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17 Comments
Sian D.
March 13, 2017
Ok, this is my first 'week of recipes' I'm trying (but I'm going to semi-cheat and use a black bean recipe I'm familiar with, but with your water-bean proportions for the slow cooker -they're pretty similar - but I know this means all failings are on me, and all successes are on you). http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/09/the-lazy-cooks-black-beans-easy-recipe.html
Sarah W.
March 13, 2017
That's not cheating, it's being smart ;) Good luck and enjoy your week of tasty meals.
Sian D.
March 19, 2017
Meal 2: Enchiladas (+cheese, corn tortillas, tin of tomato, tin of corn).
Meal 3: VERY EXPERIMENTAL: was intended to be meatballs in tomato sauce, but I made it with what I had on hand, so it was kangaroo mince, ricotta (because kangaroo is so lean), an egg, about the same amount of slightly oven-dried cooked black beans as kangaroo, and then it was too wet so I added some cracked wheat / freekah/something mysterious I had in the pantry to the meatball mix. I browned the meatballs, then added a tin of tomatoes and some extra water. The meatballs fell apart. Oh well. I served with some barley mushroom risotto. Two experiments, neither failed! (the kangaroo meatballs don't resemble my imagined meatballs, but I'm not experienced at meatballs.)
Meal 3: VERY EXPERIMENTAL: was intended to be meatballs in tomato sauce, but I made it with what I had on hand, so it was kangaroo mince, ricotta (because kangaroo is so lean), an egg, about the same amount of slightly oven-dried cooked black beans as kangaroo, and then it was too wet so I added some cracked wheat / freekah/something mysterious I had in the pantry to the meatball mix. I browned the meatballs, then added a tin of tomatoes and some extra water. The meatballs fell apart. Oh well. I served with some barley mushroom risotto. Two experiments, neither failed! (the kangaroo meatballs don't resemble my imagined meatballs, but I'm not experienced at meatballs.)
CalamityintheKitchen
March 12, 2017
I also love cooking beans in a crock pot. As an aside, just wanted to make sure everyone knows that beans freeze beautifully. This little tidbit revolutionized beans for me. Now I cook them in a big batch, spread them out on a cookie sheet, freeze, and then crumble into a zip lock. So easy to throw beans into whatever I am cooking!
Sarah W.
March 13, 2017
Such a good tip! I've never tried freezing beans this way (although I do the same with blueberries). I'm going to give it a try!
Tracy
March 12, 2017
I've had plenty of trouble with softening dried beans at a mountain altitude. The tricks that have worked for me are:
Add a 1 inch piece of dried Kombu seaweed during the first few hours of cooking. Pull it out before it disintegrates. (You won't really change the flavor either.)
Don't use salt until the beans are at least halfway softened!
This has worked with both slow and fast soaking methods for me.
Last of all - Don't give up! Homemade beans are so much better than canned.
Add a 1 inch piece of dried Kombu seaweed during the first few hours of cooking. Pull it out before it disintegrates. (You won't really change the flavor either.)
Don't use salt until the beans are at least halfway softened!
This has worked with both slow and fast soaking methods for me.
Last of all - Don't give up! Homemade beans are so much better than canned.
birklake
March 12, 2017
after 8 hours in the slow cooker.... they are not cooked. Not soft or edible. They were fresh from the store, used the recipe exactly as described. Was hesitant, as I have always soaked and boiled in the past, and still not had great outcome. The description in the piece got me hooked, as I it seemed like an easy recipe. The flavour is fine.... I really only wanted them cooked. I can play with flavouring.
CalamityintheKitchen
March 12, 2017
I have found slow cookers not necessarily consistent. I used to have one I got from the thrift store that seemed like it couldn't cook beans no matter how long it was on for. Never got hot enough. But then I got a new one (well, also a thrift store find, but newer...) and it cooks beans just fine.
Other idea, might check the date on your beans. Perhaps they were old and store didn't notice...?
Other idea, might check the date on your beans. Perhaps they were old and store didn't notice...?
Sarah W.
March 13, 2017
Your point about the variying power of slow cookers is annoyingly true. I use a 7 year old Hamilton Beach model.
cookinginvictoria
March 13, 2017
I am not sure if this would be the culprit, but I have found that adding acid (vinegar, tomatoes or citrus) to raw beans at the beginning can greatly add to the cooking time. I make unsoaked black beans in the slow cooker frequently and find they cook in about 3-4 hours. But I cook them mostly unadorned. I use a mashup of two recipes by Rick Bayless and Smitten Kitchen, cooking beans in water with one roughly chopped onion, a sprinkle of Mexican oregano, a spoonful or two of lard, and, if I feel like it, one crumbled, dry pasilla chile. I add salt to taste when beans are almost completely tender.
Sarah W.
March 14, 2017
Thanks for chiming in Victoria. I love the idea of adding Mexican oregano. I made these black beans last night and they were tender in 3 hours but I cooked for 4 to be extra soft for the kids.
cookinginvictoria
March 14, 2017
Yes, I find that cooking black beans in a slow cooker means that it's almost impossible to overcook them!
birklake
March 12, 2017
huh? not sure what went wrong, but i read your description about life-changing afer too many hard beans in the past. I am now 8 hours in ... in your simple recipe in the slow cooker...and am as disapointed as the whole boil simmer beans on the stove. I think I will just go back to canned, and give up on dried. Don't follow this recipe.
Sarah W.
March 12, 2017
Hey there - I'm sorry for your frustration! Are you disappointed with the flavor or technique? Hoping I can help resolve.
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