Bold Bean Co
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What is bean stock?
You may have spotted the phrase “bean stock” lurking on our packaging or on our social media - but what actually is it? And more importantly, how can you use it? Let’s break down everything you need to know about that LIQUID GOLD in your jar.
The Lowdown
Bean stock (sometimes called bean broth or bean cooking liquid) is the naturally starchy, seasoned liquid created when beans are slow-cooked in water and salt.
And let’s be clear: It's VERY different to the watery liquid you'll find in a tin of beans.
Our beans are cooked low and slow in just salt + water, and are seasoned throughout the cooking process (just like proper chefs do!).
The slow cook means starches from the beans get released into the cooking liquor. The starchier the bean, the thicker the bean stock.
This method yields the most creamy, tender, melt-in-the-mouth DELICIOUS bean you've ever tasted! And a super flavoursome bean stock to match. Where you might naturally think to drain it. THINK AGAIN. This stuff is liquid gold - it thickens sauces, helps to season a dish throughout the cook without the need of much else, AND it helps you get more from every jar. A win-win.
Why Do Different Beans Produce Different Stock?
Each bean creates its own signature stock. That’s down to:
- Starch content – beans higher in starch (like white / cannellini beans) release more body, creating a creamier stock. Starch is a natural carbohydrate stored inside beans. When beans are slow-cooked, that starch swells and gently releases into the surrounding liquid.
- Top tip: Use a silicon spatula rather than a metal fork to remove the beans. It may also help to remove the beans under a running tap; the water then gets into the beans underneath and help loosen them!
- Pigments + antioxidants – darker beans (think black beans or carlin peas) contain anthocyanins and polyphenols, which infuse the liquid with colour and added nutrition.
- The cook – long, slow simmering unlocks both flavour and texture, leaving behind a broth you’ll actually want to use.
- Storage - Due to these natural variations, the stock will vary from jar to jar. You'll also find as time goes by, the stock becomes more viscous and even the temperature affects this viscosity! Certain factors, such as how the jars are stored (temperature or position) can sometimes affect the thickness of the stock. That's why your jar of butter beans is SO different to your jar of red beans.
Should I be scared of dark bean stock?!
Ever opened a jar of black beans and seen an inky, almost purple thick liquid? That’s not mould! It’s the natural pigments (anthocyanins) from the beans leaching into the stock.
When we cook our darker beans (black beans or carlin peas), their natural colour compounds bleed into the stock. Once the jar is opened and the stock meets air, those pigments react with oxygen, deepening the colour.
Because we don’t add preservatives or colour stabilisers (the kind of additives you might find in mass-produced tins), this change is completely natural. It might look dramatic, but it’s simply a sign of real food behaving as it should!
It's TOTALLY safe to eat and is actually DELICIOUS. We love it in this black bean birria.
Watch our video on black bean stock here
How to Use Bean Stock
Here’s where things get exciting. Because bean stock isn’t just a by-product — it’s an ingredient in its own right
Use it to help thicken dishes for ULTIMATE creaminess - pour that brothy bean goodness into your soups + stews and just watch the texture mould into the most luscious, creamy consistency - without the need for extra stock!
TOP TIP: fill the jar 1/3 with water, give it a shake and pour that into your dishes too. This will make the most of all of that seasoned residue in the jar
Freeze for later! Pour into ice cube trays, then pop one out whenever a recipe needs a savoury boost. Even if you’re draining beans for a salad, keep the stock! It carries flavour without that tinny aftertaste.
The ultimate use: BEANOTTO. Our take on a risotto, except we're using beans instead of rice. But the type of bean you use is FUNDAMENTAL to its deliciousness, and is where you want those starchier varieties, such as our Organic White Beans + Queen Cannellini beans.
The starchiness releases into the beanotto, helping to thicken it, just like rice + veg stock does in a risotto. It's risotto, JUST AS DELICIOUS, better for you and with all the hard work done for you.