Cooking dried beans is an easy way to save money. All it takes is a little prep time and a day of crock pot cooking.
Supplies:
- 16 oz dried beans
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Pepper, cumin, chili powder, red pepper flakes. Whatever spices you like. Use a teaspoon or 1/2 teaspoon of each of your favorites.
- Crock pot
Method:
- Rinse and soak dried beans in a large pot over night.
- Dump water and rinse beans.
- Place beans in a crock pot with enough water to cover an inch or two above beans.
- Add onion, garlic, and spices. Don’t add salt yet, save it for the end.
- Cook on low for 10 – 12 hours or cook on high for 6 to 8 hours.
- Periodically check for liquid levels adding more if needed.
- When approaching the end of the cooking time, check the beans. Check 4 beans each time from different areas in the pot, some beans maybe done while others are not.
- If needed, add more time. Look for beans that begin to break open. This is a good indicator that they are done but you don’t want to have too many.
- Add more spices and salt, if desired.
- Use beans as you normally would. Portion beans out for recipes and freeze whatever you do not use for the future.
