The Everyday Bean

There are many ways to make eating beans easy and convenient.

1. Use canned beans. This is more expensive but is one of the most convenient ways to do it. One can equals three servings.
2. Can your own beans. This requires a pressure canner like a Presto or an All-American and 90 minutes for quart-sized jars. It is cheaper if you already have the jars or have access to cheap jars. They store for a long time and are very convenient.
3. Use a crockpot. Soak the beans for 4-12 hours. Drain and rinse the beans. Then place in the crockpot with water to cover by a few inches. Turn on high for 4-6 hours. Do NOT cook kidney beans this way. They need to be boiled.
4. Use an instant pot. This the quickest way to cook beans.

Once your beans are cooked (if you haven’t pressured canned them), store what you are not using in a freezer safe container such as a freezer bag. Thaw for a day before using.

You can also cook dry beans on the stove. It will take an hour to two hours depending on the bean. If you make more than you can use, store the excess beans in the freezer.