What kind of dried (or canned) beans do you use?

[MrsDangermouse]

Canned beans are pretty good and they are really cheap here. I'm not sure cooking dried beans from scratch tastes that much better - and if I take into account electricity or gas then I'm not sure they are cheaper either.

The only tinned beans I buy are baked beans. Everything else I use dried beans. I like being able to cook them to the firmness I want and I do think they taste better actually - that could be a function of the texture though (I often find tinned beans are too soft - especially if I want to use them in something slow cooked). In terms of costs, dried beans are around half the price of tinned beans to buy and as I cook them in the pressure cooker so a pot full of beans costs pennies to cook so I think they win on price too I often cook more beans than I need and then freeze the leftovers - that means there's zero wastage if I only need a handful of beans for a dish.

I mostly cook with chickpeas, red kidney beans, borlotti beans and (various) lentils, I occasionally use pinto beans and black eye beans.

 

[Morning Glory]

Everything else I use dried beans. I like being able to cook them to the firmness I want and I do think they taste better actually - that could be a function of the texture though (I often find tinned beans are too soft - especially if I want to use them in something slow cooked). In terms of costs, dried beans are around half the price of tinned beans to buy and as I cook them in the pressure cooker so a pot full of beans costs pennies to cook so I think they win on price too

I like beans to be quite soft so maybe that's why. Ful Medames I always cook from dried and it definitely tastes better than tinned. Pressure cookers are probably the perfect thing for beans - I just haven't managed to get the hang of them. I hate the way you can't open the lid to see how things are going!

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

I mostly cook with chickpeas, red kidney beans, borlotti beans and (various) lentils, I occasionally use pinto beans and black eye beans.

Dry chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are essential for making a good falafel. Soak them overnight, and then proceed. I'm not sure why I've never seen fresh ones, but I'd love to use those if I ever find any.

Meanwhile, canned chickpeas are great for making hummus.

I can't think of any other canned or dry bean that I use.

 

[Herbie]

I only use dried lentils and chickpeas. I'm scared of dried kidney beans due to horror stories my mum told me of someone doing party catering as a favour, made chilli, then got sued becaue everyone got sick as the beans were not cooked properly.

Also, as a 20 year old student trying to cut the cost of food I made my now husband (no idea why he married me!) butter bean casserole. We had to pick the butter beans out as they were hard.

Time for me to re-explore dried beans i think!

 

[Morning Glory]

I can't think of any other canned or dry bean that I use.

That surprises me a lot given you are such a cook. There's a whole bean world out there waiting to be discovered!

 

[Herbie]

I missed the 'canned' bit. I use canned kidney beans and chickpeas (for when I forget to soak dried ones). Also used cannalini beans, pinto and black beans.

Broad beans I buy fresh or frozen.

Still determined to try more dried beans! Really an economical option to add to my lentil collection.

 

[Morning Glory]

I get the impression not many of you use fava beans? They are dried broad beans and this is one of my favourite ways to eat them.:

https://www.cookingbites.com/threads/ful-medames.8478/

 

[Herbie]

I don't use dried fava beans even though one of my husbands favourite veg is broad beans and loves them when they are in season and when we can get them frozen. What can one do with dried ones? How do I prepare them?

 

[buckytom]

Fava beans go so well with liver and a nice chianti. Thp, thp, thp, thp

 

[Morning Glory]

Fava beans go so well with liver and a nice chianti. Thp, thp, thp, thp

Yeah, yeah... I was waiting for someone to mention that.

 

[Morning Glory]

I don't use dried fava beans even though one of my husbands favourite veg is broad beans and loves them when they are in season and when we can get them frozen. What can one do with dried ones? How do I prepare them?

Just like any other dried bean - soak and simmer/boil until tender. Please do try them - they have that slightly dryish 'iron' flavour (that's the best I can describe) as do the fresh, but much more intense. Try the recipe above which is a classic way.

 

[medtran49]

I forgot about baked beans. We buy canned and then doctor them up with bacon, onions, celery, green bell cooked in the bacon fat, brown sugar, and dry mustard, then stick them in the oven until they are nice and bubbly.

 

[Morning Glory]

I forgot about baked beans. We buy canned and then doctor them up with bacon, onions, celery, green bell cooked in the bacon fat, brown sugar, and dry mustard, then stick them in the oven until they are nice and bubbly.

Oh yes. I do the same. My favourite way is to add chilli and garam masala for 'curried beans'!

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

That surprises me a lot given you are such a cook. There's a whole bean world out there waiting to be discovered!

I'll have to try working canned or dry beans into different dishes. I've made chili a few times, but I like chili without beans. And as for enhancing canned baked beans, I never end up doing this because that's my wife's mom's "thing": when we have a barbecue, she's the one who brings a delicious tray of baked beans, so I've never had the opportunity.

Hmm...I do like the idea of a puree that makes a pate from beans.

 

[ElizabethB]

@morning glory
Edamame - steamed and heavily salted. Bite through the pod and pull the beans out with your teeth. A wonderful, high protein snack. Without the salt they are bland.