Comments on: How to cook beans?

Question: How to cook beans?

oldlies — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:21:52 -0800

Is there a way to cook beans that will reduce the amount of gas I will "produce" after consuming them?

I have bags 'n' bags of dry, raw beans: lima, white, pinto, black, etc.

By: Deathalicious

Deathalicious — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:25:23 -0800

I think sprouting them is supposed to help in this regard. It does change the way the beans behave, though.

There's always Beanoz. That's supposed to work well.

And finally, don't forget to chew chew chew those beans carefully. It helps to break them down before they go into your digestive system where the gas forms.

By: Admiral Haddock

Admiral Haddock — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:26:09 -0800

This was asked a couple of days ago.

By: whimwit

whimwit — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:27:00 -0800

In How To Cook Everything, Mark Bittman says the following soaking method does the trick: cover the beans with water, "bring to a boil, cook for two minutes," then let the beans soak for at least 1 hour. After soaking, rinse the beans again and cook as usual.

He also recommends adding Beano to foods or simply eating more beans--he says your body will develop a tolerance.

By: heyho

heyho — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:27:20 -0800

Did you read this post? There's a bit of information on what you can do afterward, just in case the following answers don't pan out so well.

By: Medieval Maven

Medieval Maven — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:31:02 -0800

when you soak the beans, pour the water off. Don't finish them in the "bean water." You can also add a little baking soda (about one tsp) to the beans while they are simmering.

By: Astro Zombie

Astro Zombie — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:35:05 -0800

I'm from Metafilter and I could overbake a plate of beans.

Have you considered just using beano?

By: Kadin2048

Kadin2048 — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:59:24 -0800

Interestingly this was covered on Alton Brown's show a few nights ago. Apparently discarding the soak water (if you're soaking dry beans before cooking) can help somewhat.

The main problem with beans is that the human body lacks the correct enzymes to digest them in the small intestine, so they end up going to your large intestine undigested -- which causes gas. The enzyme in question is alpha galactosidase. This is the active ingredient in Beano. If you don't like the idea of swallowing a pill, you can get it in liquid form and sprinkle it on the cooked beans (has to be after cooking) if that allows you to think about it as more of an 'ingredient' and less of a drug.

This article also has some more general suggestions, but most of them are aimed at nonspecific gas, not just beans.

By: mumkin

mumkin — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:11:53 -0800

You want to cook 'em with epazote or kombu, if either of those are compatible with the flavor profile of what you're cooking.

By: idiotfactory

idiotfactory — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:27:10 -0800

I've heard that adding some chunks of carrots will absorb whatever it is that makes people gassy, but now I wonder if that is an old wive's tale. Be sure to throw the carrot out afterwards.

By: dilettante

dilettante — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:38:13 -0800

What Medieval Maiden said. Also, my grandmother has always said to throw in a chunk of potato while they're cooking.

You might also see some improvement if you leave out onions and don't use much garlic. Add onions, however, to inflate.

By: Bella Sebastian

Bella Sebastian — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:54:12 -0800

I've heard that adding citrus can help. I always squirt in a good amount of lemon or lime juice and don't have much problem. But then again, I'm a beans-five-times-a-week kinda girl.

By: bricoleur

bricoleur — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:10:57 -0800

My experience confirms whimwit's. Eat them regularly, and your body seems to adjust.

By: LobsterMitten

LobsterMitten — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:26:13 -0800

Third-hand advice that I've never tried, but which originated with someone of Latin American descent whose family eats a ton of beans: add mint to the soaking/cooking water.

By: freshwater_pr0n

freshwater_pr0n — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:20:55 -0800

Hing, or asafoetida, is a common ingredient in Indian dishes, and it's believed to aid digestion. You only need a pinch!

By: terrapin

terrapin — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:35:50 -0800

What Kadin2048 said. Although I have read that the more often one eats beans the less likely they will suffer from the gas.

By: starfish

starfish — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:36:41 -0800

I agree with not cooking them in the soaking water, use fresh. Sometimes I even change the water halfway through soaking, it really seems to help.

By: mumkin

mumkin — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:00:40 -0800

Hing, or asafoetida [...] you only need a pinch!

Whew. Yes, just a pinch, please. They don't call it Devil's Dung for nothing.

By: KAS

KAS — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 07:36:14 -0800

I have had success with pouring with pouring the soaking water off twice (or more).

I bring them to a boil in a pot with regular water, let soak a couple of hours, pour off the water and repeat. Then after the last pour-off I add veggie broth and cook them up.

By: doorsfan

doorsfan — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 08:25:07 -0800

old wives tale: my mom adds a quarter clove of garlic to the beans she makes.

By: MrMoonPie

MrMoonPie — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 09:35:20 -0800

Not combining them with meat or cheese won't reduce the amount of gas you produce, but will greatly reduce the aroma of it.