This is absolutely the best kept secret about beans! Cooking beans in a rice cooker is faster, easier and more delicious than cooking them in a pan (or getting them from a can).
Since beans are one of the 5 foods I can eat right now and cost $1.70 a can I was trying to find a way to lower that cost. Not to mention the salt, preservatives, and all that metal that needs to be recycled when you consume 3 cans a day! Dry beans cost about $1.70 per pound dry - or about 3 cans worth! I tried cooking via the stove and the beans kept turning out dry inside. This method makes pinto and reds firm on the outside and creamy on the inside. White and navy get a bit destroyed - and almost tastes like soup!
How to Cook them:
1. Follow pre-soak directions on the package.
2. Caution! - some beans give off poisonous gases/substances that can make you sick, if they are not properly pre-soaked (ie. boiled for at least 10minutes). Red and kidney beans are two examples. Slow cooking these beans has lead to food poisoning.
3. Rinse and place in rice cooker, cover with water (less than 1" past the bean level), press cook.
4. When done, cover again with water and press cook a second time.
5. Rinse, drain, and eat your perfectly cooked beans.
6. Tip - I make so many at once that I put some in the freezer.
For Best Results:
- Use small beans (white, navy, pinto, red, etc.).
- Adding too much water will cause a lot of excess to spill out of the rice cooker during cooking - that can be a mess.
- Put a few wash clothes around to catch the excess water your first few trys.
- I have cooked up to 6 cups of beans in my 8 cup rice cooker.
- I pre-soak overnight in the rice cooker too.
Enjoy!
