How to Make Pressure Cooker Beans - The 'Best-Ever' Beans You Can Make
Pressure Cooker Beans
You can make the best beans ever using your pressure cooker. It is not only safe and fast, it is the healthiest cooking method for preparing dried beans.
Regardless of the cooking method (stove-top, slow cooker, oven-baked or pressure cooker), the first step in successfully cooking beans is proper soaking. The best advice is to follow the soaking instructions included with the specific type of beans you plan to prepare.
The pressure cooker does an excellent job cooking all varieties of dried beans but all require soaking the beans first.
There are several methods of soaking but my best results have always come from the traditional slow-soak, overnight method with every bean variety except for the very smallest like split-peas or lentils. Therefore, you have to plan ahead for whatever bean variety you plan on cooking.
In addition to improving your chance of success the first time and any subsequent attempts, soaking saves you money by significantly reducing the cooking times which in turn preserves the most nutrients. Also, beans that are soaked completely will have the flavor, appearance, and texture you expect from perfectly-prepared beans.
Remember that soaking means just that; all dried beans need to absorb a large amount of water to rehydrate during the soaking phase before they are ready for cooking. It sounds like you skipped this important step, and attempted to steam the dried beans as opposed to actually soaking them.
You can choose any of three soaking methods: Pressure Soak, Quick Soak, or Long Soak Method (this is matter which is foolproof and requires the least amount of guessing, but requires you plan a day ahead!)
You will be surprised by how much water dried beans need to completely rehydrate. After sorting and rinsing (I use a rimmed sheet pan to sort them from 'non-chewables' - you gotta get rid of any rocks or other naturally-occurring debris that might happen to get packaged with the beans), be sure to cover the beans with at least 3 inches of cold water for the soaking step.
When you think soaking is complete, just take one bean and using a very sharp knife, cut the bean in half. Look at the interior - it should be uniform in color from the outside to the center. If there is any discoloration in the center, that is an indication that soaking is not complete.
Now just follow the recipe that came with your beans or follow the instructions that were included with your pressure cooker. Since every pressure cooker varies a little in times and pressure, you should use it as a base line guide from which you will want to make notes in the instruction book for future attempts. I am sure that by your third batch, no one but you will know how you cooked them and how much time, energy and nutritional content you have saved!
