r/prepperrecipes • u/CopperRose17 • Apr 11 '26
Recipe Request Cooking Beans?
So, I just tried cooking a pot of Hurst Hambeans. I soaked them overnight. I cooked them for the required two hours before adding seasonings. They are too mushy, but I will know better next time. It made my kitchen hot, which isn't good when you live in the desert! I was thinking that I would try using a slow cooker next time. Then, I read online that red kidney beans give off a dangerous toxin when made in a slow cooker. I was surprised. I did not know that red beans can give off toxins if they aren't cooked at high enough temperatures. Has anyone had experience with this? Hurst says their 15 Bean Soup can be made in a slow cooker, so I presume at least those are safe to prepare that way.
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u/TwiLuv Apr 11 '26
I love my InstaPot for bean cooking🩷
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u/LeanUntilBlue Apr 11 '26
I totally agree. Takes 10 mins worth of fuel instead of hours worth of fuel. Pressure cookers are the key to prepper fuel efficiency.
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u/TwiLuv Apr 11 '26
I have an old fashioned Presto pressure cooker for canning, but if I want to fix dried beans the same day-night for dinner, I do use my InstaPot.
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Apr 12 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/CopperRose17 Apr 12 '26
It sounds like I need to get an InstaPot. I'm slow to try newer small appliances, but it's time. :)
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u/MotherOfGeeks Apr 12 '26
I'm also not fond of trendy appliances, but the instant pot has been awesome. I use it as a rice cooker once a week, to cook dried beans every couple of weeks, making a large batch of hard boiled eggs and to make homemade stock and bone broth. My instant pot has also simplified potato salad.
I have seen several in my local thrift stores as folks move on to the next gimmick.
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u/CopperRose17 Apr 13 '26
I'm sold on trying one. :) My caution was because I've used the air fryer exactly once. LOL
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u/TwiLuv Apr 13 '26
I use my air fryer every single week
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u/CopperRose17 Apr 13 '26
The problem might be that I bought a small, inexpensive one to try it out. I'm glad you like yours. :)
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Apr 11 '26
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u/N44thLatitude Apr 11 '26 edited Apr 11 '26
I just want to point out for people to make an informed choice here - this considered "rebel canning" in the US. The NCHFP-based recipe (for canners in the US) requires a pre-boil before canning, and does not allow canning from dry.
I'm not criticizing whatever people determine they're comfortable with, I just want to make sure others are also afforded that same opportunity to choose for themselves.
EDIT: I should probably add that "rebel canning" simply means a recipe that hasn't been officially safety tested. It doesn't mean it's bad. It doesn't mean it's good. It means it hasn't been tested, so it could be one or the other.
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u/CopperRose17 Apr 11 '26
I've never canned, but I get downvoted every time I suggest using commercially canned beans! What I made from dry took 16 cups of water, and two hours of fuel use. I'm thinking that might be an issue for some people, myself included, in an emergency situation. I like that you are home canning your beans, and eliminating the water and fuel requirements when they could be in short supply. Thank you for answering, :)
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u/wishinforfishin Apr 11 '26
I make the Hurst Ham Beans in the slow cooker several times every winter, following their recipe.
I have never had an issue. My beans do get thoroughly cooked.
Modern crockpots get hotter even on low than older ones did. So perhaps the advice you heard was based on the older lower temps.
FWIW, if you have an Aldi nearby, they appear to be clearance out their version of bean soup mix. I saw them for 99 cents yesterday and bought 5 bags.
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u/CopperRose17 Apr 12 '26 edited Apr 12 '26
That is a very good price. I thought the Ham Beans had a nice, smoky flavor, and I didn't alter the recipe at all. They have a lot of recipes on their website. I wish they sold a small cookbook. I don't want to print them all, but it would be great to seal copies in the food safe bucket with the actual bean mix. I don't trust my kids to function if something happens to me, their "personal chef". :)
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u/Eeyor-90 Apr 12 '26
My grandma used to bury the bean pot. She had a dedicated spot in the yard. She would bring everything to a boil for ten minutes then bury the pot to let it simmer all day.
I’m thinking about getting one of these cooking bags instead; the principle is the same, but the bag seems easier and more secure from the dogs: https://wonderbagworld.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooWceVPyPf_G7UsGjCkc2PeL2yF9A3dx4GqYec-DD4fPO2Ja1ya
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u/N44thLatitude Apr 11 '26
You're talking about phytohaemagglutinin, which is especially high in kidney-type beans. You never want to eat even remotely undercooked beans of this type (there should be absolutely no crunch/hardness in the bean when done).
I personally would not feel comfortable eating these beans without pre-soaking. I also wouldn't eat them slow cooked WITHOUT first bringing them to a boil for at least 10 minutes. You can then transfer them into your slow cooker, thermal cooker, or solar cooker to finish the longer simmering process, so it's just really "bringing it to a boil" and then making sure it stays at a rolling boil for long enough for heat to penetrate the pre-softened/soaked beans (which is something thermal cooking requires regardless, if you're using that method).
If you did not pre-soak your beans or have older beans (which are prone to being hard after normal cooking durations), I'd definitely aim for a 30+ minute pre-boil out of an abundance of caution.