oh dear what have I done wrong?!?!

Olliebeak

They are a great source of protein and, as you say, help to bulk out the more expensive meat part of the meal.

I use half a pack of diced turkey thigh (from Asda) to make a chilli and add 'mixed beans' to the meal along with onions, chopped garlic, frozen sliced peppers, mushrooms and sweetcorn with jar of SmartPrice Chilli sauce (31p) and extra chillipowder/cayenne/paprika. Feeds us both with some pasta and/or garlic bread and lots left-over for the freezer .

kunekune

Several hours of vomitting. My friend, who was with me, thought I had a fit of some kind at the beginning. We were sharing a bed (on holiday) and it is amazing she stayed my friend, tbh. But we are still good friends, more than 30 years later (though she has NEVER let me forget the incident).

tessie_bear

i stick to tins of kidney beans more expensive but so much easier

SarahShattered

I think that the splitting and peeling skin is just because the beans are swelling as they re-hydrate. Nothing to worry about imo. Just follow the directions to keep safe, and you'll be fine..... mmmmmm kidney beans......chilli :drool:

thriftlady_2

In my experience butter beans always split and the skins come off when they've been soaked. they're still perfectly edible.

No need to be scared of cooking dried kidney beans provided you boil them hard for 10 mins. I always boil for 12 just to be sure.

You can freeze cooked beans and use them straight from frozen in soups and stews. I freeze the cooked beans on a large baking tray until hard then I gather them up into a bag- loose frozen beans.

Larumbelle

Strangely enough, susceptability to the poison in beans is apparently genetic, and some people won't react at all, whereas others will writhe around in agony. Having always cooked my beans properly, I have no idea which category I fall into :rotfl: Anyway, sorry for the slightly OT post, I just find that so strange I had to mention it!

SarahShattered

thriftlady wrote: »

You can freeze cooked beans and use them straight from frozen in soups and stews. I freeze the cooked beans on a large baking tray until hard then I gather them up into a bag- loose frozen beans.

What a genius idea!!!! Fantastic. I tend to buy Lidl's tinned kidney beans for the convenience, but freezing cooked beans would give me the same level of ease... thanks for that Thriftlady

thriftlady_2

SarahShattered wrote: »

What a genius idea!!!! Fantastic. I tend to buy Lidl's tinned kidney beans for the convenience, but freezing cooked beans would give me the same level of ease... thanks for that Thriftlady

Cheaper than tinned too. I do a whole packet at a time. Currently I have chickpeas, borlotti beans and kidney beans in my freezer.

SarahShattered

~~~~~~~~ off to soak some beans and chick peas!!!

Swan_2

I find the splitting thing happens early in the soaking process, if you leave them a bit longer they kind of 'come back together' again, iykwim

btw, its only red kidney beans & soya beans that need the 10 minute fast boil to rid them of toxins, all other dried pulses are OK. I never use dried soyas & don't like red kidneys* so don't have a problem

* pintos are sooo much nicer, try them in chilli for instance, it's a revelation