Here are my tips for Cooking Dry Beans In The Slow Cooker. It’s easier than you might think! I recommend making a giant batch and freezing the cooked beans for future meals.
Whether they are served with breakfast, lunch or dinner, beans are included in a great many of our meals. I bought the canned varieties for years, because cooking my own sounded overwhelming. Little did I know just how simple cooking beans really can be. I make several batches of them all at once and then just grab them from my freezer whenever I am ready to use them.
First, I sort them. Just quickly look through the beans and make sure there aren’t any tiny rocks or bits of anything else in there with them.
After the beans are sorted, pour them into the crock-pot. You don’t want your beans to fill the pot more than about a third full. They will expand greatly as they cook. Now, fill the pot most of the way with water and cover with lid.
(Side note: Yes, I really do use all of these Crock-pots. I figure that the savings on my beans alone, justifies my having so many of them.) I cook up several different varieties of beans all at the same time, about every month or so, and then package them for the freezer. Did you know that in order to cook them for future use, you really don’t need to season or do anything special with them at all? Just soak, cook and freeze. When you are ready to use them, that’s the time to season and adjust them to your taste.
Soak the beans for 8-24 hours. I try to soak mine 24 hours most of the time. When you are ready to cook them, just drain the water, refill with clean water and turn the Crock-pots on to low or high depending on what works best for you.
I recommend cooking beans on low. I seem to get the best results that way. However, I have cooked them on high numerous times if I needed them to be finished in time for dinner that night. Either way works, just stay aware of how close to finished they are. It’s easy to overcook when the beans are on high.
Different beans require different cooking times. Did you know that? I discovered the hard way when my great northern beans were consistently overcooked and mushy long before the black beans had even started to soften. I recommend cooking beans on low and after about 6-8 hours, start checking them every 30-60 minutes to see when they are soft.
Once they are cooked, simply pour them into a strainer and wait for them to cool. Once they are mostly cool, scoop them into freezer bags for later use. I store my bags flat in the freezer. When things are stored flat, it makes it very easy to thaw and use in just minutes.
Now that you’re using the slow-cooker to cook dry beans, you’ll want to try this White Bean and Ham Soup and this recipe for Slow Cooker Louisiana-Style Red Beans and Rice. There’s nothing better than homemade beans made even easier.
Kitchen Tip: I use this slow-cooker and this slow-cooker for this recipe.
Kitchen Tips: How to Cook Beans in the Crock-Pot
Ingredients
- dry beans any varieties
Instructions
- First, sort the beans. Just quickly look through the beans and make sure there aren't any tiny rocks or bits of anything else in there with them.
- After the beans are sorted, pour them into the crock-pot. You don't want your beans to fill the pot more than about a third full. They will expand greatly as they cook. Now, fill the pot most of the way with water and cover with lid.
- Soak the beans for 8-24 hours. I try to soak mine 24 hours most of the time. When you are ready to cook them, just drain the water, refill with clean water and turn the Crock-pots on to low or high depending on what works best for you.
- I recommend cooking beans on low. I get the best results when cooking on low. However, I have cooked them on high numerous times if I needed them to be finished in time for dinner that night. Either way works, just stay aware of how close to finished they are. It's easy to overcook when the beans are on high.
- Different beans require different cooking times. I recommend cooking beans on low and after about 6-8 hours, start checking them every 30-60 minutes to see when they are soft.
- Once they are cooked, simply pour them into a strainer and wait for them to cool. Once they are mostly cool, scoop them into freezer bags for later use. I store my bags flat in the freezer. When things are stored flat, it makes it very easy to thaw and use in just minutes.
Pam says
I can't believe you have so many crockpots you lucky girl. I really need to make my own beans instead of using canned.
Becky says
I never thought about freezing them! Right now my freezer is full of 1/3 of a cow so I have no room, but I will def do that. Have you ever heard about soaking beans with yogurt to make them more nutritious? I always do it- it also makes them less gassy. Here's a good article. http://nourishedkitchen.com/soaking-grains-nuts-legumes/
thekitchenaffaire says
Woww. your own beans. Thats awesome 😀 And gosh, you have a lot of crockpots. Woww.. I need to get one too 😀
Mike@ The Culinary Lens says
Quite a collection of crock pots. My NYC apartment prevents me from having too much stuff frozen (and certainly not that many pots LOL) but what a great idea. I find many canned beans to be very over salted.
Inside a British Mum's Kitchen says
Would you believe I've never used a crock pot. I'm inspired by you! Healthy and delicious.
Mary
Whisked Away says
I love beans…we eat them all the time at my house. They are so versatile and awesome! I have never made them in a crockpot before, I will have to try this out soon.
dagny
http://whiskedaway2.blogspot.com/
My Journey With Candida says
I do my beans in a crock pot but have never frozen them. I am going to try that next.
I had to laugh at all your crock pots…. I too have a lot. In fact, my Granddaughter came to me for a crock pot for her apartment. My Hubs told her it that one breaks, there are plenty more where that came from.
Demandra says
I don't have a slow cooker and have the darnedest time with beans. This almost makes me want get one! I swear, I soak them overnight and cook the living crap out of them, and they never seem to get soft. It's so maddening, and I can't handle how much more expensive canned beans are.
Yet again, I just want to move in with you. And seriously? Look at all those slow cookers!! I swear, you are an absolute champion.
sonja says
ok, so I cooked them … now what do I do with them? Can I make them into refried beans? Am going to refrigerate what I cooked. How do you season them now that they are cooked? Do you always add them to something else, or do you use them as a side?
Elaina Newton says
I just found out how to do this last week. It's super easy and saves a lot of money. If you have ingredients to spare, use 1/2 or all stock instead of water (I used homemade chicken stock), a few bay leaves, 1/2 an onion, some garlic cloves and if you're not vegetarian, a piece of bacon. It gives the beans A LOT of delicious flavor.
Kathy Crosby says
I always parboil the beans before adding to the crock pot, and I put in the salt before they are cooked. It takes too much salt after they are cooked. I also saute onion and celery and add during the last 30 minutes of cooking. My favorite way is to add smoked pork or smoked turkey when I start them cooking. We were raised on beans, taters, and corn bread.
Kim Honeycutt says
I love that you have so many crock pots. I had six and recently bought the Ninja 3-in-1 cooking system, which I really like..giving me seven now! When I told my husband I wanted the Ninja he said he didn't mind but thought I might should get rid of the ones I don't usually use. That was fine with me. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them. When my Dad was in HOSPICE CARE groups would bring food in for the families to have something to eat without having to leave. I took them to Hospice to give to one of the churches to use to bring soup and chili. They were so appreciative but not near as much as I was for what they do to help families during such a difficult time in their life! Love cooking beans in them! I actually like the juice from them and eat it like it's soup sometimes.
Anonymous says
I'm new to your blog and in my second hour of browsing. I like your recipes and appreciate your writing style.
Like Elaina, I use homemade stock for cooking beans because I like the depth of flavor that it adds. Depending on the beans and their intended purpose, I'll also add rough-chopped carrot, celery and onion as well as the other seasonings she mentioned. Recently I got the idea from Ree Drummond via The Pioneer Woman to add chicken stock or broth when warming canned beans on the few occasions I use them.
For Demandra, I overcame the issue of tough / not soft beans by reading a number of articles and changing two things I had been doing: 1) Only use fresh legumes and 2) Season with salt only at the end. I had always assumed since they were dried, legumes could languish in the pantry to use whenever convenient. Not true. Time does make a difference. So, I am much more attentive to expiration dates, both while shopping and when rotating pantry staples. Adding salt at the beginning of the cooking time toughens the beans. I got that information from several agricultural extension services, and while I cannot explain the chemistry, I experienced an immediate improvement in "softness" when I followed their recommendations to salt at the end rather than the beginning. I hope you find this information useful.
Recently, I read some articles urging pre-soaking beans is unnecessary. Has anyone stopped pre-soaking and what's been your experience?
One article is by Russ Parsons via http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-dont-soak-dried-beans-20140911-story.html#page=1
Mary, your blog is a wonderful gift for your children. Thank you for sharing your recipes, ideas and tips with the rest of us, too.
Mary says
I am thrilled that you enjoy the blog so much. Thank you for taking the time to tell me. Have a blessed rest of the week!
Anonymous says
My mother always soaked her beans. I don't have the time to do that so I never soak them. I just cook out of bag with my seasonings and they turn out great and soft.
Anonymous says
WHAT ARE NORTHERN BEANS
Mary says
Great Northern Beans are also called white beans, or white kidney beans. They are smaller than Cannellini beans, but similar in taste. I use them all in the same way.
Helen Sheats says
I discovered that, when necessary, you can skip soaking them by pouring boiling water over your beans as you start the crockpot. That equals the 2-minute quick soak method. Great recipes! I will try your breakfast baked beans because I just found out I am sensitive to egg whites and needed some breakfast ideas that are high protein. Thanks!
Mary says
That’s a great tip, Helen. Thanks for sharing it.
Mary says
Thanks always looking for easy slow cooker receipe. Where I get into trouble is when like your receipe calls for 2 inches of water above beans. The normal just learning to cook will not understand what that means. So how many cups of broth or water.
Mary Younkin says
The total amount of water will vary for different crockpots, but if the beans are covered by a good bit of water, you’ll be fine.
Farm Girl says
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU…
What a huge blessing to find you and all your wonderful knowledge
especially on cooking up dried beans!
Mary Younkin says
You are most welcome!