Finally gave beans another shot after hating them for years

I always thought dried beans were a waste of time. Mushy, bland, and too much hassle. Last month my neighbor brought over a bowl of black beans she cooked from scratch with just onion, garlic, and a bay leaf. I ate three servings. She showed me how she just soaks them overnight and simmers them for an hour. Now I'm kicking myself for all the money I spent on canned beans. Anyone else have a food they wrote off too soon?

2 comments

2 Comments

finley7771mo ago

That's a good point about the bay leaf, it really does make a difference. Just a small heads up though, soaking them overnight is a solid method but your mileage may vary on simmering for exactly an hour. In my experience, black beans can take closer to an hour and a half or even two hours depending on how old they are. It is worth tasting them a few times to see when they get that creamy texture. Either way, welcome to the from-scratch bean club, it is a game changer once you get the timing down.

dylanbarnes1mo ago

Totally feel you on the timing thing. It's so easy to get caught up in a recipe and forget that beans just do their own thing sometimes, lol.