Cooking Red Beans On Stove

Ingredient

Red Kidney Beans

A.K.A

red beans

What is it?

Kidney beans are dark red kidney-shaped beans. Their firm, creamy, white flesh and full-bodied flavor make these beans a popular choice for chili, soups, and salads.

Kitchen math:

1 cup dried beans = about 2-1/2 cups cooked

Don't have it?

You can substitute cannellini beans (though the color is different).

How to choose:

Choose dried beans that look plump, unwrinkled and evenly colored. Pick over dried beans before using to remove any small pebbles.

How to prep:

Canned kidney beans should be thoroughly rinsed before using. Dried kidney beans should be soaked before cooking, both to speed cooking time and to reduce any gas-causing tendencies. There are two ways to soak dried beans:

Overnight soak: Rinse the beans, then cover with an inch of cold water and let soak at room temperature for at least four hours or overnight. Drain and rinse the beans before cooking them.

Quick-soak method: Rinse the beans, then put in a saucepan, cover with an inch of water, and bring to a boil. Boil for a few minutes and then let them soak for an hour off the heat, drain, and then add fresh water and continue cooking.

Soaked kidney beans will cook in about 60 minutes. Use 3 cups of water for each cup of uncooked beans, and you may wish to season the beans by adding bay leaves, herb sprigs, or garlic cloves to the cooking water. There's a persistent myth that adding salt to beans while they cook will toughen their skins. This is not true, however, and salting the cooking water gives the beans better flavor.

How to store:

Canned beans have a shelf life of 2 to 3 years. Store dried beans in a covered container for up to 1 year. You can precook kidney beans and store them, refrigerated, in their cooking liquid for up to 5 days.

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