How to Cook Black Beans
Buying tips
Purchase black beans from the bulk section of the supermarket for added savings, but be sure to examine them before buying. A fresh bean will be shiny and firm. Beans that are discolored, shriveled or dull in appearance should be discarded. Black beans can also be purchased in prepackaged bags, generally weighing 1- to 2-lbs. At home, store dried beans in an airtight container in a cool, dark location to retain freshness.
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Sorting and Rinsing
One cup of dried beans equals approximately three cups of cooked beans. Any extra cooked beans can easily be frozen for future use. Before jumping in to learning how to cook black beans, it is important to know how to sort and rinse them. Most beans are free from debris, but occasionally small rocks or bits of dirt can get past the cleaning process. The easiest way to clean beans is to spread one cup out on the cutting board or a cookie sheet and look for rocks or any overly wrinkled or misshapen beans.
Place the sorted beans in a colander and rinse. After rinsing, soak the beans overnight in a pot that contains one quart of water for every cup of dried beans. In the morning, notice the rich, purple color left from the soaking. This is a naturally occurring color and no cause for alarm.
Cooking black beans
Prepare a large pot for cooking the beans, that will leave plenty of room for the beans to boil. Rinse the soaked beans one more time and place them in the pot. Fill the pot up with enough water so the level rises about three inches above the black beans. Chicken or vegetable broth can also be used as a cooking liquid for additional flavor. Some cooks also like to add chunks of onions or garlic as well.
Turn the heat on high until the water boils. Let the beans roll at a fast boil for about five minutes before turning the heat down to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and cook until the beans can be easily mashed with a fork. This can take about three hours.
Menu ideas
Black beans make excellent soup. The deep, velvet color provides an appealing base when topped with a small dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt and sprinkled with chives or green onions. For a more flavorful soup, mix in a cup of applesauce, which complement these beans well. Use a hand blender to puree half the pot for additional texture. The beans also are good in stews, chili, casseroles and burritos. Mix thick pieces of spicy sausage into whole beans and serve over rice for a Southern-inspired dish or use the beans cold and mix with salsa, cilantro and shredded cheese as a side to a Mexican entrée.