Dried northern beans work in many tasty and healthful recipes.
Northern beans are economical, nutritious and versatile. Fortunately, preparing them is a simple three-step process, with built-in flexibility and convenience. To soak your beans, you can choose between an overnight soaking option and a quick boil-and-soak option. To boil them, you can use either a pot on the stove or a crock pot. Plus, you can easily freeze the cooked beans for up to six months, making it easy to prepare enough beans for months of convenient, healthful and delicious soups and casseroles.
Instructions
1. Spread dried beans on a clean plate or countertop, and sort through them to remove any small stones, bean skins or other foreign matter. Rinse beans thoroughly in a strainer or colander. Measure one part beans to three parts water into a bowl or pot; leave overnight, or at least eight hours, to soak. (An alternative quick method, if you don't want to soak beans overnight, is to cover the beans with cold water, bring to a boil and simmer for two minutes. Then remove the pot from heat, cover tightly and let stand for an hour.)
2. Check beans after soaking by either method, and remove any floating beans (which may be spoiled), or any other foreign material. Drain, and rinse beans thoroughly.
3. Place drained beans in a large pot or in a crock pot. Again, add three times as much water as your original quantity of dried beans. Bring to a slow boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer for approximately two to three hours. Be sure to cook until the beans are tender and have begun to burst.
Tips Warnings
Beans have a tendency to boil over; keep an eye on them, and consider adding a tablespoon of cooking oil to the water to help prevent boiling over.
Stir from time to time, and check to make sure there is enough water to prevent the beans from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Tags: cook, dried, northern, beans, beans months, beans thoroughly, dried beans, other foreign
