Beans: What kind, how many to store and how do you cook and eat them?

[Weedygarden]

I'm wondering what kind of beans do people eat? How many do you store? How do you cook and eat them?

 

[Weedygarden]

https://theprovidentprepper.org/legumes-the-perfect-storage-power-food/
Legumes – The Perfect Storage Power Food
Written by Kylene in Food Storage
Approx Reading Time: 11 minutes

Legumes are nutrient-dense. They are a good source of fiber, protein, iron, calcium, zinc, B vitamins and are naturally low in fat. One half cup of cooked beans contains about 115 calories and 8 grams of protein. When combined with grain they supply essential amino acids. Research shows that eating legumes helps to maintain a healthy body weight, reduces cholesterol, reduces risk of diabetes, prevents cancer and heart disease. They digest slowly satisfying hunger for a long time.

Beans are perfect for longer term storage and will store up to 30 years, if stored appropriately.
Storage Amounts​

60 pounds of dry legumes per person per year is a good estimate for longer term food storage. Depending on the variety of bean this would be 11 or 12 #10 cans (average weight 5–5.5 pounds), 9 or 10 Mylar pouches (average weight 6-6.7 pounds) or 2 plastic buckets.
I prefer to store a variety of beans and legumes in #10 cans. For instance; 2 pinto bean, 2 black bean, 1 pink bean, 2 white bean, 1 Lima bean, 1 kidney bean, 1 yellow split pea, 1 green split pea, and 1 red lentil would be perfect for one person in our family for one year (except me, I hate Lima beans). Experiment with beans and learn what your family likes. Variety helps both with nutrition and in prevention of diet fatigue.
While I may prefer the #10 cans, I do have buckets of beans in my storage. I keep buckets of pinto, white, and black beans in my pantry with a gamma seal lid for easy access. I cook beans 3-4 times a week so I can go through these buckets in a year. I find buckets a little more challenging to use and rotate.

Shelf Life of Dry Beans​

Airtight, cool (below 75 degrees) and dry create optimal storage conditions for dry beans. Dry legumes should be stored in #10 cans for best long term results (up to 30 years). Food grade plastic buckets, Mylar bags, and PETE bottles are also good options.
As beans age, their nutritive value and flavor degrade.They lose moisture content which results in longer cooking times in order to soften them. Beans will gradually lose some of their nutritional content over time. The shelf life for some legumes may be shorter than others.

 

[Weedygarden]

The Experiment​

My sister and I had both purchased pinto beans in 5 gallon plastic buckets before Y2K for our food storage. My beans were stored in our home for one year and in a basement crawlspace for nine years. My sister stored her beans in her garage for nine years and out on the side of the driveway for one year at which time she was ready to get rid of them. I love to experiment and gladly accepted the gift.

I took the beans home and cooked them up side by side with mine. While both beans were edible, my sister’s beans were darker and had a bitter taste. My beans, which had been stored under better conditions, were delicious. Both buckets of beans were purchased at the same time, from the same place, cooked the same (in a pressure cooker) … the only variable was storage conditions.

Pictured below, you can see the dry beans. My sister’s 11 year old beans are in the bucket in the background. They are dark, broken and have a shiny appearance. In the large measuring cup are the same pinto beans stored correctly in a plastic bucket. The smaller measuring cup are 11 year old pinto beans stored in a #10 can in a basement crawlspace.

This little experiment taught us that storage conditions are critical to the quality of the food. I want my food to be edible and delicious. It is not always possible to have optimal storage conditions. Do the best you can. Cool and dry!

Beans, Beans, The Magical Fruit​

Dried – Dried beans and legumes are delicious and inexpensive. Purchased in bulk they are even less expensive. It is a good idea to soak beans before cooking in order to shorten cooking time and produce better quality beans. Soaking also leaches out hard-to-digest complex sugars which may cause gas. Do not cook beans in soaking water. Cooking time varies depending on the variety from one to four hours. Pressure cooking reduces cooking time to minutes and can soften even very old beans in a much shorter time.

You can freeze cooked beans in freezer containers for up to six months. I will frequently pressure cook a large pot of beans and freeze some for quick meals later. Cooked lentils do not freeze well.


How to Cook Dry Beans – Sort out little rocks or broken beans and rinse well. Soak beans by covering with three inches of water. Let stand for six hours or overnight. Do not soak longer than 12 hours or they may begin to ferment. Drain and discard water before cooking. If you are in a hurry, boil for two minutes and soak only 1-2 hours. Add salt, sugar and acidic foods (like tomatoes) after the beans have completely softened. They will harden uncooked beans. Split peas and lentils do not need to be soaked.

Pressure cooking beans is quick and easy. It saves time and fuel. While beans can be successfully cooked on the stove top or in a slow cooker, I strongly recommend pressure cooking. Beans become a “fast food” when cooked in the pressure cooker.

 

[Weedygarden]

Commercially Canned – Canned beans are a good option for shorter-term storage. They are expensive and often high in sodium, but are easy to cook (most can be eaten right out of the can). Commercially canned beans can be safely stored for several years in a cool, dry place.

Home Canned – It is easy to bottle your own beans by soaking the beans overnight, rinsing and pressure canning them in jars. This way you control the amount of salt, along with the quality and variety of the beans you eat. Your local extension office can provide you with detailed information on pressure canning beans. Pressure canned beans should be rotated annually.

Bean Butter​

Applesauce is a common fat replacer in many healthy recipes. Have you ever thought of not only replacing the fat but significantly increasing the protein and nutrient content with power packed beans? It’s simple.

Replace up to half of the fat in your favorite recipes with white bean butter. You can make bean butter by smashing or blending cooked white beans. Replace shortening, oil, butter or margarine in baked goods cup for cup. Texture is best when you use half beans and half fat.

Bean butter will only last a few days in the refrigerator. Whip up a big batch and freeze it in ½ cup portions in freezer containers. This makes it quick and easy to up the nutrition in your favorite recipes.

Bean Flour – Magic Powder​

Beans may be ground into flour and used in a variety of recipes. They make great instant soups and gravies. Bean flour can be added to many baked goods, reducing fat and increasing protein and nutrition. I have found white bean flour to be the best for most recipes. It has a mild flavor that does not detract or change the flavor of the recipes. Split pea flour makes great instant split pea soup. Homemade gravy is as simple as whisking 4 tablespoons of white bean flour and 2 teaspoons any flavor soup base into 2 cups of boiling water and simmering for 3 minutes. Simple, delicious and power packed with all the goodness beans have to offer.

Here are a few helpful tips when using bean flour:

• • Grind beans in a burr or impact grinder which is designed for grains as well as beans. Do not grind beans in a stone grinder as it can damage it. The Country Living Grain Mill has a bean auger and is the best choice for hand grinding of grains as well as beans and corn.
  • Run a cup of hard wheat through your grinder after grinding beans to clean the mill. Brush to remove remaining residue.
  • Substitute up to ¼ flour with bean flour in most recipes. One cup flour = ¼ cup bean flour and ¾ cup flour. Using more than this may affect the taste and texture of the original recipe.
  • Bean flour can store up to 6 months in the pantry and 1 year in the refrigerator.

Bean Facts

(Exact weight and measurments will vary with different legumes)​

1 pound beans = 2 cups dry beans = 4-6 cups cooked beans = 9 servings

1 pound of dry beans = 4-5 cups bean flour

1 16 ounce can of beans = 1 ½ cups cooked beans

# 10 can dry beans = 5.2-5.5 pounds = 12 cups dry beans = about 50 servings

 

[Weedygarden]

Common Varieties of Dry Beans​

Black Beans (Black Turtle) – Black beans are popular in Mexican dishes and make a great substitute for meat. They have a soft, floury texture. Puree cooked black beans and replace up to half of the fat in brownies with high nutrition.

Black-eyed Peas (Cow Peas) – Black-eyed peas are a Southern staple. Hoppin’ John and Black-eyed Peas and Ham are just a few of the popular recipes made with this delicious bean.

Cannellini – This is a white Italian Kidney bean and is commonly used in soups, stews and salads.

Cranberry Bean (Roman Bean) – Beautiful tan bean with red spots/swirls. Cranberry beans are common in Italian dishes. They become tender easily and absorb flavors well.

Garbanzo Beans (Chick Peas) – Garbanzo beans are popular in Mediterranean, Indian and Middle Eastern cooking. Try sprinkling on salads or puree them to make hummus.

Kidney Beans – Kidney beans have a robust flavor and are often used in chilis, soups, stews and salads. Kidney beans contain toxins when raw and must be cooked before eating.

Lentils – Lentils make a hearty addition to soups and stews. Red, brown and green lentils add color and variety to recipes. They do not need to be soaked before cooking. Try making a meatless chili by adding lentils in place of hamburger. The texture is similar.

Lima Beans (Butter Beans) – Lima beans have a buttery flavor and are great in soups, stews, salads or as a side dish. They are used to make succotash along with corn and green or red peppers.

Mung Beans – These beans are small, dark green beans which are the basic ingredient of stir-fries and a perfect addition to salads. Add to soups just before serving.

Pink Beans – These are my personal favorite. Pink beans are commonly used in South American recipes and “Old West” chili recipes. I often combine these beans with another for a unique and colorful chili.

Pinto Beans – Pinto beans are used in salads, chilis, Mexican dishes and to make re-fried beans. These are a favorite staple in our home.

Red Beans – These are similar to dark red kidney beans only smaller. They are often used in soups, salads, and Creole dishes. Red beans and rice is a delicious combination.

Split Peas – Split peas are available in yellow and green. Unlike most legumes, dried split peas do not need to be soaked before cooking. Grind split peas into flour for instant split pea soup. Try adding 2 teaspoons of chicken or vegetable soup base, 1 tablespoon each of real bacon bits, dehydrated carrots, onions, and celery to 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Then whisk in 3 tablespoons pea flour. Cook over medium-high heat for one minute. Instant split pea soup. It is absolutely delicious. For thicker soup add more pea flour.

Soybeans – Soybeans are a nutritional powerhouse but need to be soaked for a long time and are somewhat hard to digest. They are used to make oil, tofu, soy sauce, mock meats, sprouts, soy milk and cheese.

White Beans (Navy Beans) – These beans are amazingly versatile. Navy beans are commonly used to make baked beans, but can be a basic ingredient in soups, salads, and chili. Grind them into flour and replace up to ¼ of the flour in many baked recipes with power packed beans.

Think about adding more beans to your diet as well as your food storage. Beans will store up to 30 years, add critical nutrients to your diet, and help you feel full longer. Do you have enough beans in your food storage?

 

[Amish Heart]

Good info on beans. We store canned, dried, and cooked dehydrated beans. Black, kidney, lima, navy, garbanzo, great northern, pinto, red, yellow, split pea, and lentil. I store them food savered in tubs, also in clean juice bottles, and in #10 cans with lids (if they are dried or have been cooked and dehydrated). I store the store bought cans of beans in flats on shelves. We normally eat beans. My buy price for dried used to be around 50 cents a lb. Can't find them for that anymore, and have to change my buy price.

 

[Curmudgeon]

I'm wondering what kind of beans do people eat.

Currently we are putting together some monthly buckets with beans, rice, flour and pasta. We like different beans, my favorite is probably navy beans, so we have navy, red beans, black eye peas, black beans, lentils and another that I can't remember at the moment. We even have a few bags of raw peanuts ( I know not a bean, lol).

We make different dishes, the other night we had white chicken chili made with navy beans, good stuff. Black beans and rice, bean salad, bean and rice burritos, there is a lot you can do with beans to dress them up some.

 

[Alaskajohn]

I've enjoyed reading the thread thus far, but I am afraid I can't contribute much. The wife has a bunch of dried bean that she cooks with, but I only know the eating side of the equation when it comes to beans. I pledge to watch her make them the next time to learn more about it if she doesn't run me away from the woodstove!

 

[Cabin Fever]

We had a 25-pound box of black beans left over from Y2K. About 10 years ago we transferred the beans, which were wrapped in a large plastic bag inside the box, to smaller airtight storage containers. We figured that we should start using the beans around 2020. The 20-year old black beans take about 2 to 3 times longer to cook (soften) than fresh dried black beans.

 

[elkhound]

instapot ! get yaself one..makes like easier as long as you got electricity...regular pressure cooker for when no power.

intapost allows you to set it and walk away doing things and not watch jiggler on a pressure cooker.

they make perfect boiled eggs from fresh eggs that are easy to peal and perfect rice in just a few minutes.

 

[Magus]

Don't bother with red beans unless you know for sure you can eat them, some people have an allergy that shows up on occasion or in conjunction with other foods.

 

[Cabin Fever]

instapot ! get yaself one..makes like easier as long as you got electricity...regular pressure cooker for when no power.

intapost allows you to set it and walk away doing things and not watch jiggler on a pressure cooker.

they make perfect boiled eggs from fresh eggs that are easy to peal and perfect rice in just a few minutes.

Our 20-year old black beans were cooked in an InstaPot. We were motivated to finally use the beans once we had the new InstaPot. It still took 2 to 3 times longer in the InstaPot to soften the beans.

 

[JustMe]

I/we like beans of most any kind though I only keep ones I can grow and rarely buy them anymore.

Ham & bean soup, chili, and refries are the most common uses, and I usually add 2 or 3 types of beans. I'm not against adding them to other dishes, I just don't think of it.

 

[Tirediron]

Right now I buy them cheap, dried, store them the same, but put their container in some other kind of container. I cook them in a pot of water 3w to 1 beans, boil, and simmer til tender, if I have time I will add flavour and let them hot soak it in, otherwise add sauce, and eat. in our climate it is more productive to grow bush beans , pick while green and can pod and all.

 

[Weedygarden]

Don't bother with red beans unless you know for sure you can eat them, some people have an allergy that shows up on occasion or in conjunction with other foods.

I understand that red beans have a toxin in the skin. From what I understand, soaking red beans is especially important to remove the toxin.

 

[Tirediron]

I understand that red beans have a toxin in the skin. From what I understand, soaking red beans is especially important to remove the toxin.

perhaps that is where the soak your beans thing came from??

 

[Magus]

Even a tiny amount of red beans ties me up in a knot and two exits, no waiting!

As to how I cook them, around here its in a dutch oven, 3 parts water, one part beans with a hunk of washed fatback and an onion,
I've been known to substitute the fatback with beef or pork ribs, steak trimmings, a smoked ham hock or even a turkey leg and always,
one can of natural ice beer to kill the farts and gas. we cook them all day, st least 6 hours.

 

[Magus]

Aww. not on my account Weedy, I have a screwed up metabolism from drinking Strontium and beryllium laced well water as a kid.
darn secret h-bomb factory. we didn't even know it was there until it had been gone ten years and the containment pond breached.
Heh. frogs with glow in the dark eyes and trees that grow toward the pond. trippy stuff.

 

[Weedygarden]

Aww. not on my account Weedy, I have a screwed up metabolism from drinking Strontium and beryllium laced well water as a kid.
darn secret h-bomb factory. we didn't even know it was there until it had been gone ten years and the containment pond breached.
Heh. frogs with glow in the dark eyes and trees that grow toward the pond. trippy stuff.

Too much of that kind of stuff has gone on, toxins allowed by someone to poison people.

 

[Magus]

Welcome to corporate America, a subsidary of the Military-industrial complex.

 

[Weedygarden]

There is a thread already about hummus.

https://www.homesteadingforum.org/threads/hummus.9881/#post-443137

 

[elkhound]

Our 20-year old black beans were cooked in an InstaPot. We were motivated to finally use the beans once we had the new InstaPot. It still took 2 to 3 times longer in the InstaPot to soften the beans.

yep...my comment was not directed at you...but bean thread for the value of instapot...i am glad you responded too..shows value of any type pressure cooker.

for me i found older beans cooked on low setting...at least in one i have..one of first models out..cooks old beans the best(the low setting not older instapot). cook for a set time and let set awhile while off doing chores,come back stir and do again while off to chores,garden etc.

the only reason i say low.is because i tried some older black beans on high and for some strange reason they blew apart like tiny bombs. never seen that happen again...dont know if it was a freak thing or what..this was years ago.

 

[Tirediron]

Aren't beans supposed to cause gas, Cause if they don't "Beans,beans the musical fruit the more you eat, the more you toot, the more you toot, the better you feel, so let's eat beans for every meal." will loose its, well what ever it has now now that smilie is a pro pro (How do you spell)

 

[Terri9630]

The toxins in red beans are neutralized when they are properly cooked. I only store 2 years worth of red, kidneys and pintos. I grow them, hubby eats them

 

[Magus]

Every time I eat red beans I get sick, no matter who's made them, be it Aunt D or Wendy's chili.
Red beans are a no-no for me, which sucks because I love the taste!

 

[Weedygarden]

There is a wonderful Facebook group called LDS Food Storage Adventures. There are so many great posts and great information is shared there. This was mentioned there today, Bean Recipes. It is 58 pages.

 

[billyjack]

Best beans ever (and made with canned beans!):

Ingredients
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
4 serrano peppers, finely chopped (with seeds)
1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
2 cups "Clamato" juice
2 cans of Bush's pinto beans
6 strips of bacon
1 Tbsp oil (or lard)

Instructions
Cook the chopped onion in hot oil (lard) until it begins to soften.
Add the bacon.
When the bacon starts to brown, add the beans and stir in the remaining ingredients.
Simmer for 45 minutes.

The amount of heat you end up with is highly dependent on the size and heat of the serrano peppers. Four large serrano peppers may be almost unbearably hot while four small serrano peppers may be too boringly mild. So adjust the number of your serrano peppers and the amount of beans to your taste.

 

[UrbanHunter]

We store a wide variety of dry beans, lintels, and peas. We eat them on a regular basis, they store for a long time, but as they get older they can become tough. We always soak our whole beans over night before cooking. We use an instant pot to pressure cook them, which will make them more tender. We track the age of our beans and as they get older we pressure can them so we have them ready to go when we want to make a quick chili or something else using beans. We generally have several flats of canned beans ready to go all the time. We try to make sure that we keep our stores up and try to use them before they are 5 years old.

The wife likes to pressure can things like split pea soup, lintel soup, and the list goes on I think she has about 5 soup type beanie things that she cans at this point.

 

[Magus]

3 kinds:
Pinto, mainly in the winter with a smoked ham hock and 1/4 cup of diced onion. Slowly over a wood stove.

Navy and white Lima, 50/50 mix, with 1/2 cup of salted fatback cubes and the rind dropped in for the cats to fight over later.

Leather britches (dried green beans) Soaked in rot gut beer overnight, simmered done, drained and slow fried in bacon grease
with new potatoes and bacon.

 

[joel]

One pound of bean per person per day.
Three cups of rice per person per day.
This is with other sides & vegetables.
You can mix & match the different types of beans.