Canned beans vs dried beans, I finally switched after 4 months of testing

I used to be team canned beans all the way. The convenience felt worth the extra $1.50 per can, especially on weeknights after my shift. But last January I did the math on my grocery receipts and realized I was spending like $18 a month just on black beans and chickpeas. So I bought a 5 pound bag of dried pintos for $4 at the Mexican grocery on Broadway and decided to actually commit. The first two times I soaked and boiled them they came out uneven, some mushy some hard. Then I figured out the trick, soak overnight and simmer with a bay leaf for exactly 90 minutes. Now I batch cook 3 cups dry on Sunday and it lasts me through Thursday lunches and dinners. Honestly the texture is better too, they hold their shape in tacos instead of turning to paste. Has anyone else made the switch and gone back, or did you find a way to make canned beans worth it for certain recipes?

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charles91929d ago

Wait, you actually tracked your bean spending for a whole month? That's some next level dedication right there. I respect the hustle but I could never be that organized with my grocery receipts, mine just end up crumbled at the bottom of my bag. Also, the bay leaf thing, that's the secret? I've been out here eating sad, bland beans my whole life and the answer was just a leaf. I tried dried beans once back in college, soaked them for like 6 hours, then boiled them for 2 and they still came out like little rocks. I gave up and went back to canned that same week. But now you got me thinking, maybe I was just doing it wrong. The texture thing is real though, canned beans always feel kinda slimy to me no matter how much I rinse them. Might have to give the dried ones another shot this weekend, even if it means I'm stuck in the kitchen for an hour and a half.