Bean Bytes

In 2002, Americans consumed an average of 7.2 pounds of beans annually (US Department of Agriculture). Americans need to eat 26 pounds of beans a year to meet the recommended standards of three cups per week.

Bean History: Most experts agree that the common bean was first domesticated more than 7,000 years ago in two centers of origin - Meso-America (Mexico & Central America) and the Andean region. However, different varieties of fossilized cultivated beans have been found throughout the World.

Bean Nutrition: Beans contain eight of the nine essential amino acids (soybeans have all nine). When combined with grains (i.e., red beans & rice, beans & corn bread, etc.) beans offer as complete a protein in quantity & quality as meat. Beans provide many valuable vitamins, fiber, & minerals. Beans are cholesterol free, low in fat, and help reduce the incidence of many cancer & heart related health problems.

Buying Beans: Buy from a store that sells lots of beans. Fresh beans taste better & take less time to cook. Beans should be uniform in size. Look for beans that have smooth skins, are brightly colored & are free of dust. Small holes found in beans indicate that they are infested with bugs. Beans sold in bulk usually cost less than others sold in small packages.

Counting Beans: For most varieties, 1 pound dried beans equals 2 cups dried beans, which is equal to 4-to-5 cups cooked beans (approximately 8 servings).

Storing Beans: Uncooked beans can be stored in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry area. If kept for more than 12 months, dry-packaged beans will lose moisture & may require longer cooking times. Nutrient value is not lost with age. Do not refrigerate beans because dampness will toughen them.

Soaking Beans: Before you soak your beans, remove any stones, broken beans, or other bits of debris. It isn't unusual for a bit of the bean field to end up in the bag, along with your dried beans. Soaking dry-packaged beans helps soften & return moisture to the beans and reduce cooking time. Most beans will rehydrate to triple their dry size, so start with a large enough pot.

• Hot Soak & Quick Soak Methods -- Hot soaking helps dissolve some of the gas-causing substances, making the beans easier to digest. For each pound of beans, add 10 cups hot water; heat to boiling & let boil 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover & set aside for at least one hour (Quick Soak), or up to 4 hours (Hot Soak).
• Traditional Overnight Soak -- For each pound (2 cups) dry-packaged beans, add 10 cups cold water & let soak overnight, or at least 8 hours.

Cooking Beans: Drain soaking water & rinse beans; cook in fresh water. In general, beans take 30 minutes to 2 hours to cook depending on variety. Most beans are interchangeable in recipes. Check bean packaging for specific cooking times & instructions. Spice up beans while they cook. Add acidic ingredients, such as tomatoes, vinegar, wine, citrus juices or mustard, only at end of cooking, when the beans are tender. Once hardening agents are added, the bean will not soften any further. Also, be sure to increase soaking & cooking times when using hard water. To check doneness during cooking, some bean heads recommend blowing on one or two beans spooned from the cooking pot. If done, the skins will burst. According to the American Dry Bean Board, a foolproof test method for doneness is tasting. After 3/4 of the cooking time has elapsed, "bite-taste" a few beans. They should be tender, but not overcooked. When cooling, keep beans in the cooking liquid to prevent them from drying out.

Beans vary in cooking time according to the age of the bean, size or type of the cooking pot, simmering temperatures, and even the type of water (e.g. hard or softened.)

Age of Bean: The older the bean, the longer it takes to soak & to cook. During the soaking process, a sign of old age is that old beans float. Simply pick these out & discard them. When storing beans, do not mix new & old beans.

Cookware: A heavy-duty pot provides the best results for cooking beans. The lid should be tight fitting to retain the moisture. Cooking beans in one of the newer pressure cookers is both safe & much faster than with a conventional pot or slow cooker. Always follow the instructions in the manual. Because it is hard to determine exactly how long it takes, check for doneness a few minutes before the beans are supposed to be done. Then simply finish cooking the beans the conventional way. Microwaves are not advised to cook beans - slowly simmered beans provide the best results; however, microwaves are great for reheating bean dishes.

Simmering Temperatures: For the best results, beans should be cooked covered & slowly simmered on medium-low heat. Because stoves vary in design, a good rule of thumb is to set the burner at a temperature on your stove so that the water rolls slowly. Boiling the beans will split the skins. Beans that have been cooked at a high temperature are also harder to digest.

Type of Water (Hard or Softened): Hard water can dramatically increase cooking times for beans. To shorten the cooking time, add 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda per cup of dried beans to the soaking & cooking water. Depending on the water, this method sometimes results in beans that are mushy, have less flavor, & have reduced nutrition. Another idea is to stir-fry the pre-soaked beans for 10 minutes in oil. More nutrients are retained, and both texture & taste are improved.

Storing Cooked Beans: Cooked beans will keep about 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Cooked beans will keep in the freezer 2 to 3 months. After that time their flavor & texture will begin to deteriorate. A great idea is to freeze one or two cup portions of beans in small plastic storage containers. Freezer containers should be airtight & moisture proof. Leave enough space at the top of the container for expansion of the beans. Fill the container to 1 to 1.5 inches from the top, making sure the beans are covered with liquid so they won't dry out.

Anti-Gas Cooking Tips: Beans can cause gas because of complex sugars, called oligosaccharides, which are difficult for humans to digest. Some simple steps can minimize the gas-producing effects of beans:

• Purchase the most recent crop of dry beans. The fresher the bean, the fewer gastrointestinal problems you are likely to experience.
• When soaking the beans, change the water 2 to 3 times. The complex sugars are released into the soaking water. Always discard the soaking water before cooking your beans.
• In Mexico, they use an herb called epazote to reduce gas. This herb is cooked with the beans & is often found in health food stores.
• Commercial natural enzyme products, such as Beano, break down the complex sugars in beans making them easier to digest. This product is added to beans right before they are eaten & is available in many drug stores.
• Make sure that the beans are thoroughly cooked.