Need some help cooking beans?  Let this poop-sheet be your guide.  For more information, refer to Survival Woman learns to cook dried beans and you should too posted back in April 2011 and recently updated.

How to cook dried beans

Overnight Soak Method

• Always sort through beans to remove tiny stones or debris
• Rinse well with water before adding beans to a large bowl
• Add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches
• Beans will be fully hydrated within 4 hours, but can soak for up to 24 hours

Quick Soak Technique

• Combine beans and water in a pot and heat to boiling
• Cook for 3 minutes
• Remove from heat, cover tightly, and set aside for an hour

Both Methods

• Regardless of which method you use, after their soak, drain the beans and add fresh water to a cooking pot. Bring the beans to a boil, and then lower the heat and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes, or until the beans are tender.
• When cooking beans, use a gentle simmer. Boiling can cause the cooking liquid to overflow, as well as the beans to break apart and the skins to separate. When dried beans boil, a foam forms on the top of the cooking liquid. This foam is water-soluble protein released from the beans and it will be absorbed back into the bean cooking liquid. It is not necessary to remove the foam.
• Beans are done when they can be easily mashed between two fingers or with a fork.

Cooking Facts

• One pound of dried beans = 2 cups of beans = 5 to 6 cups of cooked beans, depending on the type.
• Dry beans should always be cooked in soft water or they will be tough
• You can add a pinch of baking soda to the pot if you have hard water
• Adding salt to beans at the beginning of cooking toughens the beans. Don’t do it.
• Add acidic ingredients, such as vinegar, tomatoes or juice, near the end of the cooking time, when the beans are just tender. If these ingredients are added too early, they slow the cooking process.
• To freeze cooked beans for later use, immerse them in cold water until cool, then drain well and freeze.

How Long to Cook Those Beans?

The following chart provides some general guidelines for cooking your beans.

Dried Bean Cooking Chart
Type	Soaking Time	Regular Cooking Time	Pressure Cooking Time
Adzuki	none	45 – 50 min	15 – 20 min
Black (Turtle)	overnight	45 – 60 min	15 – 20 min
Black-Eyed Pea	overnight	1 hour	10 min
Chick-Pea	overnight	1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hour	15 – 20 min
Fava	overnight	45 – 60 min	not recommended
Kidney, Red	overnight	1 – 1 1/2 hour	10 min
Lentil, Red	none	20 – 30 min	5 – 7 min
Lentil, Green	none	30 – 45 min	6 – 8 min
Lima	overnight	60 – 90 min	not recommended
Lima, Baby	overnight	45 – 50 min	not recommended
Mung	overnight	1 – 1 1/2 hour	8 – 10 min
Pea, Split	none	35 – 40 min	not recommended
Pinto	overnight	1 1/2 hour	10 min
Soybean	overnight	3 hour	15 min
White	overnight	45 – 60 min	4 – 5 min

And there you have it!  Let’s cook some beans!