# can I make dried beans in a rice cooker?



## chinaKat (Aug 6, 2005)

I have a high end rice cooker that I really love. I was wondering if I could make beans in it?

It has the following settings: steam, slow cook, brown rice, soup, quick, soft regular, sushi

I was thinking I'd soak them overnight and then run them through the brown rice cycle, since I think that's the longest one. If they aren't done after that, I could run another cycle. Or, I could just set it on slow cook and keep checking them.

Thoughts? I have a bag of black beans just crying out to be experimented with... but I hate to waste food.


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## elioraimmanuel (Oct 24, 2008)

The best way to prep the beans is soak w/lemon juice, apple vinegar, whey added to the water for at least 12 hrs then slow cook them until tender.


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## tinuviel_k (Apr 29, 2004)

You absolutely can! I have a Zojirushi fuzzy logic rice cooker, and I use it all the time to cook beans. It works amazingly well!

I don't know what size rice cooker you have. I own a 5-cup size, and this is the recipe i use:

Soak 1/2 lb (1 cup) of dried beans in plenty of water for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Drain and rinse the beans, and place in the rice cooker bowl.
Add:
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
very hot or boiling water to cover beans by 3 inches

Set rice cooker to "regular cycle" and let the rice cooker do its thing! It will switch to "keep warm." Add 1 tsp salt when done cooking, and let the beans absorb the salt for a bit before serving.

When cooking black beans and pinto beans (my two regulars) the beans are done perfectly after one cycle of the rice cooker. However, some beans may take longer, and some rice cookers might behave differently. My cookbook recommends setting a timer. Once you figure out how your own rice cooker works you may not have to.

I really recommend The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook, by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann. It has tons of great ideas for using both fuzzy logic and on/off rice cookers for many, many foods and recipes.


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## Elecampane (Mar 12, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tinuviel_k* 
I really recommend The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook, by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann. It has tons of great ideas for using both fuzzy logic and on/off rice cookers for many, many foods and recipes.

Just wanted to second this recommendation. This book is awesome!


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## star792 (May 31, 2004)

if it has a slow cooker setting im sure you could. i slow cook mine all the time. i just use water and a piece of kombu- helps with digestion. i do it at night and drain in the morning.


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## chinaKat (Aug 6, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tinuviel_k* 
You absolutely can! I have a Zojirushi fuzzy logic rice cooker, and I use it all the time to cook beans. It works amazingly well!

I don't know what size rice cooker you have. I own a 5-cup size, and this is the recipe i use:

Soak 1/2 lb (1 cup) of dried beans in plenty of water for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Drain and rinse the beans, and place in the rice cooker bowl.
Add:
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
very hot or boiling water to cover beans by 3 inches

Set rice cooker to "regular cycle" and let the rice cooker do its thing! It will switch to "keep warm." Add 1 tsp salt when done cooking, and let the beans absorb the salt for a bit before serving.

When cooking black beans and pinto beans (my two regulars) the beans are done perfectly after one cycle of the rice cooker. However, some beans may take longer, and some rice cookers might behave differently. My cookbook recommends setting a timer. Once you figure out how your own rice cooker works you may not have to.

I really recommend The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook, by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann. It has tons of great ideas for using both fuzzy logic and on/off rice cookers for many, many foods and recipes.

This is terrific! Thank you!

I'm soaking beans RIGHT NOW to try this!


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## kimimix (Nov 28, 2013)

Just wanted to post that I tried this suggested recipe posted by *tinuviel_k *and it was an epic FAIL for me. Followed all of the instructions and used my Zojirushi fuzzy logic, regular setting...all the same stuff...beans have a weird texture and taste terrible--almost flavorless but a bit like onion water....


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