How to speed up cooking of beans without soaking. How long should you cook beans without soaking? Recipe for cooking beans with cold water
Cooking beans is a slow process, so it's best to plan ahead. In addition to the hour or two that the actual cooking will take, you need to take into account the time for soaking. The good news is that you won't have to do much.
How to prepare beans
The first thing to do is check the expiration date. Beans that have been sitting for more than a year are likely to have dried out. Such beans will not become soft and tender, no matter how much you cook them.
Sort through the beans (don't worry, it's quick) and discard any shriveled or suspicious beans, as well as stems and other debris.
Then rinse the beans thoroughly in a colander under cold running water.
The next step is soaking, and there are several good reasons for this. First, pre-soaked beans cook faster. This, by the way, is not the main reason: without soaking, the beans will cook longer by only 15–20 minutes.
Secondly, during soaking, oligosaccharides are partially dissolved, which cause increased gas formation in the intestines.
Thirdly, there is an opinion that during soaking beans lose so-called antinutrients - compounds that interfere with the absorption of nutrients. In particular, legumes contain phytic acid, which interferes with the absorption of zinc, calcium, magnesium and iron.
How to soak beans
There are two ways to soak beans:
1. Slow or cold method
Proponents of this soaking method claim that it eliminates the unpleasant side effects that legumes are notorious for. However, keep in mind that it takes time. Place the beans in a large saucepan and pour cold water and refrigerate for 12–24 hours.
For 1 cup of beans you will need 5 cups of water.
2. Fast, or hot, method
If you don’t have time for long soaking, then simply pour the dry beans into a pan and add water in the same proportion as in the previous method. Bring the water to a boil and cook the beans for 2-3 minutes. Then remove the pan from the stove, cover and let sit for at least 1 hour.
Please note that the volume of beans after soaking and cooking will increase 2-3 times, so choose a larger pan.
By the way, some housewives claim that with this method of soaking the dish turns out tastier.
How to cook beans
After soaking, drain the water and rinse the swollen beans under running water. Then place it in a large saucepan and add water so that it completely covers the beans. Bring the water to a boil and add a tablespoon of sunflower oil or so that there is less foam.
Simmer the beans over low heat. You may need to add water to the pan from time to time during the cooking process. Depending on the type of beans, their shelf life and water hardness, the cooking time can range from 0.5 to 2.5 hours.
During cooking, the beans do not need to be stirred, and the pan does not need to be covered with a lid.
To know if the beans are ready, mash one with a fork or your fingers. Ideally, the beans should be soft, but not mushy. If the beans are still crunchy, then leave them to cook further and check for doneness every 10 minutes.
Subtleties
There is a fairly common myth that salt gives beans body and toughness, so you need to add it at the end. In fact, salt has no effect on the consistency of the beans, unless, of course, you are going to pour handfuls of them into the pan. Herbs can also be added at any time.
If a recipe calls for adding acidic ingredients such as lemon juice, wine, vinegar or tomatoes, do so after the beans are cooked. Otherwise, the beans may not turn out as tender as you would like.
Cooked beans can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It is recommended to use flat, shallow containers for this.
Do you have your own secrets for cooking beans? Share them in the comments.
Calories: Not specified
Cooking time: Not indicated
Sometimes we forget to soak the beans in the evening, but preparing a dish from them is extremely necessary. What to do? If you leave the beans to soak, you can only cook them in the evening. Very often this is inconvenient for housewives - when then should they cook a dish from these beans - not at night, right? In this case, one way to quickly cook beans can come to the rescue. My mother told me his secret. And for her - her mother, my grandmother... So this method passes from generation to generation. And it really helps us out when it happens. We didn’t leave the red beans to soak overnight, but in the morning we planned to cook something tasty out of them, for example. True, I want to say right away that although this method does not take much time, it is still more difficult than simply cooking soaked beans in terms of labor intensity. No, it’s not difficult, but there will still be more manipulation than watching how to cook beans in a saucepan. But, I repeat, this is still a way out, so I will be happy to share with you my recipe for how to quickly cook red beans without soaking. I hope he will also help you out if necessary.
Ingredients:
- Red beans.
Recipe with photos step by step:
We sort through the red beans, removing any spoiled ones. Rinse the beans with running water.
Place the beans in a saucepan and fill with cold water so that the water is a couple of centimeters above the level of the beans.
Place the pan with beans over medium heat and bring to a boil.
Quickly cool the beans in plenty of cold water. To do this, it is convenient to place the beans in a colander, which is placed in a pan of cold water. Let the beans stand for 3-5 minutes until they cool completely.
Place the beans back into the pan and add water in the same way (2 fingers above the beans).
Bring the beans to a boil again and cool just as quickly. After the second time, you can notice how much the beans have increased in size, but they are still hard. We repeat the same procedure - heating and rapid cooling - 3 more times (a total of 5 times). This is usually enough to make the beans soft. But some varieties require bringing the beans to a boil 6 times and refrigerating them until they are cooked.
The cooking speed also depends on the shelf life and size of the beans.
To determine whether the beans are cooked, we use the “three beans” method: we try 3 beans at the same time. If all 3 are ready, then the rest are cooked too. It is important to ensure that the beans are cooked completely and not left undercooked. Undercooked beans contain substances that can be dangerous to the human body. Therefore, you should never eat undercooked beans.
There are many more alternative solutions for some time-consuming activities in the kitchen. For example, cooking beets. It usually takes a very long time if you cook it on the stove. But you can do it quickly and easily
Cooking beans is a slow process, so it's best to plan ahead. In addition to the hour or two that the actual cooking will take, you need to take into account the time for soaking. The good news is that you won't have to do much.
How to prepare beans
The first thing to do is check the expiration date. Beans that have been sitting for more than a year are likely to have dried out. Such beans will not become soft and tender, no matter how much you cook them.
Sort through the beans (don't worry, it's quick) and discard any shriveled or suspicious beans, as well as stems and other debris.
Then rinse the beans thoroughly in a colander under cold running water.
The next step is soaking, and there are several good reasons for this. First, pre-soaked beans cook faster. This, by the way, is not the main reason: without soaking, the beans will cook longer by only 15–20 minutes.
Secondly, during soaking, oligosaccharides are partially dissolved, which cause increased gas formation in the intestines.
Thirdly, there is an opinion that during soaking beans lose so-called antinutrients - compounds that interfere with the absorption of nutrients. In particular, legumes contain phytic acid, which interferes with the absorption of zinc, calcium, magnesium and iron.
How to soak beans
There are two ways to soak beans:
1. Slow or cold method
Proponents of this soaking method claim that it eliminates the unpleasant side effects that legumes are notorious for. However, keep in mind that it takes time. Place the beans in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and refrigerate for 12–24 hours.
For 1 cup of beans you will need 5 cups of water.
2. Fast, or hot, method
If you don’t have time for long soaking, then simply pour the dry beans into a pan and add water in the same proportion as in the previous method. Bring the water to a boil and cook the beans for 2-3 minutes. Then remove the pan from the stove, cover and let sit for at least 1 hour.
Please note that the volume of beans after soaking and cooking will increase 2-3 times, so choose a larger pan.
By the way, some housewives claim that with this method of soaking the dish turns out tastier.
How to cook beans
After soaking, drain the water and rinse the swollen beans under running water. Then place it in a large saucepan and add water so that it completely covers the beans. Bring the water to a boil and add a tablespoon of sunflower oil or so that there is less foam.
Simmer the beans over low heat. You may need to add water to the pan from time to time during the cooking process. Depending on the type of beans, their shelf life and water hardness, the cooking time can range from 0.5 to 2.5 hours.
During cooking, the beans do not need to be stirred, and the pan does not need to be covered with a lid.
To know if the beans are ready, mash one with a fork or your fingers. Ideally, the beans should be soft, but not mushy. If the beans are still crunchy, then leave them to cook further and check for doneness every 10 minutes.
Subtleties
There is a fairly common myth that salt gives beans body and toughness, so you need to add it at the end. In fact, salt has no effect on the consistency of the beans, unless, of course, you are going to pour handfuls of them into the pan. Herbs can also be added at any time.
If a recipe calls for adding acidic ingredients such as lemon juice, wine, vinegar or tomatoes, do so after the beans are cooked. Otherwise, the beans may not turn out as tender as you would like.
Cooked beans can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It is recommended to use flat, shallow containers for this.
Do you have your own secrets for cooking beans? Share them in the comments.
The beneficial and nutritional properties of beans have long been described and described in many sources. But many housewives refuse to cook beans. Why? Because no one likes the tedious task of long soaking and hours of cooking.
However, there are a few secrets that allow you to quickly cook beans without soaking.
Granulated sugar
The washed and sorted beans are poured with cold water at the rate of 1 cup of beans per 4 cups of water. And add 1 tbsp. l. granulated sugar. Place on high heat. After boiling, reduce the flame to medium. The beans will become soft very quickly. You can try red after 30 minutes, white and black after 40 minutes.
Advice. Do not use Brown sugar. It's too much. The most ordinary white will be enough.
Cold water
The grains are sorted and washed thoroughly. Pour in cold water until it just covers the beans. Place on high heat and bring to a boil. When the bubbling is at its strongest, add cold water to stop the gurgling. As soon as the water boils again, the operation is repeated. After the third time, the beans are left on medium heat for 40 minutes. If necessary, add more water. The main thing is that it is no more than 2 cm higher than the beans.Advice. Instead of cold water, it's even better to throw in ice cubes.
Sea kale
Place bean grains in a saucepan, add a small leaf of dried seaweed and pour in cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer on medium for 40-50 minutes. Usually by this time the grains are already quite soft.
Advice. If you don’t know where to get a dried seaweed leaf, take an ordinary sheet of nori for sushi and rolls. It is the same.
Soda
Bean grains are filled with water at the rate of 1 kg 3 liters. Add a pinch of ordinary baking soda. Boil over medium heat for 45 minutes. At the end add half a teaspoon lemon juice or citric acid. As soon as the reaction takes place, the grains must be washed. And the beans will be ready by then.
Advice. Don't add more soda. Otherwise, all your culinary preparations will go in the trash. Even scavenger dogs won't eat it.
Freezing
If you know you'll have to cook beans often, but aren't sure if you'll have time to soak them, then do it that way. Divide the grains into portioned bags and put them in the freezer. Let them lie there until cooking time.
When you need to quickly cook beans without soaking, simply place the beans in cold water. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Then cook over medium flame. For such beans, it takes an hour to cook completely.
Advice. These beans are not defrosted before cooking.
Without salt
The usual cooking time for white beans in salted water until fully cooked is 4 hours. If you do not salt the water at all, then it is quite possible that the grains will be soft after 2 hours. Therefore, salt any beans only at the very end of cooking.
Advice. Red and variegated beans will cook even faster, because initially the white beans are denser and harder than the colored ones.
Microwave
Modern technologies are a great help for housewives in the kitchen. Using a microwave is quite possible to reduce the cooking time of beans to 30 minutes. To do this, you will need special cookware suitable for use in the oven. Grains are placed in it and water is added. Set for 10 minutes at maximum power. After the timer beeps, the beans are mixed and put back in the microwave. Now for 18-20 minutes. After this time, the grains will be ready for further consumption.
Advice. It is best to take glassware. If you don’t have a special bowl, then a regular jar will do. The main thing is that it fits into the microwave while standing and can spin around freely. You cannot cover the vessel with a lid!
Pressure cooker
A pressure cooker allows you to reduce the cooking time of beans without soaking to 40 minutes. Just follow the usual proportions of grains and water: 1 to 4. Time must be counted from the beginning of boiling. It is not advisable to add salt.
Advice. Follow normal safety precautions.
Multicooker
The invention of the technical industry, already loved by many housewives, will help out here too. Just put the beans on sauté mode. You can even add plenty of salt. The timer is set to 40 minutes. Take note of this.
Modern selection
Bean varieties have already been bred and thoroughly tested, which are completely ready for consumption 30 minutes after cooking. Information about this should be found on seed packets or on the Internet.
- To prevent beans from changing color during cooking, never cover the container in which they are cooked.
- Some varieties of beans taste distinctly bitter in the finished dish. To prevent this from happening, it is advisable to change the water in the saucepan to clean water at least once. It's better to change twice.
- Do not cook beans in broth intended for soup. It will become cloudy and smell bad. Cook the grains until fully cooked in separate water, and only then add them to the soup.
- How to taste beans to see if they are done? You can taste it with your mouth, but few people like the taste of half-raw grains. Therefore, it’s enough just to catch a couple of things from the water and try to crush them with two fingers. If the beans are ready, they easily yield and knead. Accordingly, damp ones will spring back.
- Be sure to carefully sort and wash the beans before cooking. Even if you collected them yourself on your own plot. This is much easier than trying to catch unwanted beans in a saucepan.
How to quickly cook beans without soaking? By following our recommendations, it is easy and simple to reduce the cooking time by more than half. To avoid stomach problems and increased gas formation, it is better to soak the bean grains. Of course, not for 12 hours; during this time it can germinate and become unsuitable for food. But at least for three hours. This will allow you to fully enjoy its wonderful taste and beneficial substances.
Video: how to quickly cook beans without soaking in water
The usefulness and nutritional value of beans have been known for a long time, and dishes made from them are included in the traditional menus of many countries around the globe. Boiled beans are a rich source of vegetable protein, are used as a preventative against tartar, help cure tuberculosis, are known as a good diuretic, and are included in diet menu for diabetes and obesity, and is also used as an anti-aging and wound healing agent.
Why do you need to soak?
However, despite all these advantages, sometimes there are circumstances that do not allow you to fill the beans with water in advance. And then various tricks come to the aid of housewives to speed up its readiness without soaking.
Preparing for cooking
By eliminating soaking, you cannot completely abandon the preliminary preparation of grains. First of all, before cooking, they must be sorted out, freed from doubtful specimens and from contaminants. Then the beans need to be thoroughly rinsed with water.
Cooking methods
There are several ways to cook beans that avoid pre-soaking. Here are some of them.
Temperature difference
As the name suggests, this method uses the effect produced by temperature changes. For this method, choose a large, deep saucepan and pour the beans, previously prepared for cooking, into it. Then you need to pour water so that its level is 3-5 cm above the level of the grains. After this, bring the water in the pan to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes.
The next step is to drain the water and fill the contents of the pan with cold water again. Let it boil again, drain and fill with cold water a third time. After the water boils for the third time, you need to boil it for 30-40 minutes over low heat.
You can cool hot water by periodically adding cold water to the pan or adding ice. Thus, subject to constant temperature changes, the beans cook much faster, and after cooking they become soft and crumbly.
Sugar
Another way to speed up the cooking of beans without soaking is to add sugar. The beans are filled with water in the following proportion: to one part of the grains, take four parts of water. In the same pan you need to add one large spoon of sugar. First, turn on the stove to maximum heat, and then turn it down and leave it on low heat until the end of cooking. The beans will be ready in 30-45 minutes.
Kelp
Regular beans will help you cook faster seaweed or nori seaweed, which is used to make rolls and sushi. This method also does not require pre-soaking. The beans are filled with water, into which a small piece of seaweed is thrown. Then the water is brought to a boil, and then the beans are cooked for half an hour over medium heat.
Freezing
In order for the beans to quickly cook and become soft, dry, clean and without impurities, they are laid out in portioned bags. These packages are then placed in freezer. As needed, frozen bags are removed from the refrigerator, and their contents are placed in cold water without defrosting and brought to a boil for about half an hour.
Microwave
In the microwave, unsoaked beans are cooked for about half an hour. During the cooking process, it is necessary to use special dishes for the microwave oven, into which clean beans are poured and filled with water. After placing the dishes with grains in the oven, you need to set the timer for 10 minutes at maximum power. Then the beans are taken out, mixed and put into the microwave again, this time for 20 minutes.
According to the experience of housewives, it is better to choose glassware.
Pressure cooker
As with all other methods of cooking beans without soaking, they must first be washed and drained in a colander. In addition to the beans, you need to add water to the pressure cooker at the rate of 4 cups per 1 cup of clean beans. Cooking time from the beginning of boiling is 40 minutes. At the same time, it is not advisable to add salt to the beans.
Multicooker
You can cook beans without soaking in a slow cooker. To do this, you need to wash it, fill it with water and set the “Cooking” mode. Bean grains should not be salted immediately, as they will become tougher. After the water boils, the beans are boiled for another 10 minutes.
The next step is washing the cooked beans. They are drained in a colander and washed with cold water. Then the beans are placed back into the multicooker bowl and filled with water. It is recommended to repeat this procedure for three to four boils. You can add salt to the beans at the end of cooking.
Three types of beans are widely known: white, red and multi-colored. All of these types vary in bean size, density and cooking time.
Therefore, it is not recommended to mix them during cooking, as there is a risk that some of the legumes will boil or, conversely, some of the grains will remain hard.
White beans are often used in purees, soups and as a side dish for meat dishes. The white grains have the correct shape and look beautiful when finished. They have a neutral taste and go perfectly with many foods. Ready to use white beans soft and crumbly.
Red beans attract housewives with their bright color. Not only is it delicious, but it also looks great in salads. Red beans also show off their taste perfectly in stews and lobio. It is less crumbly than white, takes longer to cook and requires more soaking.
Multi-colored beans have a variegated shell pattern. Its excellent taste is noted, which, according to many gourmets, surpasses the taste of white and red beans. At the same time, multi-colored bean grains are considered the leader in long-term cooking.
You will learn more about how and how long to cook beans in the following video.
