How to Cook Dried Beans in a Crockpot
Using dried beans in the household is a sensible, economic, and increasingly common alternative to using canned beans. Dried beans use less packaging and weigh less during transport making them friendlier for the environment. Ancient people prized beans as a good and plentiful source of protein before meat became more economic. Beans are still considered a staple in most areas of the world. Although there are several methods of preparation, cooking dried beans in a crock pot is perhaps the simplest. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Inspect your dried beans and sort out any undesired items. Beans are harvested using large-scale mechanical harvesters that occasionally damage the beans. Small stones, pebbles, insects, and other bits of debris are sometimes not separated from the beans during sorting at the factory.
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Pour the dried beans into the metal strainer. Rinse the beans generously with cool water. Unlike many products, dried beans are rarely washed before packaging. By quickly rinsing your dried beans, you will remove any dirt or dust from the surface and prevent unnecessary taste changes.
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Pour the dried beans into the crock pot, leaving at least an inch from the top. Add water or another liquid to the crock pot until the beans are fully submerged and cover. The water will help transfer heat to the beans, as well as slowly re-hydrate them. Submerge the beans with broth or other flavored liquids to impart additional flavor to the beans.
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Plug your crock pot into a power source. Set your temperature depending on how quickly the beans must be finished. The low setting on most crock pots is very low indeed, pushing cook times up to almost a day, but will require practically no supervision. If your dried beans need to be ready sooner, use the high setting and cook for two to three hours until beans are somewhat tender. When somewhat tender, turn the crock pot down to low for another four to six hours.
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Keep an eye on your water level. On high temperatures, crock pots can lose water to steam and evaporation fast. Without enough water to submerge them completely, the beans can easily burn. When cooking with a crock pot on high, check frequently and add water as needed.
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Tips & Warnings
Cook more beans than you need immediately. Seal the excess beans in a storage bag and freeze. According to Centralbeans.com, cooked beans can be stored in the freezer for up to three months.
Never leave the house unattended while electric cooking appliances are operating.
