# Why do my dried beans never taste as good as canned?



## artemis33 (Jan 5, 2006)

I've been trying to switch over to save $ and for less packaging (bulk bin), etc. but I just cannot get the flavor to be as intense in my dried beans. The texture is off too.

I made black beans yesterday, and they were ok, but nothing special. Last week I made red beans and same thing. I've made them lots of times too, it isn't a new problem - but it is what always sends me back to canned







:

Okay here's how I make them:

Soak overnight or longer in plenty of water.
Drain/ sometimes I've rinsed, not always.
Cook on low in lots of new water OR in the slow cooker until soft - usually several hours and sometimes even all day - also add bay leaf and garlic now
.
Once soft, I've been draining off the water and adding broth instead. They still aren't perfectly tender at this point, but I figured adding the broth earlier would inhibit the softening (due to the salt in the broth - this was commercial, didn't have any homemade) but too late might not provide as much flavor? I also add whatever spices I want and some salt.

At that point, when I add the broth, I am doing everything the same as I do when I use the canned - which I drain and rinse before adding to broth.

I sometimes add some animal fat (either turkey bacon or chicken or I've even tried chicken fat). I don't eat pork so I haven't used that in either the dried or canned.

Sometimes I add some kombu.

I just don't get it. They are not as soft and creamy and don't absorb as much of the spices and other flavors.

I am pretty sure they are fresh - this has always happened over a long period of time when I have used dried beans (so from many different batches of dried beans). I am finally asking for help!

What am I doing wrong?


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## Lilacmoon (Apr 24, 2002)

Instead of draining off the water, I cook mine down. Add less water to start and when tender, remove the lid and let the liquid evaporate. It saves the flavor while reducing the liquid. Also, I add the fat at the begining, so the flavor cooks into the bean.


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## sleepnrain (May 20, 2006)

I'm going to try what lilac said, but I agree, my beans never taste as good when I make them from dried. I'll be watching this thread!


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## avendesora (Sep 23, 2004)

A couple of thoughts... Rinse the beans very well before cooking. Also I would agree with the PP about using less water for cooking - use well enough to cover, but not so much as to dilute the flavor. I also think it wouldn't be a problem to add the fat earlier. It might help with the frothing. When they are soft, rather than draining the water, let them cool down in their cooking water. You could add a bouillon cube to the water if you wanted to add more flavor. (BTW, if you're using canned broth, you're not saving on packaging over canned beans.)

A useful tip... if you like the convenience of canned beans (who doesn't?) I always cook way more beans than the recipe calls for, then I measure out 1.5 c drained beans into baggies and put them in the freezer. They freeze well, and 1.5 c beans is as much as one can would have. I reuse the baggies, so it's not making much waste.

Good luck,
Aven


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## seaheroine (Dec 24, 2004)

I always add whole jalapenos and especially epazote to my dried beans while cooking...they do lack that "creamy" texture but they make up for it in taste! Pureed tomatoes or tomato paste helps a lot as well...


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## mzfern (Nov 16, 2004)

I'll be watching this thread, also! My homecooked dried beans are never as good as canned, either.


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## tamagotchi (Oct 16, 2005)

Hmm... canned beans usually have lots of salt. If I add tons of salt so that they are as salty as canned beans, my beans taste as least as good as canned (I think they taste better).


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## ktbug (Jul 8, 2006)

SAAAALT!

And your water level.

Soak the beans overnight, changing the water once if possible. Heat your bean pot with a little bit of butter or oil. Add half an onion, quartered, two ribs of celery cut only in half lengthwise, and a couple of crushed garlic cloves. Let these vegetables cook for about 7 minutes on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add a bouquet garni to the pan (two stalks thyme, one stalk rosemary, and a bay leaf, tied with string and wrapped in cheesecloth), stir, and add the beans. Add just enough water or stock to the pan to just cover the beans. Add 2 teaspoons of salt for every quart of water. Use kosher salt.

Bring the liquid to the boil. Let it roll for 5 minutes, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the beans are tender (cooking times vary depending on the bean). When the beans are almost done, taste both a tester bean and the cooking liquid, and add more salt if necessary. When the beans are tender, remove them from the water immediately and lay them out on a sheet pan to cool or drain them in a colander and run lots of cool water on them. Remove the onion, celery, and bouquet garni. Do with them as you will.

ETA: You really don't need to do this in broth. If you want extra (delicious animal) flavor, use a hambone, ham hock, salt pork, or some good old fashioned bacon.


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## Mama2-4 (Apr 5, 2006)

I never soak my beans....maybe this is wrong. My grandma taught me how to make beans and basically I just toss them in the crock pot (after sorting and washing them really well) at bedtime and forget about them til morning! I cook them in lots of broth and garlic. They are always very tender and yummy, much better than canned beans!


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## ktbug (Jul 8, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mom2-3* 
I never soak my beans....maybe this is wrong. My grandma taught me how to make beans and basically I just toss them in the crock pot (after sorting and washing them really well) at bedtime and forget about them til morning! I cook them in lots of broth and garlic. They are always very tender and yummy, much better than canned beans!

You don't have to soak them. Soaking them just makes them cook faster.


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## Mama2-4 (Apr 5, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ktbug* 
You don't have to soak them. Soaking them just makes them cook faster.

Gotcha, thanks!!


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## sophmama (Sep 11, 2004)

Can they be done in a rice cooker?


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## ktbug (Jul 8, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sophmama* 
Can they be done in a rice cooker?

No, I wouldn't do that. Just because I wouldn't know how to regulate it. Rice cookers usually use pressure, right?

A crock pot or slow cooker is fine, though.


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## artemis33 (Jan 5, 2006)

thanks mamas for the suggestions. I will definitely use less water, not drain it, and add fat sooner. Regarding the salt though - I have always read that you have to wait to add it until the beans are tender or they will stay tough? I know when I used to add it sooner (before I read that) they stayed very hard.

avendesora - you are right about the packaging when not using homemade broth.







I realize that and I do use it when I have it, but I never seem to have enough for everything! I do use organic broth in recyclable containers, but yeah, it is more wasteful, I agree.

As far as tomatoes and jalepenos and stuff - I do add that stuff later, but usually I make a large batch at once to be able to use them in a variety of recipes, so I don't add it early on. Maybe I'll try it though. I'd love to try epazote, but I don't see it often. I'll watch for it. I may grow some this summer!

I did notice that my black beans tasted much better the next day (as is usually the case with any bean dish I know) so maybe I need to make them the day before I need them too. Not sure if I am that organized though









Thanks though - I'll try out these ideas!


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## ASusan (Jun 6, 2006)

Canned beans sometimes have sugar in them. The last can of kidney beans I bought had HFCS and another sugar product.


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## artemis33 (Jan 5, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ASusan* 
Canned beans sometimes have sugar in them. The last can of kidney beans I bought had HFCS and another sugar product.

Very true and something to watch for - luckily the ones I have been buying only have salt added (though probably a lot of it!).


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## sphinxie (Feb 28, 2006)

I have this problem too; but when I lived in CA the dry beans I cooked there were perfect, even without soaking. So I strongly suspect the beans here aren't fresh. When they cook they taste chalky and give indigestion, whereas the previous bean dishes were creamy, flavorful, and no problem to digest.


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## tamagotchi (Oct 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *artemis33* 
Regarding the salt though - I have always read that you have to wait to add it until the beans are tender or they will stay tough? I know when I used to add it sooner (before I read that) they stayed very hard.

After I soak mine, I drain, add salt in the new water, and start cooking. Mine are soft and creamy.









Have you tried adding a pinch of baking soda during the soak? I think that is supposed to help to make them softer.


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## swampwitch (Jul 24, 2006)

i find that i have to season them more heavy-handed than canned...
but sometimes i get carried away with the garlic, like the batch last night, it kept the vampires at least four blocks away! i'll be making more beans tomorrow to add to them.


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## Satori (Jan 30, 2003)

Rinse the beans well but dont toss the soak water and save the salt till there done then add lots of it. I love pintos and a ham hock, soak over night then start the crockpot in the morning after throwing in an old fashioned ham hock and black pepper. Let cook all day then add some salt and a bit of honey when there done and yummy!


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## Peppamint (Oct 19, 2002)

The only time my dried beans turn out tender is when I do my mom's method. I never have tried dried black beans because my favorite recipe that uses black beans is a really quick easy recipe and it would negate the ease of the recipe if I didn't use canned.







Dried sure are cheaper though!

Rinse very very well. Put in a pot and boil for about an hour. Soak overnight (supposedly this helps with the stuff that causes gas) in pan. In the morning, strain and put in fresh water in crock pot on high. At this point add any spices (this is one of the rare times we eat pork. I'll add salt pork and spices like garlic, onion, salt and pepper). Cook on high until very tender (possibly all day). Serve for dinner.

If I use salt pork, I strain out the pieces of meat. I'd love to figure out a way to get that flavor without using pork!


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## Gale Force (Jun 15, 2003)

Here's my bean soaking and cooking method.

Amanda


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## artemis33 (Jan 5, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *busybusymomma* 
I'd love to figure out a way to get that flavor without using pork!


Well, it isn't quite the same, but I used to use smoked tempeh in my beans for a smoky flavor and that was pretty good (if you are ok with having a little fermented soy). I now use a bit of nitrate free turkey bacon when I make some bean dishes.

It certainly isn't as intense of flavor as the pork, but it gives a bit of that smoky flavor.

Thanks Gale Force for the soaking and phytate info - I'll remember to use warm water for soaking in the future.

sphinxie - interesting point about the beans in CA. I have assumed my beans are fresh (or as fresh as I can get, I guess) because I get them at the HFS bulk bins where I know there is high turnover (unlike my neighborhood grocery where those little bags of beans might sit there forever!). I wonder if that may be part of the problem.


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## NoHiddenFees (Mar 15, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sophmama* 
Can they be done in a rice cooker?

Yes they can, though you have to use a timer rather than rely on the auto shut off. Consult the Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook. There's a great veggie chili recipe in this book too.


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## PumpkinSeeds (Dec 19, 2001)

If you like your beans creamy, the secret is to "refry" them in a bit of lard. One tablespoon of lard to about 4-5 cups of cooked beans is what I use.

If you don't eat pork, then when you are smashing them add a hunk of cheese like cheddar, or mozzarella and smash them up good while the cheese gets melted into the beans.


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## PumpkinSeeds (Dec 19, 2001)

I mean the american style hard mozzarella. Oh, you could always add the jalapeno cheese too, I bet that would be good.

Also, you can add a drop or two of wrights brand liquid smoke (sold everywhere).


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

If you're not organized enough to cook beans the day before, then cook up big batches of beans occasionally and freeze them in single-recipe sized portions. A ziplock sandwich bag is about the size of a can of beans, and several can be put inside a gallon freezer bag. The gallon freezer bag minimizes the chance of freezer burn and the sandwich bags make it easy to separate out just what you need at the time. Thawing frozen beans adds maybe 20-30 minutes to a recipe vs using room temperature canned beans.

If anybody has any ideas for freezing cooked beans without the plastic, I'm all ears. I know glass jars work (if you leave room at the top to allow for expansion) but those are an inneficient use of freezer space (and electricity.)


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## traceface (Feb 17, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Satori* 
Rinse the beans well *but dont toss the soak water* and save the salt till there done then add lots of it.


What do you mean, when you say don't toss the soak water? Do you re-use it for cooking them (I thought you were supposed to add fresh)

What do you do with this saved-bean-soak-water?


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