View Full Version : Dehydrating Beans
lustreking
06-05-2009, 16:44
The other day, I tried dehydrating canned pinto beans, and they all split open. Is there any way to avoid this, or is it just what happens when you dry beans?
vonfrick
06-05-2009, 17:02
i don't see any harm in it. my dehydrated food always looks a little scary, but it sure tastes good out in the woods! all goes to the same place right?
LaurieAnn
06-05-2009, 17:02
It will happen to a certain extent. The trick with beans is to dry at 135°F unless they are with meats. When you rehydrate, don't stir too much, or they'll mush a bit.
Here is a photo of my chili after rehydrating.
http://www.outdooradventurecanada.com/laurie/chili.jpg
Pringles
06-05-2009, 17:10
Wow LaurieAnn... that looks *really* good.
Beth
MintakaCat
06-05-2009, 17:30
Wow LaurieAnn... that looks *really* good.
I'll second that :D
No it doesn't affect it. Even commercial dryed beans will have splits. :)
LaurieAnn
06-05-2009, 21:54
Thanks Beth and MintakaCat. I think I actually might make some this weekend... lol... my own picture is sparking a craving and we have a trip coming up so I can have dinner and dry the leftovers.
Lustreking... I'll take a picture of how this looks when dried just to give you an idea of how the beans generally turn out.
I dry frozen blackeyed peas without the splitting issue. Could it also work for pintos, navy beans, cannelinis, etc.?
I dry frozen blackeyed peas without the splitting issue. Could it also work for pintos, navy beans, cannelinis, etc.?
Yes. One thing about frozen black eyed peas over canned ones is how firm they are. I prefer using the frozen ones - better taste, less sodium and love the texture!
World-Wide
06-06-2009, 02:54
The other day, I tried dehydrating canned pinto beans, and they all split open. Is there any way to avoid this, or is it just what happens when you dry beans?
Instead of buying canned pinto beans and then using your precious time and energy to dehydrate them, why don't you spend $1.00 and buy a bag of dried pinto beans? :-? Promise I'm not trying to be a smart-ass! ;)
lustreking
06-06-2009, 06:06
It will happen to a certain extent. The trick with beans is to dry at 135°F unless they are with meats. When you rehydrate, don't stir too much, or they'll mush a bit.
Lustreking... I'll take a picture of how this looks when dried just to give you an idea of how the beans generally turn out.
Thanks, LaurieAnn, that definitely does look tasty! I think that I ran mine at 140º. Maybe 5 degrees will make a difference? I'll try it a little cooler next time.
Maybe I'll take a picture too. "Split" may not be the best way to describe them. "Exploded open" might be more accurate! They taste and I'm sure will work fine in any recipe, but I was hoping they'd stay looking more bean-like.
Instead of buying canned pinto beans and then using your precious time and energy to dehydrate them, why don't you spend $1.00 and buy a bag of dried pinto beans? :-? Promise I'm not trying to be a smart-ass! ;)
Because dried beans would literally require HOURS of soaking and cooking before use, as opposed to minutes of rehydration.
Rowdy Yates
06-06-2009, 08:41
It will happen to a certain extent. The trick with beans is to dry at 135°F unless they are with meats. When you rehydrate, don't stir too much, or they'll mush a bit.
Here is a photo of my chili after rehydrating.
http://www.outdooradventurecanada.com/laurie/chili.jpg
LaurieAnn,
I checked your "Wilderness Cooking" website but did not find the rescipe for this chili. Is there any chance that you would post this rescipe for everyone who might be interested? :confused:
gearfreak
06-06-2009, 09:02
Give my three bean chili recipe a try. I make it and dehydrate it all the time. It doesn't get mush easier than this. It's named after one of my favorite places on the trail so far - Cheoah Bald. :cool:
Cheoah Chili
1 can Del Monte Petite Cut Diced Tomatoes w/ Garlic & Olive Oil - 15oz.
1 can Red Beans - 15oz.
1 can Pinto Beans - 15oz.
1 can White beans - 15oz.
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. corn starch
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 tbsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
In a medium stock pot heat all can contents (do no rinse beans, add as-is). Add all spices followed by corn starch, stirring thoroughly. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally until chili starts to bubble. Enjoy!
World-Wide
06-06-2009, 10:16
Because dried beans would literally require HOURS of soaking and cooking before use, as opposed to minutes of rehydration.
Got it!! That's why I asked the question!! :)
Yep...cooked and dehydrated beans = instant beans. All they need is hot water and a few minutes. You can soak in cool water as well with more time.
LaurieAnn
06-06-2009, 21:09
LaurieAnn,
I checked your "Wilderness Cooking" website but did not find the rescipe for this chili. Is there any chance that you would post this rescipe for everyone who might be interested? :confused:
Hi Rowdy... I'll have several recipes... I just got in from the garden (I've been planting all day) so once I've had some dinner and a rest I'll pull the one from the photo out of the manuscript from my book and pm it to you.
Pringles
06-07-2009, 06:46
LaurieAnn,
I checked your "Wilderness Cooking" website but did not find the rescipe for this chili. Is there any chance that you would post this rescipe for everyone who might be interested? :confused:
Hi Rowdy... I'll have several recipes... I just got in from the garden (I've been planting all day) so once I've had some dinner and a rest I'll pull the one from the photo out of the manuscript from my book and pm it to you.
I said it looked good first.....
:)
Beth
LaurieAnn
06-07-2009, 09:52
lol - is that a hint Beth... anyway I'll probably just post it here. I try to limit posting too much from the book as to not step on my publisher's toes. They've been super good to me... but once in awhile I can make an exception. Give me about 10 minutes to dig it up. I was going to last night but after moving all the antique brick I've discovered a few muscles I forgot I had... :)
Pringles
06-07-2009, 12:37
lol - is that a hint Beth... anyway I'll probably just post it here. I try to limit posting too much from the book as to not step on my publisher's toes. They've been super good to me... but once in awhile I can make an exception. Give me about 10 minutes to dig it up. I was going to last night but after moving all the antique brick I've discovered a few muscles I forgot I had... :)
Well, actually, it was the perfect set up for that one-liner. But, since you offered, I'll be happy to try it! (I already grabbed it off your other post.) Thank you, and tell your publisher that you just "primed the pump" of your potential buyers. In truth though, I think I need a personal chef, not a recipe, but that's a whole different story... .
Thanks for sharing, and the story behind the name of the chili was touching.
Beth
Dicentra
06-07-2009, 23:51
Yes. One thing about frozen black eyed peas over canned ones is how firm they are. I prefer using the frozen ones - better taste, less sodium and love the texture!
Ah ha! I usually dry the canned ones, but the frozen ones are easier to find. I'll have to try this next time round (soon). I'll try and remember to post a report. :)
FWIW, my canned beans always split. Some brands are worse than others. They still taste good rehydrated though.
LaurieAnn
06-08-2009, 08:10
Well, actually, it was the perfect set up for that one-liner. But, since you offered, I'll be happy to try it! (I already grabbed it off your other post.) Thank you, and tell your publisher that you just "primed the pump" of your potential buyers. In truth though, I think I need a personal chef, not a recipe, but that's a whole different story... .
Thanks for sharing, and the story behind the name of the chili was touching.
Beth
Well Beth... come on up here (Ontario) for a hiking or paddling trip with me and I'll cook for you. I'm booked for this year but haven't made too many plans for 2010. I should be on the AT in 2011 too.
LaurieAnn
06-08-2009, 08:11
By the way, thanks for the comment on the history. I still miss him like mad but I feel closer to him when I am on the trail.
Pringles
06-08-2009, 09:04
Well Beth... come on up here (Ontario) for a hiking or paddling trip with me and I'll cook for you. I'm booked for this year but haven't made too many plans for 2010. I should be on the AT in 2011 too.
I can be in Ontario (Sault Ste. Marie, ON) in about 10 minutes. Where are we going, and when? :-)
Beth
LaurieAnn
06-08-2009, 09:32
Beth... lol - let me rephrase that... come down here... the Sault is more north than I am :) Seriously though... we should pm about it if you are interested.
Oh and I promised dehydration photos... but I am not making the chili until tomorrow-ish. I got sidetracked in the garden... oops.
traildust
06-08-2009, 09:36
Instead of buying canned pinto beans and then using your precious time and energy to dehydrate them, why don't you spend $1.00 and buy a bag of dried pinto beans? :-? Promise I'm not trying to be a smart-ass! ;)
Had the same thought.
Hikes in Rain
06-08-2009, 12:29
Well, the dried ones take long soaking and cooking. Hours of it. Unless you're talking about rehydrating and cooking the dried beans and then dehydrating those? I'd assume that would work, and I'd think the flavor would be significantly better. Especially if I were cooking them! :)
truckindust
06-08-2009, 12:56
I recently found that the dried beans placed in the NEW, small twist (screw-on) to close lid, (just like a jar) Ziploc bowl containers filled with half the container of water will soften the beans by the end of the day. Two days and they were very soft! They will expand though so you have to play with it a bit. That way you can carry a ziploc bag of dried beans (plain or mixed varieties) with you, pour 1/2 full of beans in ziploc container in the morning, fill to rim with water and seal...and "just walk". They don't mold or get slimey...certainly not in 1-2 days. My son's doing AT next week and doesn't want many maildrops so I had to figure out a way to make what's available work. If solo, you'll have to buy the small bags of beans and mix but carry the bulk...which really won't be much or cost much. If more than one hiker, just split the cost ($5.00) and have a huge supply that last in a ziploc bag until they want them. The dried beans are cheaper and less effort is involved but it does take some guesswork on getting the right amount of water/beans to soften them adequately. But you know what? Each to their own method...and whatever works for you, go for it...the goal is to be able to eat, with carrying less weight...and enjoy the hike, eh? This method worked for the instant rice also but NOT pasta! My crowd is carrying alcohol stoves which burn quick so the less serious boiling time required the better. Soaking defintely helped the process to the point that basically it's just heating.
Snowleopard
06-08-2009, 13:20
Red lentils cook up pretty quick without soaking. truckindust's soaking would make it even faster. Other beans take more cooking. If I run out of time to dehydrate cooked food, I may carry my 2 lb pressure cooker (Hawkins, 1.5 liter aluminum). For lentil soup with regular lentils or brown rice, bringing the pressure cooker up to pressure and then letting it sit off the burner usually cooks it fine. Putting the pressure cooker in an insulated cozy would probably cook most beans without much soaking; I'll have to try that. Pressure cooking beans, just be careful to skim off any foam before you put the top on or it might clog.
Allen1901
06-08-2009, 16:32
I like to dry homemade baked beans made fron navy beans. I also dry Bush's canned baked beans. I've never noticed any spliting.
Cheers!
For those who don't mind cooking up a large pot of beans at home, by all means do it! Then once cooked, dehydrate them. You will then have your own instant beans :) And yes, it is very cheap to do it this way.
LaurieAnn
06-09-2009, 10:51
Lentils dehydrate and rehydrate beautifully (and quite quickly)
Dicentra
06-09-2009, 12:19
For those who don't mind cooking up a large pot of beans at home, by all means do it! Then once cooked, dehydrate them. You will then have your own instant beans :) And yes, it is very cheap to do it this way.
The crock pot is AWESOME for this. Last time I did blackeyed peas, I cooked them with some salt pork, chicken broth and canned tomatoes in the crock pot, then spread the stew-like mixture (after it cooled) on fruit roll trays to dry... Some was packaged up to rehydrate into stew and some was mixed with instant rice for a beans-and-rice type dish. NOM! :)
garlic08
06-09-2009, 13:07
For those who don't mind cooking up a large pot of beans at home, by all means do it! Then once cooked, dehydrate them. You will then have your own instant beans :) And yes, it is very cheap to do it this way.
Cooking beans is incredibly easy. It's not like you have to stand over the pot stirring the whole time. A few minutes to clean and sort in the morning, soak in a pot all day, and cook in the evening while you're doing something else. It's not only the cost. Once you get used to the flavor and texture of home-made beans, it's hard to go back to canned. It's just like the difference between canned peas and fresh, or corn, or green beans.... Fewer cans in the production/waste system, too.
If you have a pressure cooker, the cooking time is cut by two thirds.
LaurieAnn
06-09-2009, 19:43
one word for cooking beans at home.... Slowcooker
El Toro '94
06-11-2009, 16:29
Just wanted to add that cooking just about any kind of veggie, or using canned or frozen and then dehydrating reduces cook time on the trail Found out the hard way when trying to rehydrate and cook mushroomd and spinach that I had dried myself and ended up with jerky Floretine- was just a little chewy.
Anybody have suggestions for dehydrating meats so they won't spoil other than as jerky?
Anybody have suggestions for dehydrating meats so they won't spoil other than as jerky?
hamburger rocks. cook up the leanest ground beef you can. break it up as it cooks into tiny bits. rinse it. and dry til rock hard. I cook it up with a bit of worcesteshire sauce to add more flavor since we are eliminating (almost) all the fat.
you can also make "instant taco meat" in a similar way. cook up the taco meat like usual and dry.
yes dry beans work better than can at least thats what I discover
LaurieAnn
06-14-2009, 10:48
As promised... here is a picture of Bruce's Chili that I've dried. If you look closely there is a minor split or two but not the exploded beans I've seen others mention.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l185/_WildChild/dried-chili.jpg
It's named after one of my favorite places on the trail so far - Cheoah Bald. :cool:
You might like this then: http://bobbyw.org/wp-content/uploads/pano.jpg :D
Hikes in Rain
06-19-2009, 05:52
Vary nice!
I dry beans often. Cheap and easy, afterall.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/Food%20photos/Driedbeans2.jpg
More:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/Food%20photos/Driedbeans3.jpg
Packed up, in this case I crumbled a good portion for the sake of having bean powder (thickens meals).
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/NWHikergirl/Food%20photos/Driedbeans.jpg
Dicentra
06-20-2009, 23:44
Let's not forget refried beans!
This one is from a can.
http://www.onepanwonders.com/Dehydrator%20Refried%20Beans%20Pre.jpg
http://www.onepanwonders.com/Dehydrator%20Refried%20Beans%20Bag.jpg
I have more photos...need to upload them so I can post them :)
Dicentra
06-23-2009, 09:57
These are the white beans I dried last night... Notice that they are already split pre-drying. I'd say don't worry about it too much, and enjoy the thickening factor. (you want to even the beans out on the trays a bit better too - which I did after the photo)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3387/3653375181_7d9f07c31d.jpg?v=0
Snowleopard
07-10-2009, 19:42
I just started my first dehydrator run:
2 trays of black bean chili.
1 tray of tomato sauce.
Anybody have an estimate of how long to run these? I have a 750Watt dehydrator (Nesco FD-75PR) and I'm running it at 135 degrees F.
LaurieAnn
07-10-2009, 19:57
Probably seven to ten hours. There are a lot of factors such as air humidity and such that will affect it... so check it periodically. Sometimes you might have to add a few hours depending on if there is meat or veggies in your chili. I have the same dehydrator (love it).
Snowleopard
07-10-2009, 20:20
LaurieAnn, thank you. --Walter
LaurieAnn
07-12-2009, 18:56
You're welcome... how did it turn out?
I like to dry homemade baked beans made fron navy beans. I also dry Bush's canned baked beans. I've never noticed any spliting.
Cheers!
I also dry Bush's Baked Beans without splitting, makes for a good power packed lunch :eek:;)
hikingshoes
10-11-2009, 12:03
I like to cook my beans in a crock pot with some Ham.
The crock pot is AWESOME for this. Last time I did blackeyed peas, I cooked them with some salt pork, chicken broth and canned tomatoes in the crock pot, then spread the stew-like mixture (after it cooled) on fruit roll trays to dry... Some was packaged up to rehydrate into stew and some was mixed with instant rice for a beans-and-rice type dish. NOM! :)