Guess I Didn’t Know Beans

I recently went on a bean buying binge, inspired by Deb’s yummy experiments with black beans, and her homemade refried beans.  I’d like to try making hummus sometime.  I got the black and pinto beans for more of the aforementioned.  I got barley on the idea I’d try using it in soup or see about cooking it like you would rice or bulgar wheat - another yummy experiment Deb did.  I got kidney beans on the idea I might try making some baked beans.  Or I could use them in chili.  Which indeed I could probably make more of soon using the leftover steak in the freezer, supplemented by some ground beef as needed.  Too bad I have no venison.

Anyway, when she was looking at what I got, Deb exclaimed over the kidney beans, and sought assurance that I planned to be the one cooking them.  Why?  Because they are poisonous if not done right.

Poisonous?

That’s the first time in my whole life I had ever heard such a crazy thing.

Courtesy of the interwebs, I now know that it is true.  Wow!  You have to cook them the right way, and substantially, to cook out and rinse away the problem and avoid any bellyaching.  Go figure.  Naturally this won’t stop me from using them, but I’m glad I learned that tiny little detail.

So.  Any bean tips?  I’d be especially interested in hearing any baked bean recipe ideas.

1. I was surprised to read that kidney beans are poisonous if not cooked properly. When I looked it up, I had to laugh, cook for 10 minutes to get rid of the toxin - which is a lot less cooking time than is needed to make the beans even remotely chewable. I always thought the rinsing part was to reduce the amount of gas produced after eating - maybe it’s for both.

   Posted by bogie  on  11/04  at  07:08 AM  from 
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