How to Soak Black Beans and Pinto Beans
Black beans, also known as turtle beans, and pinto beans offer nutritious, low-fat, high-fiber dietary choices. Prepare them as added ingredients for other dishes or as a dish by themselves. Black beans are obviously a major component of black beans and rice, often prepared with a savory sausage. Pintos are often eaten as refried beans. These beans are economical and tasty when they are purchased as dried beans and then reconstituted by soaking in water before cooking. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Dried black or pinto beans
- Colander
- Large bowl or saucepan
- Dutch oven and lid
Instructions
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Overnight method
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1
Pick over the beans to remove any pebbles or other foreign objects.
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2
Place the beans in a colander and run cool water over them. Move them around with your hand and swirl the colander to rinse off any dirt or dust from the field.
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3
Pour the beans into a large bowl or saucepan and cover with cool water. Make sure you have the water deep enough to clear the beans by a couple of inches. This allows for expansion of the beans while they remain under water.
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4
Cover the beans and let them sit overnight or at least eight hours.
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5
Pour off the soaking water the next day. The beans are now soaked and ready to cook.
Quick Soak Method
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6
Pick over the beans and remove any debris. Put them in the colander and rinse them under running water.
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7
Put the beans into a large saucepan or a Dutch oven and cover with enough water to clear the beans by a couple of inches.
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8
Bring the beans to a boil and let them boil for two minutes. Cover the beans and remove the pot from the heat. Allow the beans to sit for at least two hours in the water.
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9
At the end of the two-hour soaking time, drain the beans using the colander. The beans are now soaked and ready to be cooked.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Always discard the soaking water. This will reduce the beans' ability to create gas when being digested.
