How to Convert Dry Pinto Beans to Cooked

Dried pinto beans form the basis for many meals.

Dry pinto beans are an economical source of protein and the basis for many tasty recipes. Cooking dried beans takes a little more preparation than canned varieties do, but you can cook a large quantity at one time and freeze leftovers for future meals. Cook dried beans in a pot on the stove, in a crockpot or in a pressure cooker. All methods produce good results. The pressure cooker produces the fastest results, producing soft beans in about an hour, while the crock pot will yield tender beans in six to eight hours.

Things You'll Need

• Bowl
• Pot
• Seasonings

Instructions

1. Sort through the beans and remove any stones, pieces of dirt, or shriveled or broken beans. Rinse the beans in cool water.

2. Place the pinto beans in a pan or bowl and cover them with cool water. The ratio of water to beans should be about 2 to 1, since the beans will absorb some water during the soaking. Let the beans sit overnight.

3. Drain the beans. Place them in your pan or slow cooker or pressure cooker and cover with fresh water.

4. Add seasonings to the beans. Mix in chopped onions, garlic or peppers, or add fresh or dried spices such as cumin, chili powder or oregano. Add bacon or ham. Too much salt can toughen beans, so wait to salt the beans until they're done.

5. Bring the beans to a boil. Turn down the heat to simmer and cook until tender. On the stove, this takes two or three hours. In a crock pot, turn the beans to high, and then lower the heat after the first hour. In a pressure cooker, bring the pot up to pressure, and then lower the heat and process for one hour.

References

• University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension: Dried Beans, Peas and Lentils
• University of Nebraska; Cooking With Dry Beans; Alice Henneman