How to Prepare Dried Beans

Our family eats a fair amount of beans these days because we have cut back on meat, since we are doing organic and it is a little pricier.  A low cost option are beans and legumes. So, in order to cut my costs and keep them as healthy as possible, I like to make my own in the crockpot.

They are really pretty easy.  You just do the following and and once they are done, you can freeze them in 1 cup portions to use for soups, nachos or stews.  Just sit the freezer bag into a sink of cold water and they will unthaw in about an hour.

How to Prepare Dried Beans

1. Pour beans into a strainer and rinse under cold water.  Remove any shells, rotten or shriveled beans, and any that have split in half.
2. Soak beans overnight or 5-8 hours. ( I actually soak mine from 6am-11am, then cook them in the slow cooker on high.)
3. Pour out water and rinse beans.
4. Place beans into slow cooker or stockpot, and cover with water, about 2 inches above beans.  Add flavorings like garlic, diced onions, carrots, celery, seasonings or any vegetables to add flavor.*Slow Cooker: Cook on medium or low for 6-8 hours.  Salt and pepper to taste before serving.
   **Quick Method – Cook on high for 4 hours and low for 1 hour.

   *Stock Pot: Cook on the stove for 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes to prevent sticking.  Add water as needed if it cooks down too much.

5. Cool, drain and place one cup portions of beans into quart freezer bags, seal and place all quart bags into one large gallon bag.  Lay flat and freeze like a book.
6. You can use these just like canned beans in any recipe.

To thaw and eat:

Place freezer bag into a sink of cold water for about an hour. Heat and add flavorings depending on your recipe.

Try out my Northern Beans recipe to get you started.