Dried Beans 101

For any of you that are new to dried beans or could use a refresher, below are some basic tips on cooking dried beans from an Oregonian article.

• Rinse dried beans and pick through them, discarding any shriveled, wizened, broken or generally icky-looking beans, and any dirt clods or stones (yes, it is common to find at least one pebble in a package of dried beans).
• The purpose of soaking beans is to reduce the substance that causes gas. After you soak the beans, be sure to discard the soaking water and rinse the beans thoroughly.
• There are two ways to soak beans. For the overnight method, soak 1 pound of beans in 10 cups of cold water for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours in a cool place. If it's hot in your kitchen, refrigerate the beans so they don't start to ferment.
• To "quick soak" the beans, place them in a pot, cover with several inches of water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand for one hour. Drain off the liquid, rinse and proceed with cooking the beans.
• When cooking beans, cover them by at least 3 inches with cold water. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then reduce to a simmer and let the beans cook for one or two hours, or until tender.
• Conventional wisdom says not to add salt to beans while they cook because it can toughen the skin, making it take longer for the beans to become tender. However, the prevailing wisdom says it's not salt but acid that's the culprit, so add any vinegar, wine, lemon or tomatoes when the beans are almost done.
• To freeze the beans, pack them in containers, such as canning jars, in portions you're most likely to use. You don't want to have to defrost 6 cups of beans when you only need 2 cups. Portions of 1 1/2 cups are convenient because they can be used in place of 15-ounce cans. Cover the beans in cooking liquid to keep them from drying out, seal, label and freeze.
• To defrost frozen beans, put them in the fridge the night before you need them. Alternatively, you can defrost them in the microwave or under cold running water.