Lifetime! graemlins/wave.gif Carol

[Charski]

Boy, Carol - I'm glad I'm not sleepin' with YOU tonight! (For MORE than one reason. I mean, DH is gone for the week, but REALLY! :rolleyes: )

Let us know how the "grand experiment" goes (or blows....)

Char

[WWCarol]

LOL, Charski!! :D

I thought you invited me over for a "Slumber Party"?!! ;)

Now, help me with this, Buddies: For the Grand Experiment, should one of us (DH and myself) have Bean-o and one of us NOT have Bean-o?...And, if it were you, should I give the Bean-o to myself, or to DH, with dinner tonight?! (Is it "6 of one, 1/2 a dozen of the other"?!) :confused:

Anxiously Awaiting A Thoughtful Response~ ;) tongue.gif Carol

[Charski]

Well that's right, I DID invite you over, but it was for the WHOLE WEEK and I WASN'T planning on sleeping in the same bed with you - particularly if you think you're gonna "pass" on the Beano!(Sorry, couldn't resist that punny comment....)

If it was a choice for me to make, *I'D* let DH take the Beano and suffer the consequences!!

You'll have to let us know how it turns out!

Char

[Momma25]

Momma, do you think "adding a carrot" really helps to de-toxify? Do you do it? Hi Carol,
Actually, I have done the carrot thing before (be sure NOT to eat the carrot!) and to be honest, I could not tell any difference. I've read where the experts say that all the measures really do not make a big impact and then I've read other places where they say it does. So, I guess it depends on the person consuming the beans.

In our home, we never soak the beans anymore, we never change the water etc and we eat them all the time this way. And, since I stopped soaking my beans, I do not see any increase in flatulence in either hubby or myself, which leads me to believe that soaking and changing the water did little if any good, so I just don't bother any more.

'Course, I wouldn't recommend lighting an open flame around us after supper.....
:D :D :D

[Charski]

Boy if we could only bottle methane..... :eek: :D ;)

Char

[Friendlybyte]

Wow, now I think know everything I need to know about Beans!! LOL :D You buddies made my day! graemlins/crazy.gif

[LAMom]

I wonder if you could be allergic to Beano. I bought some and took the recomended dose of it one day while consuming some Broccoli Salad and BOY!!!!!! I don't think it had the desired effect on me! I burned of calories running to the bathroom. I think I'll just brave the after effects of beans. After all they are the musical fruit, remember. Has anyone had a similar reaction to Beano?
Susan odear.gif

[phdwannabe]

I don't know anything about the after effects of eating beans, but I did learn from a Boston restaurant that if you choose to soak beans overnight you should add some baking soda. It keeps bacteria from growing, but I don't think it affects anthing else. Then rinse and cook.

Lynn

[WWCarol]

Ditched my broken crock-pot and got a new "programmable" one!! :D Now, after seeing this one cook on HIGH, I'm thinking my other one was possibly defective for a long time...?! tongue.gif

Anyhow, wanted to share what I've learned:

1) Took the black-eyed-peas that would-not-get-tender and added them to my new crockpot with a hambone. Cooked and cooked and cooked before I added the tomatoes...THEY ARE STILL HARD!! Those must have been some very old suckers!!! :eek: (I had to give them one last try...! ;) )

2) And secondly, I will NEVER cook beans without presoaking them again...!!! :eek: I've had excellent experiences with pre-soaked beans, and...well...I'm not even going to talk about it! Just trust me on this one~ :rolleyes:

graemlins/wave.gif Carol

[Momma25]

Hey Carol!
You got a new crockpot??? I am jealous! I want one for Christmas!!

I'm sorry you had such a bad reaction to eating unsoaked beans. As I said, each person is different and we have no problem eating unsoaked beans, but some people do, so you have to do what works best for you.

I just put a crockpot of black beans on to cook overnight and tomorrow I'll make some black bean burgers. YUM!

[djc2]

I cooked my pinto beans in the crockpot overnight like Momma25 does and they are cooked perfectly this morning. smile.gif Thanks Momma.
Jean

[WWCarol]

I'm LOVIN' this new crockpot, Momma! It will cook on HIGH or LOW in 1/2 hour increments, and goes to WARM when the time is up. It shows up in red-lit numbers how much time is left to cook! And if you want to switch from HIGH to LOW (or vice-versa) it's simple.

I highly recommend this one! Costco. 6 quart. Oval. Lid fits well. Handles far enough away from crock to lift out easily. $39.

Oh, and I want you to know, Momma! I LOVE your way to cook beans!! (I'm just going to pre-soak them first ;) !) graemlins/wave.gif Carol

[Momma25]

Hey Carol,
Question about your new crockpot. IS the "Costco" that you mentioned the brand name or where you bought it? We don't have a Costco here by the way.

I'm gonna have to check that out, a new cp is on my wish list for Christmas!

[WWCarol]

Oh, Costco is where I bought it (I do think you can purchase online at Costco.com)...

It's a Rival! smile.gif Carol

[Momma25]

Thanks Carol!

I actually got an oval crockpot yesterday at Wally World, but it said 6 qt and it ISN'T!! I may just take this one back, try to find the one you have, pay the extra $$ and get the brushed chrome 6 qt programmable one.

Do you think the programmable one is that much better than the old dial kind?

I checked out Costco.com and they have it for $39.99, plsu about $8 shipping. If I can't find it at Wally World today, I'll order it from Costco. Thanks for the tip!

[WWCarol]

Hi Momma!

I saw the brushed chrome programmable one at Bed,Bath And Beyond for $49.95. It is different than the one I got. On it, you can choose either 4,6,8, or 10 hours on HIGH or LOW with a default to WARM when the time period is over.

Mine, from Costco, is white with a little green knob on the lid. The lid fits down very securely. You can choose in 1/2 hr. increments up to 20 hours?!! Again, with a default to WARM.

I realize now that my DIAL 6 qt. probably never worked right... tongue.gif The dial felt squishy. I think touch-pad is harder to break!! ;)

I think you would love the programmable~ smile.gif I can look at mine and SEE the amount of time left to cook! That's pretty cool to me!

Good luck on finding what you're looking for! graemlins/wave.gif Carol

[mrszotz]

Just wanted to say that I have the Rival Oval 6qt Smart-Pot from Costco too...

I LOVE IT :D graemlins/thumbup.gif :D

After reading this thread I guess I'll have to try some beans!!

~Mary~

[Momma25]

Hey Carol and Mary!

I saw the white SpartPot at Wally World today, but my hubby especially wanted the brushed chrome one since that would go better with our kitchen.

Soooo, I just ordered it from Costco online. I am not a member, so I have to pay a 5% surcharge, but it is worth it.

I wish my SpartPot had the same functions as yours, but I guess we are giving up the function for the looks :D

Thanks for the info Gadget gals!

[WWCarol]

COOL, Momma! :cool:

Let us know what you think of it when you get it! :D I'll picture your beans "sleeping" in it all night long...! ;) graemlins/sleep.gif

graemlins/wave.gif Carol

[WWCarol]

P.S. Funny story! I was watching Oprah yesterday about a woman whose spending was out-of-control. She made "emotional purchases" with $$ the family didn't have...

When she opened a closet, there was MY new Smartpot from Rival!! White, with the light green retro knob...!! Unused. Stacked with a whole bunch of new, unused stuff!! tongue.gif

I thought, "Hey! A BCBer would have that baby cookin' somethin'!!...At least get some BEANS goin', Lady!!" ;) LOL! Carol

[kittycat]

** BUMP ** Lots of good info here. :D
PAT