One Quick Tip: Why Dried Beans Won’t Cook

Have you wondered why a pot of dried beans just won't cook? Or cooked beans that turn out tough, especially the skins? Or experienced a favorite bean recipe that every once in awhile, just doesn't turn out right?
When beans don't cook, you probably wondered if you soaked the beans long enough or if you should just cook the beans longer. You maybe questioned the recipe or worried that your slow cooker was going bad.

The real cause? Old dried beans. That's right.
Old dried beans don't cook, they just won't cook.

~ Skip Straight to the Details ~

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The Great Fall Pantry Purge: Toss Those Beans!

In late autumn, many of us experience beans that just won't cook. It's all about timing because this is how it goes, right?

The temperature drops, suddenly all we can think about is a big pot of hearty bean soup simmering on the stove.

So we check our pantries and sure enough, lucky break, there's a bag or two of beans leftover from last winter!

Should you make soup with those beans?

Nope. Throw those beans away!

Think about it. Beans are harvested and dried during late summer to early fall, then sent to grocery stores. So by this fall, beans you find in your pantry are at least a year old.

For dried beans? Year-old beans are not just old beans but really old beans.

So every fall, I empty the big glass jar where I keep beans, tossing last year's bags into the compost pile.

It's hard – I really hate wasting food – but I've learned that unless I throw the beans away, all the other ingredients I'll put in the same pot with the old dried beans will get wasted too.

In the end, it's better to throw away a few cheap beans than a whole pot of soup!

What About Dried Peas? Split Peas? Lentils?

FYI this logic applies to other dried legumes too, like dried peas (including split peas) and lentils.

I learned this the hard way just last week after throwing some French lentils into the slow cooker for Lentil Sloppy Joes.

The lentils were at least a year old but I decided to cook them anyway. Bad idea: they took twice as long to cook and even then, didn't really cook. We're eating them but it's a struggle.

What About Rice? Wild Rice? Barley? Buckwheat? Farro? Quinoa?

In my experience, the "old beans won't cook" experience doesn't seem to apply to rice, wild rice, barley, buckwheat, farro or quinoa.

These aren't legumes (aka beans), of course, but are "similar" in the way we cook and serve starchy, whole-food pantry ingredients.

How to Avoid "Old" Dried Beans

But fear not, all is not lost. (Just tossed.) There are ways to avoid beans that are too old to cook and to stop wasting food.

• Buy dried beans from a store with high turnover.
• Even when beans go on sale, buy only enough to use within a few months, especially in late winter.
• In the fall, order beans directly from reputable growers, I've had great luck with Ranch Gordo in California and Shady Side Farm in Michigan
• Check the packaging for expiration dates.
• Write your purchase date right on the package.
• In the fall, throw away last year's dried beans.

THAT'S IT! Really! One Quick Tip!

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More Quick & Useful Tips

This is the latest in an occasional series of posts I call "One Quick Tip" ... because, well, each one includes just a single quick tip that's quick to absorb, easy to adopt, memorable to use. Something that'll make a difference in your kitchen life!

Do you have One Quick Tip you'd like to share? Leave a comment or send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com. This time, I'd love to hear how you manage your pantry, perhaps spices, maybe different flours or nuts, maybe canned goods. Go ahead, share your good ideas!

How to Freeze Stock in Canning Jars
The Magic of Watermelon Wedges
How to Freeze Tomato Paste
My Most-Used Kitchen Tool, a Garbage Bowl or Compost Bowl
Tomato Knife for Clean, Sharp Slices
Why Dried Beans Won't Cook (you're here)

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Love Cooking with Dried Beans?

my collection of
~ recipes for dried beans & dried peas & more ~

Let's Cook Those Dried Beans in the Cupboard!

• THE RECIPE Creamy Slow Cooker Beans How to cook dried beans from scratch in a slow cooker.
• ANOTHER TAKE How to Cook Dried Chickpeas Especially for Hummus aka "Jerusalem Chickpeas" For extra-smooth, extra rich hummus.

• THE RECIPE Greek Baked Beans (Gigantes Plaki) Cooked til creamy in the oven.
• ANOTHER TAKE Calico Beans aka "Alanna's Famous Cowboy Beans" A hearty bean dish, meaty enough for supper, but more often served as a side at potlucks.

• THE RECIPE At Last! Black Bean Soup My signature recipe for thirty years.
• ANOTHER TAKE Homemade Lentil Soup Comfort food for a crowd.

• THE RECIPE Red Beans & Rice Slow cooked Creole comfort food
• ANOTHER TAKE Black Beans & Rice Skillet Casserole with Smoked Chicken Simple comfort food with smoky flavors.

• THE RECIPE Ham & Beans How to make Ham & Beans with a leftover ham bone.
• ANOTHER TAKE Scandinavian Split-Pea Soup Traditional on Tuesdays, without fail.

• THE RECIPE Split-Pea Soup with Sausage & Kale A classic split pea soup recipe made extra-hearty.
• ANOTHER TAKE Lucky Black-Eyed Pea Soup Ensure good fortune in the New Year.

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail, you'll find my current address in the FAQs. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, for more scratch cooking recipes using whole, healthful ingredients, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.

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