It can take up to 18 hours (washing, picking through, soaking, cooking) to prepare dry beans. But with an instant pot you can cut that time to 40 minutes!
Even if you don’t do a full overnight soak, the beans will still have a nice texture. Just be sure to test them for doneness by biting into one, it should offer some resistance.
Soaking
Soaking beans is one of the best ways to ease digestion and reduce the cooking time. It is a simple process that requires just a few hours and can be done in the morning or evening. Soaking beans also removes the indigestible proteins that are responsible for gassiness. However, the most important thing is to always cook your beans in filtered water. You can flavor your beans while cooking with spices and vegetables like onions, garlic, jalapeno and pepper but it is best to avoid adding salt because it can keep the beans from softening up properly.
If you do not want to soak your beans you can cook them quickly with a technique called “quick soak” or speed-soak. To do this, rinse the beans and remove any rocks or debris that might have gotten snuck in among the beans. Place the beans in your instant pot and cover them with water. Add 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda. The baking soda speeds up the re-hydration of the beans and can cut your bean cook time in half.
Turn your instant pot on to the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” setting and set the time for the amount of beans you have. Use the +/- buttons to adjust the cook time as desired. Once the cook time is complete, wait for a full natural pressure release.
The cooked beans are now ready to be added to your recipe. Depending on what you are making, you may want to add some salt and spices to the beans while they are cooking. This can be done by placing a pinch of salt in the beans or sprinkling a little on top of them after they are cooked. However, be careful when doing this because too much salt can make the beans tough and mushy.
Another way to season your beans while they are cooking is to place some fresh chopped onion, a crushed clove of garlic and a sprig of rosemary in the beans. This can give the beans a unique flavor that is different from just plain boiled beans.
Pressure Cooking
The Instant Pot makes quick work of cooking beans. Whether you want to make a simple pot of beans or cook them into a dish like chili, stew, or saucy beans it’s easy to do and the results are excellent.
The main difference between this method and the traditional stove top approach is that you don’t need to soak your beans. This can be a real time saver, but there are some things to keep in mind.
Soaking your beans helps remove the oligosaccharides in beans that many people have trouble digesting. It also reduces cooking times by a considerable amount. The only drawback of not soaking beans is that they can get mushy if you don’t add enough water.
While you can still use the Instant Pot to make a pot of beans without soaking, I prefer a presoaked batch. I find the beans are more consistent in texture and less mushy that way. If you’re making a simple pot of beans (beans + water) the even texture is more important than with something like a stew or casserole.
You’ll need to rinse your beans thoroughly after soaking and before cooking in the Instant Pot. Then add fresh water to the pot so it’s at least 2 inches above the beans, or about two thumbs thick. Add seasonings, and 1 pound of dry beans to the pot.
If you’re cooking beans to go into a dish with other ingredients, I recommend adding an aromatic like onions or garlic before pressure cooking. This will give the beans a nice flavor before they’re finished. You’ll need to stir your beans a couple of times while they’re cooking. Also, if you’re using your Instant Pot to cook beans that will be added to other dishes be sure not to add acidic ingredients like tomatoes or citrus juice. Salt also slows down bean cooking so you don’t want to add it until your beans are soft. This includes molasses, which was once used to add sweetness to baked beans before we had Instant Pots.
Storing
As long as the beans are cooked through, they can be stored in their cooking liquid for up to 5 days in the fridge. They can also be drained and stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When storing cooked beans in the refrigerator, make sure you store them in an airtight container. To prevent spoiling, they should be refrigerated within a few hours of being removed from the heat.
Adding a little baking soda to the water helps to speed up the pressure cooking process and also aids in softening the beans. It is important to use filtered water as salt can cause the beans to overcook and become mushy.
The amount of water you use to cook the beans is also an important factor. It is important not to fill the pot more than halfway with liquid as beans will expand during cooking. A full pot of beans will require 8 cups of water to cook.
A pound of dried beans yields about 7 cups of cooked beans when cooked in the Instant Pot. When making large batches for the freezer, it is a good idea to freeze the beans in 1 1/2 or 2 cup increments. That way they can be easily swapped in for a 15-ounce can of beans when a recipe calls for them.
Using the Instant Pot to make beans is easy, inexpensive and allows you to try different varieties of beans that you may not be able to find in canned form. Plus, when you make them yourself, you know exactly what goes into them! Most national brands of canned beans contain copious amounts of salt and other preservatives.
Rinse the beans well before soaking or cooking. After rinsing, look over the beans to make sure there are no stones or debris that may have gotten mixed in with them. Soak the beans overnight if desired. If not soaked, place them in the Instant Pot and cover with water. Lock the lid and set the timer for high pressure. When the timer is done, let it release pressure naturally for 20 minutes before attempting to do a quick release.
Canning
Canning foods is an excellent way to save money on groceries and keep your family healthy. However, it can be a daunting task if you’re not familiar with the process. It’s important to use the proper methods to ensure that your food is safe for storage. While the Instant Pot is a great tool for cooking beans, there are some steps that you need to take to prepare them for canning.
First, rinse the beans and pick through them to remove any stones or debris. Then add the water and cook the beans using the pressure cooker setting. After the beans have cooked, allow the pressure to return to 0 pounds of pressure and then turn off the Instant Pot. Then, wait for the float valve to drop, which will take about 20 minutes. After that, you can remove the lid and drain the beans.
It’s important to note that you should never fill the Instant Pot more than halfway full with beans and water because they will expand during cooking. Also, you should always use the Instant Pot’s natural pressure release method instead of the Quick Release method to prevent bean foam from spraying all over your kitchen and face.
After the beans have cooled, you can pack them into jars and seal them with the appropriate amount of cooking liquid. Once the jars are sealed, you can place them in the refrigerator to store for up to a week or freeze them for longer-term storage. If you’re storing the beans for canning, be sure to label the jars with the date and contents, as well as the recipe instructions.
Using the Instant Pot to prepare beans for canning is a very convenient and easy way to make your own beans from scratch. It can save you time and energy by eliminating the need for washing, picking through, rinsing, and soaking, which can take up to 18 hours. Plus, home-canned beans are a healthier option than the canned version, which is loaded with sodium.
