Bean cooking guide

Behind every delicious pot of beans are great ingredients and a few simple tips.

Bean cooking guide

Behind every delicious pot of beans are great ingredients and a few simple tips.

Choosing your beans and how much to cook

1. Choose your beans and how much to cook

For the most flavorful beans, start with beans that were harvested within 1 year, or 2 at most. We recommend cooking the full 1-lb box, since leftovers can be repurposed in so many ways. Before cooking, rinse and check for stray pebbles or other debris (a product of agriculture!).

Beans roughly triple in size once fully cooked.

1. Choose your beans and how much to cook

For the most flavorful beans, start with beans that were harvested within 1 year, or 2 at most. We recommend cooking the full 1-lb bag, since leftovers can be repurposed in so many ways. Before cooking, rinse and check for stray pebbles or other debris (a product of agriculture!).

Beans roughly triple in size once fully cooked.

2. Pick a cooking method

There are 2 basic ways to cook beans: pressure cooker and stovetop. We’re big fans of pressure cooking, which cuts down cooking time by more than 2.5x– especially on busy weeknights.

Choosing your beans and how much to cook

2. Pick a cooking method

There are 2 basic ways to cook beans: pressure cooker and stovetop. We’re big fans of pressure cooking, which cuts down cooking time by more than 2.5 times– especially on busy weeknights.

Choosing your beans and how much to cook
The Primary Beans Way

The endless debate that we can finally put an end to. Through various tests we’ve found that presoaking is an unnecessary step that makes bean cooking more time intensive without any extra reward. There’s just one exception: soaking can help revive old beans (over 2 years) so they cook more quickly and evenly.

The Primary Beans Way

The endless debate that we can finally put an end to. Through various tests we’ve found that presoaking is an unnecessary step that makes bean cooking more time intensive without any extra reward. There’s just one exception: soaking can help revive old beans (>2 years) so they cook more quickly and evenly.

Choosing your beans and how much to cook

3. Flavor your beans

Adding flavor through combinations of vegetables, herbs, spices, and fat gives you a pot of brothy beans that can stand on its own. Use what you have on hand and take inspiration from the cuisine you’d like to evoke!

Keep vegetable chunks large and herbs tied together so that you can easily remove them once the beans are done cooking. If you want to add fatty meats, render the fat beforehand and either add the meat to the pot for cooking or reserve it for serving. 

Choosing your beans and how much to cook

3. Flavor your beans

Adding flavor through combinations of vegetables, herbs, spices, and fat gives you a pot of brothy beans that can stand on its own. Use what you have on hand and take inspiration from the cuisine you’d like to evoke!

Keep vegetable chunks large, garlic cloves whole, and herbs tied together so that you can easily remove them once the beans are done cooking. If you want to add meat, render the fat beforehand and either add the meat to the pot reserve it for serving.

4. Add water (and be picky about how much)

Thick, full-bodied bean broth is magical. Aim for water to cover beans by 1-½ to 2 inches. In a 6-quart pot, that’s 6-7 cups of water for 1 lb of beans. For stovetop cooking, add more water as necessary to keep beans submerged. Feeling extra indulgent? Sub out water for stock or broth (make sure to adjust salt accordingly).

Choosing your beans and how much to cook

4. Add water (and be picky about how much)

Thick, full-bodied bean broth is magical. Aim for water to cover beans by 1-½ to 2 inches. In a 6-quart pot, that’s ~6 cups of water for 1 lb of beans. For stovetop cooking, add more water as necessary to keep beans submerged. Feeling extra indulgent? Sub out water for stock or broth (make sure to adjust salt accordingly).

Choosing your beans and how much to cook
Choosing your beans and how much to cook

5. Add salt early and liberally

1-1⁄2 tsp of coarse salt per lb is the perfect amount to bring out the beans' full flavor without being too salty. Add salt to the cooking water at the onset, despite what you may have heard otherwise.

5. Add salt early and liberally

1-1⁄2 tsp of coarse salt per pound is the perfect amount to bring out the beans' full flavor without being too salty. Add salt to the cooking water at the onset, despite what you may have heard otherwise.

Choosing your beans and how much to cook

6. Cook until tender

Cook beans until just tender, not mushy. Always taste several beans to check for doneness. They shouldn't have any hard spots, and the skins should wrinkle when you blow on them. Read on for specific instructions by cooking method.

Choosing your beans and how much to cook

6. Cook until tender

Cook beans until tender, not mushy. Always taste several beans to check for doneness. They should be tender without hard spots, and the skins should wrinkle when you blow on them. Specific instructions by cooking method:

Choosing your beans and how much to cook

Method 1: Pressure cooker

The Primary Beans way. Cook on high pressure according to the chart below. Allow to naturally release for 10 minutes, and then finish with a quick release. If you have the time, finish by simmering uncovered to concentrate the broth.

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Method 2: Stovetop

For when you want a more low & slow approach to food and life. Slowly simmer covered or partially covered until tender, usually 1-1⁄2 to 3 hours. Start checking the beans after 1 hour and then every 30 minutes until they are tender. Stir occasionally and add water as needed to keep the beans submerged.

Pressure cooker

The Primary Beans Way. Cook on high pressure according to the chart below. Allow to naturally release for 10 minutes, and then finish with a quick release. If you have the time, finish by simmering uncovered to concentrate the broth.

Pressure cook times - Mobile 080324.png__PID:3397bc6d-4f59-415f-a5d2-1d278f27754b

Stovetop

For when you want a more low and slow approach to food and life. Slowly simmer covered or partially covered until tender, usually 1-1⁄2 to 3 hours. Start checking the beans after 1 hour and then every 30 minutes until they are tender. Stir occasionally and add water as needed to keep the beans submerged.

Choosing your beans and how much to cook

7. Enjoy or save for later

Voilà! Fish out any aromatics you added if desired, and get ready to plate the beans as they are, use them in a recipe, or go off-script and create something new. The options are endless.

Store beans in their own broth. Cooked beans will keep in a covered container for up to 5 days in the fridge.