I will never not be cooking a pot of beans. I cooked these for an 80 person wedding, I make them for everyone that comes over in the winter months, and my freezer is full of them. If you come here with bean judgement, spare me and give these a chance.
NOTES:
Soaking myths: A highly debated topic: do you need to soak dried beans before cooking them? The purpose of soaking beans is to speed the cooking process, or some say to make them easier to digest. I personally think the digestion part is fallacy, and soaking to speed the cooking process just… makes it innately longer. So I almost always skip it, and my guide is written for beans cooked without a pre-soak. But if you want to, place the dried beans in a large bowl cover them with 3” of water (they’ll expand when soaked). Leave them to soak for 6-8 hours, or overnight. When you’re ready to cook, drain and rinse the soaked beans, and follow the guide below but expect them to cook a little faster.
Scraps as aromatics: Save cooking scraps or sad produce for your beans. Things like like scallion roots, extra onion ends, wilted herbs, or flimsy carrots add great flavor and cut down on waste.
The reason this is a guide, not a recipe: Is to force you to get creative! You can add everything on this list that inspires you, or just a few sprigs of thyme. It’s all up to you, and it’s all just going to make the beans more flavorful. Every pot of beans is different, and that’s the fun part.
Makes 1 big pot of beans (about 6 cups cooked beans)
Takes less than 2 hours, start to finish
PARTS
— Beans: 1 pound dried beans (about 2 cups). At most grocery stores, or get some Rancho Gordo online. Just make sure they’re not old, or they won’t get tender.
— Liquid: enough bone broth, water or a mix of the two to fill a large pot
— Onions: a yellow onion and/or a few shallots, skin on and quartered, or some scallions or leeks
— Garlic: a whole head, halved horizontally or some smashed cloves
— Woody Herbs: a few bay leaves, whole sprigs of oregano, rosemary, sage or thyme
— Spices: a few dried chiles or crushed pepper flakes for spice, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns
— Veggies: divided into 2 categories: hearty veggies like carrots, celery, fennel etc. or softer veggies like spinach
— Fat: A few tbsp butter, or a big glug of good olive oil
— Other stuff to add: half a lemon or some lemon peel, Parmesan rind, a strip of kombu, bacon
CLUES
Prepare Beans: Strain beans and give them a quick rinse, removing any debris, then place in a large pot and cover with liquid of choice: broth, water or a combo of both, covering beans by about 2” to 3”. Add aromatics, hearty veggies and a big pinch of salt. Wait to add the more delicate veggies until beans are closer to being done.
Simmer Beans: Bring beans to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes. Then, uncover beans, season with more salt, and continue to cook on a low simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid reduces a bit and beans are soft and tender. If liquid gets too low at any point, just add more! When beans are getting close to done, add softer veggies and herbs. Feel free to smash a few of the beans for a creamier base, or do what I do and fish around for the soft garlic cloves, smashing them against the side of the pot to release more flavs. The timing on this remaining cook is up to you and your beans, it could be 20 more minutes or an hour longer. Stir beans every so often, and test tenderness here and there. Sometimes I cook my beans to be al dente, sometimes I simmer until they’re buttery and falling apart soft.
Finish Beans: Once the beans are cooked to your liking, remove from heat and use tongs or a slotted spoon and remove bay leaves, dried chilis, herb stems, or onion skins. Stir in butter or olive oil to finish beans and add some cozy richness. Taste and season with (a lot of) salt and pepper. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh grated Parmesan, or extra herbs. You can store leftover cooked beans in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or you can freeze them. If you are storing in the fridge, make sure they’re covered in the cooking liquid so they don't dry out.
