How to Soak Beans Without Wrinkles

Preparing dried beans for cooking requires a soaking to shorten the cooking time. Following the first hour of soaking, water begins to enter the dried beans through a pore in the curve of the bean known as the hilum, plumping up the beans. This begins the hours long process of rehydration required to vanquish the wrinkles on the surface of the dried beans. When you properly soak your beans, you will no longer see wrinkles on them because the beans have expanded from absorbing adequate water. Using salt for soaking cuts the cooking time in half by increasing the amount of water absorbed by the beans during soaking, but the finished beans will have a grainier texture. Avoid using added salt for low sodium diets or if you want creamy beans.

Things You'll Need

• 1 part beans
• 2 parts cold or room temperature water
• 2 tsp. salt per 1 quart water (optional)
• Large pot with lid
• Bean Soaking Time Chart (see reference 1 pg 4)
• Colander
• Bean recipes (see resource)

Instructions

1. Combine the beans with the room temperature or cold water and optional salt in the pot and cover.

2. Let the beans soak, covered for the time dictated on the bean soaking chart or until you see beans without wrinkles which have doubled from their original size.

3. Drain the soaked beans in a colander, discarding the soaking liquid.

4. Cook the soaked beans according to your favorite bean recipe.

Tips & Warnings

• Soak and cook different types of beans separately unless the beans have the same soaking and cooking times.

References

• Savvy Vegetarian: How to Eat Beans Without Gas
• The Science of Good Food; David Joachim and Andrew Schloss; 2008

Resources

• Bean Bible Recipes
• Just Bean Recipes