Recipe: Bean Basics - Bean Varieties, Soaking Dry-Packaged Beans, Cooking Beans, Storing Beans, Bean Yields

BEAN BASICS
Source: American Dry Bean Board

What food is high in protein, virtually fat free and has more fiber than many whole grain foods? It's beans and now a new U.S. dietary guidance message says that "diets including beans may reduce your risk of heart disease and certain cancers."

DID YOU KNOW?
Beans are one of nature's healthiest foods - they are naturally low in total fat, contain no saturated fat or cholesterol, and provide important nutrients such as fiber, protein, calcium, iron, folic acid and potassium.

National and international expert bodies, including the National Research Council, the World Health Organization, the World Cancer Relief Fund, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and the U.S. Surgeon General, have reviewed scientific evidence and concluded that eating beans can be an important ally in maintaining health and may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Other studies suggest beans are useful in managing diabetes, may cut risk for high blood pressure and may help in losing weight.

The USDA recommends that adults eat more than three cups of beans each week for maximum health benefits - three times more than the current average American consumption.

The new bean dietary guidance message applies to more than a dozen types of dry beans (both dry-packaged and canned varieties), including:
-Black-eyed
-Great Northern -Pinto
-Kidney
-Black
-Cranberry
-Red -Limas and Baby Limas
-Garbanzo
-Navy

WHAT IS A DRY BEAN?
Dry beans are produced in pods and belong to the family of plants called legumes. The shape of the bean distinguishes it from other legumes like peas and lentils. Usually beans are kidney-shaped or oval, while peas are round, and lentils possess a flat, disk-like shape.

The term "dry beans" refers to both beans that are dry-packaged in sealed bags and those that are pre-cooked in cans. Dry beans include varieties such as Pinto, Navy, Lima and Black beans, but not green beans, string beans or soybeans. See Bean Varieties for a listing and description of popular American-grown bean varieties.

Besides adding nutritional value to a meal, dry beans bring a variety of colors, textures and flavors to the table. Because there are so many bean varieties available - each with its own unique characteristics - beans are a versatile ingredient that can be used in virtually any type of cooking.

The following chart gives a brief overview and cooking suggestions for some of the most popular bean varieties:

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BABY LIMA
Flat-shaped, white-colored beans
Smooth, creamy texture
Popular as a sidedish or added to soups and casseroles
Cooking Time: 1 hour

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BLACK (ALSO CALLED TURTLE BEAN)
Medium-sized, black-skinned ovals
A favorite in South and Central American and Caribbean cuisine
Cooking Time: 1 to 1 1/2 hours

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BLACKEYE (ALSO CALLED BLACK-EYED PEA)
Medium-sized, oval-shaped, with black dot on white colored skin
Distinct, savory flavor and light, smooth texture
Popular in Southern cooking in recipes such as Hoppin' John, traditionally served in the South on New Year's Day to bring luck
Cooking Time: 30 minutes to 1 hour

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CRANBERRY (ALSO CALLED ROMAN BEAN)
Medium-sized, mottled tan and red ovals
Becomes tender easily and absorbs flavors of spices very well
A favorite in Italian dishes
Cooking Time: 45 to 60 minutes

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DARK RED KIDNEY
Large, deep reddish-brown and kidney-shaped
Famous in Red Beans and Rice
Popular in chili, soups and salads
Cooking Time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours

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GARBANZO (ALSO CALLED CHICKPEA)
Round, medium-sized, beige color
Nut-like flavor and firm texture
Popular in soups and salads; main ingredient in Middle Eastern dishes hummus and falafel
Cooking Time: 1 to 1 1/2 hours

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GREAT NORTHERN
Medium-sized, white oval
Belongs with the White bean or Haricot bean family
Often used in soups, stews and Cassoulet
Cooking Time: 45 to 60 minutes

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LIGHT RED KIDNEY
Large, light red and kidney-shaped
Famous in Red Beans and Rice
Popular in chili, soups and salads
Cooking Time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours

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LARGE LIMA (ALSO KNOWN AS BUTTER BEANS)
Flat-shaped, white-colored beans
Smooth, creamy, sweet flavor
Popular as a side dish or added to soups and casseroles
Cooking Time: 1 to 1 1/2 hours

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NAVY
Small white ovals
Belongs to the White bean or Haricot bean family
Often used in baked beans, soups and salads
Cooking Time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours

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PINK
Small, pale, pink-colored
Turns reddish brown when cooked
Often used in South American recipes and "Old West" recipes like chili
Cooking Time: 1 hour

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PINTO
Medium-sized, mottled beige and brown ovals
When cooked, loses mottling and turns brown
Staple in Latino cooking
Often found, whole or refried, in favorites like burritos and tacos
Cooking Time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours

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SMALL RED (ALSO CALLED SMALL RED MEXICAN BEAN)
Dark red color, with flavor and properties similar to Dark Red Kidney bean, only smaller
Holds shape and firmness when cooked
Often used in soups and Creole dishes
Cooking Time: 1 to 1 1/2 hours

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BEANS...GET COOKIN'!
Whether you are using dry-packaged or canned beans, the following tips from the Bean Education & Awareness Network (B.E.A.N.) will ensure the best tasting beans for all of your favorite recipes.

SOAKING DRY-PACKAGED BEANS
- Before cooking, soak dry-packaged beans to help soften and return moisture to the beans and reduce cooking time. Most beans will rehydrate to triple their dry size, so be sure to start with a large enough pot.

Preferred hot soak and quick soak methods
- Hot soaking helps dissolve some of the gas-causing substances, making the beans easier to digest. For each pound beans, add 10 cups hot water; heat to boiling and let boil 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and set aside for at least one hour (Quick Soak), or up to 4 hours (Hot Soak).

Traditional overnight soak
For each pound (2 cups) dry-packaged beans, add 10 cups cold water and let soak overnight, or at least 8 hours.

COOKING DRY-PACKAGED BEANS
- Drain soaking water and rinse beans; cook in fresh water. In general, beans take 30 minutes to 2 hours to cook depending on variety. Check bean packaging for specific cooking times and instructions.
- Spice up beans while they cook. Seasonings such as garlic, onion, oregano, parsley or thyme can be added to the pot while beans are cooking. Add acidic ingredients, such as tomatoes, vinegar, wine or citrus juices, only at end of cooking, when the beans are tender.
- Add salt only after beans are cooked to tender. If added before, salt may cause bean skins to become impermeable, halting the tenderizing process.
- To test for doneness, bite-taste a few beans. They should be tender, but not overcooked. When cooling, keep beans in cooking liquid to prevent them from drying out.

COOKING WITH CANNED BEANS
Canned beans are a great convenience since they are already presoaked and precooked. Always drain and thoroughly rinse canned beans before adding them to a recipe. It is not necessary to recook canned beans, just heat them if a recipe calls for it. Canned beans, like dry-packaged beans, absorb flavors from other ingredients in a dish because their skins are completely permeable.

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STORING BEANS
- Uncooked dry-packaged beans can be stored in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry area. If kept for more than 12 months, dry-packaged beans will lose moisture and may require longer cooking times. Nutrient value is not lost with age.
- Canned beans may be stored up to 12 months in their original sealed cans.
- Cooked beans may be refrigerated, in a covered container, for up to five days.
- Cooked beans may be frozen for up to six months.

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COUNTING BEANS
- One 15-ounce can of beans = one and one-half cups cooked beans, drained
- One pound dry beans = six cups cooked beans, drained.
- One pound dry beans = two cups dry beans.
- One cup dry beans = three cups cooked beans, drained.