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COOKING BEANS FROM SCRATCH: A GUIDE
Cooking beans from scratch is almost like a meditation; we encourage all of you to try it.
But we get that it's going to take a bit more convincing than that.
Brands like Rancho Gordo + Primary Beans are seriously leading the way in America's land of legumes. With their extensive range of dried heirloom beans - seriously, you've never seen anything like it - they show that there is SO MUCH MORE to a bean than what's put infront of your eyes on a supermarket shelf. Read more about Rancho Gordo - the leaders of the dried bean world - here.
image by Ethany of @tenderherbs
Cooking with dried beans
Cooking beans from scratch is a labour of love. If you don't have spare time to hand, these aren't for you - to put it bluntly!! These will be MUCH better suited. They require long soaking + cooking times, but the outcome is SO REWARDING. They're a blank canvs, allowing you to throw any aromatics, flavours + toppings you want to - making them YOUR BEANS, YOUR WAY.
The beans are soaked and cooked from dry. This can be done the night before, or some chefs say you only need a few hours soaking. After rinsing the beans, they will get soaked in water and a little salt. The beans will soften overnight / over the afternoon, and due to the salt, cook faster and absorb more flavour the next day (or when tea time comes around) Pretty simples!
Season throughout the cooking process
With the ability to season throughout the cooking process, you can flavour the stock in subtle ways, adding depth and aromatics and taking it to the next level.
Every batch of beans you buy will cook differently, as will every variety. Black beans + chickpeas tend to need a longer cooking time than white beans. Newly dried beans will require less cooking time and are often tastier. Older beans will cook less evenly and are more likely turn into mush. What do we recommend? OUR NEW DRIED QUEEN BUTTER BEANS.
Try and find a large, wide casserole pan with a heavy bottom – a shallow layer of beans means that the bottom layer doesn't get crushed, you want the beans
The world of brothy beans
It’s a real trend at the moment. Soupy, comforting bowls of steaming beans and broth. DELICIOUS! But what is it?
Brothy beans usually have a light broth that can be ladled into a shallow bowl. Typically made using DRIED BEANS! Yep, DRY! But why use dry? Well, dried beans give you more control. You are in charge of the texture, flavour and salt level in your dish. Although they do require a little more TLC, the end result is arguably more satisfying. You've made something TRULY from scratch!
Brothy beans are the perfect vessel for using the dried bean. Inherently comforting, and often veggie centric, the magic lies in the distinct aromatic broth. This isn't your typical thick and stewy concoction; instead, the broth is delicately infused with aromatics such as garlic, shallots, lemon or any herbs. Typically accompanied with white or cannellini beans, the soup is PACKED with flavour and has usually been cooked low and slow to enhance the flavour.