Don't Panic Pantry: Bean Dive (frijoles de olla + a rant about fiber)

Beans are one of the best foods in the world. They are sustainable to grow, great for your nutrition, affordable and delicious. I care a lot about beans. I think about them a lot (too much?). So in this episode, we're taking a deep dive into beans to find out if all of that thought and effort really matters. It's also a great excuse to think about the importance of fiber, and how we do not eat nearly enough of it in this country.

Onto a (very) loose recipe for cooking a pot of beans.

Ingredients
a pound of dried beans
water (enough to cover the beans by at least a couple of inches)
salt

Optional aromatics include things like:
a carrot, a stalk of celery, parsley stems, a Parmesan rind, a smoked ham hock, an onion, leek tops, a garlic clove sliced in half, a fresh hot chile, dried chile, olive oil, lard, a bundle of herbs such as thyme or rosemary....anything you like!

The method:
Combine the beans, water and salt in a sturdy pot and place it over high heat on the stove. Season it with salt so that the water tastes like a slightly under-seasoned broth. Add your desired aromatics.

Once the water is simmering, cover the pot and either keep it on the stove (for a slightly less consistent cook), or place it in the oven at 325°F.

Cook until cooked. If the beans are starting to look crowded in the pot after an hour, you can add more hot water to give them room to expand.

How long do beeeenz take?

As long as they take. It depends on the type of bean, and how old they are. I usually plan on 2 1/2 hours or so, but some beans are more like 90 minutes and some are more like 3 hours.

Once they are cooked, remove the aromatics and allow them to fully cool to room temperature in the liquid before storing.

How Do I Make a Bean Bowl?
Well...just put beans in a bowl with their liquid and eat them.

But to make my favorite version: add sea salt, avocado, chopped summer tomatoes, diced white onion, cilantro, fresh serrano chiles, cotija and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

The Team:
Basically Everything other Than Cooking: Ben Leavitt
Music: Ray Suen
Pop-up Graphics: Jordan Husmann
Noah Galuten: Noah Galuten

[leighroble]

I almost died laughing. Poor Noah! Unappreciated in his time with his bean cookery.

[sarahrivero]

Making beans tonight and made sure to find your infinite bean wisdom! Laughed out loud again when iliza has, yet again, proven her distinct preservative palette! Love you guys! Will miss the shows. Thank goodness for rewind! ( a.k.a bank of YouTube )

[TJMiller]

Love love love beans! In fact I started cooking them in the oven after watching the very beginning of DPP when you showed us how to do it! Great idea. Your dressed up bowl looks scrumptious!

[kaseydetrick]

I’m so jealous of all that Le Creuset that you got! I want a Dutch oven and a braiser so bad but they’re super expensive!

[EricSmith-lfcz]

I love the bravery of cooking for a woman with no taste buds - sorry Iliza. As a son of New Orleans I was raised with no soaking, aromatics, and on the stovetop but I appreciate the trials. (I also agree with Iliza, there are no bad beans.) Loved the Instagram during lockdown and really glad you jumped to Youtube. I will be making my way through the videos for a few weeks.

[kfague]

1) I cook a lot more beans since DPP started. 2) I save time by using instant pot to cook dry beans. 3) I learned today that I should start flavoring the water. 4) I have veggie scraps in the freezer to make broth thanks to another DPP life lesson.

[awkwarddino]

The editing with the comments is phenomenal.

[JefferyPhillips]

I love your spinach and mushroom bean bowl recipe in your cookbook. The first time I tried it, I wrote "OMG!" next to the recipe. I just had it tonight, again. So damn delicious! Thanks! Oh, and if you run out of room for Le Creuset dutch ovens, lemme know.

[amandamartini-hughes]

this just resets my mood. i still find beans to be less than appetizing but i'm here to support the bean boy. bean man? beanie baby?

[faya]

Is cojita cheese similar to feta ? (I put feta on beans and I like it but maybe it tastes even better with cojita cheese).

[jbradleymusic]

Fava beans are slowly becoming a very regular part of my diet these days, but the smell of cooking them is definitely an acquired taste.

[hambonelouis]

The large pot in the back looks like a Paderno stainless pot, I’m guessing 8 quarts…lovely kit. Not throwing shade at Le Creuset tho 😊

[monikasliz]

Hi Noah, I like beans but I'm conflicted. I have inflammation issues and I've learned they are good for me because they contain anti inflammatory compounds and antioxidants. But, I've also read that they can cause inflammation because they contain lectins. What do you think? Thank you.

[gamehead]

Poor Noah, the disappointment he had... It was a good laugh tho haha

[hamster]

Does any particular way of cooking beans reduce the embarrassing side effect after eating them?

[nickcutler]

Salty like the ocean (vegetable)
Bitter as the sea (pasta)
Clean as Lake Placid (beans)
How ever you make it for me (pickle brine)

[lynneann]

Canned beans are pretty vile after making your own beans for years. Poor wife. 😝