Having dried beans in the pantry is helpful, but knowing how to cook them is what turns them into meals. They are a great item to keep in your pantry since they contain fiber and protein. Buying beans in bulk allows you to get them at a better price, but they aren’t helpful if you don’t know how to cook them. I’m sharing two ways for cooking dried beans so you can choose what is easier for your family. Both use simple ingredients, and they give me beans I can use in a variety of ways.
Save Money Buying in Bulk
When you are shopping, looking at the unit price helps you determine if buying something in bulk is truly saving you money. When it comes to beans, buying dried beans is significantly cheaper than buying them in cans. Cans are convenient so I usually have those in the pantry, but I also recently purchased a 50lb bag of dried black beans. You can hear about the breakdown of the prices in this video if you like hearing the specific numbers.
You can buy organic beans through Azure Standard or black beans in bulk on Amazon or at a local retailer. We most recently purchased ours at the local Chef Store.
I also have information about how I use honey and pork loin that I purchase in bulk to save money if you want more ideas for bulk shopping.
Long Term Food Storage
Having long term food storage is important for me and my family. I keep a stocked pantry with items that we rotate in order to ensure that they are fresh. I also like to make meals using beans and other pantry items that my family is used to eating those meals and it ensures that nothing goes to waste.
When I buy a large bag of beans, some of it will be put in glass jars with metal lids. These are airtight and the beans will stay fresh for about three years. For items that I want to keep fresh for longer than 3 years, I will use mylar bags like these from Wallaby Goods.
Storing Cooked Beans
After the beans are cooked, if you want them in meal sized portions you can freeze them in Souper Cubes in 1 cup servings. This allows you to use just what you need. You can cook once and have beans prepared for many meals.
Cooking Beans in an Instant Pot
Ingredients:
- 1 pound dried black beans (2¼ cups)
- 4½ cups water
- ½ medium onion, peeled, in large pieces for easy removal
- 1–1½ normal-size garlic cloves, peeled (or ½ of Amy’s extra-large clove; her whole clove equals 2–3 normal cloves)
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt, to taste, added after cooking
Instructions:
1. Sort the dried beans, discarding stones, debris, and damaged beans. Rinse well.
2. Add the unsoaked beans, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and 4½ cups water to the insert. Beans will double in size while cooking so the first time you make this, don’t try to double the recipe so you know how much fill fit in your instant pot.
3. Secure the lid and set the valve to Sealing according to the model instructions.
4. Select high pressure for 25 minutes.
5. Let pressure release naturally for at least 20 minutes. Open when the cooker is fully depressurized and the float valve has dropped.
6. Test a slightly cooled bean with a fork and taste it.
7. Add salt to taste after the beans are tender. Remove the bay leaves, onion, and garlic if desired.
8. Serve or divide into shallow containers for prompt cooling. Refrigerate within two hours and use within 3–4 days, or freeze portions for later.
Cooking Beans on the Stovetop
Ingredients:
- 1 pound dried black beans (2¼ cups)
- Water for soaking, enough to cover generously with room for expansion; use a large container
- Fresh water for cooking, enough to reach about one inch above the soaked, drained beans
- ½ medium onion, peeled, in large pieces
- 1–1½ garlic cloves, peeled
- 3 bay leaves
- Salt, to taste, added after cooking
Instructions:
1. Sort the dried beans and discard stones, debris, and damaged beans. Rinse thoroughly.
2. Place in a large bowl or pot, cover generously with water, and refrigerate overnight for 8–12 hours. Allow room for the beans to expand.
3. Drain the soaking water and rinse the beans thoroughly. Add them to the cooking pot with fresh water to about one inch above the beans.
4. Add the onion, garlic, and bay leaves.
5. Bring just to a boil, then reduce to medium-low or the heat needed for a gentle simmer.
6. Cover and monitor the pot; adjust heat as needed.
7. Stir and check the water level about every 10 minutes. Add hot water as needed to keep the beans covered.
8. Begin checking tenderness at 30 minutes. Test a slightly cooled bean with a fork and taste it. Continue simmering and checking about every 10 minutes until tender throughout.
9. Turn off the heat and add salt to taste. Remove the bay leaves.
10. Serve, or divide into shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours.
Watch me cook beans on my YouTube Channel!
Leave a Comment