How to Cook Dried Beans in a Conventional Oven
Dried beans provide an excellent alternative to canned beans, and are lower in salt and higher in nutrients. They are also usually quite inexpensive. Some may view dried beans as difficult to cook, but the process is not complicated. Learning how to cook dried beans will allow you to enjoy their nutrients and taste to the fullest extent. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Pour the beans out of the bag onto a light surface such as a plate or countertop. Carefully go through beans, discarding any rocks or other debris you may find, as well as any shriveled or damaged beans. Rinse them in cold water.
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2
Place the beans in a bowl and soak them in cold water for 8 hours. Lentils, lima beans, and split peas do not need to be soaked, but other types of beans do. The soaking process makes the beans easier to cook. Soaked beans also have reduced levels of phytates (compounds that inhibit our ability to absorb important nutrients like iron and zinc) and complex indigestible sugars (responsible for the well-known flatulence that occurs after eating beans), which makes them more digestible and healthier. Beans will also release toxins into the water, so don't reuse it. (See Reference 1) If you do not have time to soak the beans for 8 hours, they can be briefly boiled and then soaked for two to four hours instead.
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Rinse the beans well, and put them into an oven-safe pot. (You may wish to use a Dutch oven or a pot made specifically for baking beans). Add three or four parts water or broth for one part beans, depending on how thick you want the broth to be.
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Add desired spices and bring the beans to a boil. Unless your recipe calls for it, avoid using salt or any acidic ingredients at this step (such as wine, tomatoes, or lime) because they will render the beans harder and tougher later on. They will also increase the beans' cooking time. Spices that go well with beans include bay leaves, chipotle peppers, peppercorns, cumin, coriander, paprika and chili pepper.
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Place the pot in the oven at a temperature of 200 degrees, and cook for four to six hours. You can add acidic or salty spices at any time during the last hour.
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