Dried beans etc vs tinned

Badgergal

Are dried beans/chickpeas etc very much cheaper than tinned?

The soaking I don't mind, I can happily remember to do that overnight. The boiling for 20 mins etc is less appealing - do you have to do that for all kinds of beans and chickpeas etc, even if they are going in the slow cooker for 12 hrs?

I guess I could get used to it if the savings were substantial!

Loadsabob

I'm not too sure about the toxins in the skins of kidney and some other beans...

This site includes slow cooker in its variety of ways to cook with dried pulses: http://www.pulsecanada.com/cgi-bin/pulse.pl/health/nutrition/cooking

But it doesn't really spell it out...

I definitely find the dried to be cheaper. Also lighter to carry, and more true to their real taste. For example, chick peas taste just of chick-peas, but the ones in tins often taste like brine, to me...I'm sure I've had them in plain water and they still taste that way...

I'm in the process of stocking up my dried stuff - aduki beans acquired, off to look for some recipes!

Badgergal

Chickpeas are one of my faves - do you have to boil them or just soak?

I know some beans can be toxic without proper cooking, which is why I was afraid to experiment. Where do you get your dried stuff from? I see Holland and Barrett do it, but they are not always the cheapest.

That link suggests they can be put in a slow cooker, but I agree it is a little vague.

se999

Hi,

Here's the link to the UK Vegetarian society pulses page. It says which pulses you have problems with regarding toxins, and what to do with them to make them safe, hope it clears it up:

http://www.vegsoc.org/info/pulses.html

ashmit

For the proper info, I can recommend this site from the Food Standards Agency for info on kidney and soya beans. Soya beans don't seem to be worth the trouble - wish someone had told me before I bought a bag *sigh*

Kidney beans are available for 11p from lidl - I don't think it would be cheaper to soak and cook them. But I get dried chickpeas - they need to be cooked for 1-1.5 hours, but you can do a whole batch at once and freeze them so no need to do it regularly. Sure this would also be cheaper.

Badgergal

"Slow cookers: Pulses must be soaked and boiled for 10 minutes before being added to a slow cooker, as they do not reach sufficiently high temperatures to destroy the toxins. "

That's pretty conclusive, I guess that includes chickpeas etc. Interestingly it also states that canned stuff has more nutrients. Hopefully dried stuff still has all the protein though?

Ta!

Badgergal

Ashmit - freezing is a fab idea thanks! Will also have a look at that site.

se999

I must admit after reading the vegetarian society pulses bit and also one of Ted Hutchinsons posts on using pressure cookers for jam making/preserves, I think I might get out my old pressure cooker instead of going for a slow cooker - unless I find a bargain at a carboot

squeaky

Badgergal wrote:

"Slow cookers: Pulses must be soaked and boiled for 10 minutes before being added to a slow cooker, as they do not reach sufficiently high temperatures to destroy the toxins. "

That's pretty conclusive, I guess that includes chickpeas etc. Interestingly it also states that canned stuff has more nutrients. Hopefully dried stuff still has all the protein though?

Ta!

As I remember rightly, that quote is badly written on the original page and actually only refers to kidney and soya beans. To the best of my knowledge all other beans are not toxic and simply benefit from a ten minute boil to help them to cook properly in a slow cooker.

lifesachallenge

I buy bags of beans and pulses from Morrisons - V. cheap, but am rarely prepared enough to soak overnight so end up buying tinned from Co-OP!

I think they are about 80p a bag

Flimber

Firstly, the Smartprice Red Kidney Beans in Asda are about 13p/tin and are now only in water (no sugar and salt added) which used to be a premium you paid for !

And while we're on the subject, I soaked some Yellow Split Peas overnight just as yer supposed to do but the night in question was Monday. So the question is this: is 'oversoaking' safe ? They've had three changes of Filtered water.

Thanks,
Mike.