How to Properly Boil Beans?

Beans, especially white beans, are one of the favorite foods of many. Whether they are prepared as a bean soup, stew or bean salad, they are somehow always present our table.

Unlike many other products that can be prepared in different ways, white beans must be boiled before consumption. Here's what you need to know if you haven't yet learned what steps to follow when boiling beans:

- Always soak the white beans from the previous evening in enough water. This will significantly reduce its cooking time;

- Do not forget to wash the beans before boiling them;

- The ends of the green beans are cut and it is cut into small pieces before boiling;

- The beans are covered with cold water and then placed on the stove;

- While boiling the beans, do not move them away from the stove, because the first two waters of the beans must be discarded. When you pour water again, it must be hot;

- After you have discarded the first two waters of the beans and they have boiled once again, reduce the heat as much as possible. When the beans are boiled over low heat, they always turn out better;

- Do not add salt to the white beans in advance, because this will extend their cooking time;

- The products you want to add to the beans (onions, carrots, peppers, etc.) are added after the beans have started to soften. If you put the vegetables next to the beans, immediately after discarding the waters, they will get mushy before the beans are ready and will lose their valuable vitamins;

- If you want the white beans to be cooked faster, add fat to the water in which they're being boiled in. According to Grandma's recipes, a metal spoon in bean water can do the same job;

- Different types of beans require a different amount of time to cook. Always follow the instructions written on the package of beans;

- Taste a bean from time to time during cooking to see if it's ready. Although you should arm yourself with patience until they becomes soft enough, you should not allow the beans to get mushy;

- The water of green beans does not need to be discarded;

- Green beans are prepared much faster than white beans.

Here are some tried and tested appetizing recipes with beans:

- beans stew;

- baked beans;

- stuffed peppers with beans;

- green bean stew;

- beans in a clay pot;

- beans with sauerkraut;