Storing soaked beans. They have become a staple in my diet since I found them a few years ago (I know, I don’t know how long it took me!)
At first, I stuck to canned beans because they were light. But I soon moved on to dried beans. They are very cheap.
It was a tough learning curve, but now I can confidently say that I am a bean champion. I prepared and stored many types of beans and tried different storage methods.
To keep the soaked beans, remove the soaking liquid and dry the beans with a paper towel. Fill an airtight container with a second paper towel and add the beans. The paper will soak any excess liquid. Soaked beans will stay in the fridge for 5 days.
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How to store soaked beans
Speaking of storing soaked beans, You can keep soaked, uncooked or dehydrated beans.
I always keep my beans out of immersion because it lasts longer and with less effort.
If you use a quick dip method remember to allow the beans to cool at room temperature before storing.
Without the soaking water
Storing soaked beans, remove them from their soaked water and dry them thoroughly. When dry, place them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator. Beans will be good for 4-5 days. If you want to keep them longer, you can freeze them.
Drying the beans makes them less mushy and means they will last longer. You can also put a paper towel under the bowl to soak any excess water.
Alternatively, you can cook immersed beans and store them. This is my choice because it saves you time later. Cooking all the beans at once is easier than cooking in different batches.
With the soaking water
To keep the beans in their immersed water, the most important thing to remember is to change the water regularly (every 12 hours). This prevents anything bad from forming in the water.
Some people also like to splash vinegar in immersed water to make it less susceptible to germs.
If you plan to soak the beans for more than 24 hours, you should keep the container in the refrigerator. This is especially important in summer when the air temperature is warm.
In less than 24 hours the beans will be ready to counter.
Storing Soaked Beans
If the beans are too hot, you can boil or start sprouting. Although boiled beans are not safe to eat, if you do not plan to boil them it may be unsafe.
Cold temperatures inhibit the fermentation process.
At room temperature, the beans will begin to ferment in about 24-48 hours, depending on the temperature. In the fridge, they will stay for 3-4 days before they start to boil.
If you want to cook beans, discard boiling water and add beans to any meal you want.
Why do you discard the storing soaked beans water?
Almost every indicator of dipping beans will tell you to dispose of water and cook it in freshwater.
Why is this?
There are two main reasons why people soak beans:
- Reduce cooking time
- To make the beans more digestible (and stop eating)
There is a certain amount of sugar in the beans that we find difficult to digest and that can cause high levels of gas.
It is said that the indigestible sugar is excreted during immersion and then discarded when extracted.
There is an ongoing debate about whether this is happening. But, in my opinion, once you immerse the beans you can also make a mistake on the precautionary side and discard the immersion water.
How long can I soak beans?
Ideally, you should soak your beans within 8-12 hours. If you soak it for less than eight hours, the beans will still need a significant amount of cooking. And if you soak it for more than 12 hours it can absorb a lot of water and become mushy. Storing soaked beans is a great option to preserve the food.
Having said that, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that you can soak beans longer than without problems. At room temperature, you can soak the beans for up to 48 hours, and in the refrigerator, you can soak them for up to 4 days.
Keep in mind that each bean bag is unique and that one bunch can last longer than another for no apparent reason. Always check your beans before cooking to make sure they are not contaminated.
It is really easy to tell a bean if it is spoiled because it smells bad. If you are worried about your beans being soaked, wash them and give them air. This should tell you everything you need to know.
Can you freeze soaked beans?
You can freeze the soaked beans before cooking. Just remove the beans, dry them and place them in an airtight container in the fridge. They will last for 3 months. You can also freeze them in immersed liquid, but they will take longer to dissolve.
To avoid overheating the refrigerator or:
- Use a freezer bag with all the air squeezed out
- Use as small a plastic container as possible and cover the beans with a layer of plastic wrap
Although you can freeze immersed beans, I do not recommend that. It is very easy to cook them before freezing them. That way they are ready to go as soon as you get them out of the fridge.
If you do not have time to cook quickly, you can leave the soaked beans in the refrigerator for a few days until you have a chance to cook them. When you have finished cooking them, you can transfer the cooked beans to the fridge.
Storing soaked beans go bad?
Soaked beans can be bad and germs that cause disease can grow on them. They will usually smell and be thin when they have gone bad, so you should be able to tell. Soaked beans can also boil or germinate. This is not to say that beans are bad, but they may taste different.
How to freeze cooked beans?
You can freeze cooked beans with or without cooking water.
To freeze the beans, place them in an airtight container. An air-cooled refrigerator bag is best for dry beans, and a plastic container is best for beans in their liquid. Leave the beans to cool at room temperature before cooling. Cooked beans will remain in the fridge for 2-3 months.
You should freeze beans without cooking water if you:
- To be able to use beans for something like a salad or a burrito
- You want to be able to melt the beans quickly
I like to separate my beans because it makes it much easier to keep track of how much I need in the fridge. But there is no real need to do this because beans break easily when frozen. You can keep them all in one bag and then squeeze them out quickly to separate them before taking what you need.
How to defrost cooked beans?
Defrosting soaked beans, To reduce the beans you can leave them in the fridge overnight. They should be ready for use tomorrow.
If you need to melt it quickly you can place the container in a warm water bath or under warm running water.
If your beans are separated from the cooking water you will melt very quickly. You can also speed up the process by heating the beans in a pan.