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Capacity-Building Projects
Project 2: Best PRACTICES for Bean Cooking

According to market research, many consumers develop negative perceptions of pulses after cooking them improperly. Unfortunately, the information available to consumers about how to properly cook dried beans is inconsistent and sometimes contradictory. Consumers must also choose between the long cooking time of dried beans and the higher sodium content found in canned beans.
This 2018 project set out to create better guidelines for cooking dried pulses in different water conditions. It had a culinary focus split into two main objectives.
The first was to survey the wide range of advice found in bean cookery, from cookbooks and industry guidelines to package instructions, about the impact of salt, brining, and water hardness on cooking beans.
The second objective was to characterize the difference between a chef’s opinion of a perfectly cooked bean (i.e. “soft enough to chew”) versus the scientific cook times using analytical equipment such as the Mattson Bean Cooker to measure how different treatments impact cooking time. The chefs involved in this research project compared the sensory characteristics of navy, black, pinto, and kidney beans cooked to technical “doneness” against beans cooked past the “doneness” state to establish the ideal cooking time.
In this part of the project, we also conducted consumer testing to measure the impact of different salt treatments on flavour, texture, and appearance.
The knowledge we have shared from this project is helping industry improve the consumer experience with dried pulses as a healthy and affordable protein source.
The perfectly cooked bean
Properly cooked beans have a slightly firm bite and a soft, creamy, smooth texture, and can be chewed easily. They should appear shiny and firm with bright colour, not broken or burst from cooking.
Recommended salting methods for different bean types
Trials were conducted on five bean types: kidney, black, faba, navy and pinto. The use of one to two per cent salt reduced cooking time and improved the flavour, texture, and appearance of cooked beans. Cooking time for beans begins when the cooking water reaches a gentle simmer. Water should be kept from vigorously boiling to prevent beans from bursting open.
Based on the study, the cooking recommendations for each bean are as follows:
Navy Bean | 2% brine soak (average cook time = 34 minutes) |
Black Bean | 2% brine soak (average cook time= 28 minutes) |
Kidney Bean | 1% salt in cooking water (average cook time = 36 minutes) |
Pinto Bean | 1% salt in cooking water (average cook time = 26 minutes) |
Researchers concluded a little salt goes a long way in improving the overall flavour of beans.
Soaking beans in salt brine
- Prepare a 2% salt brine by adding 2 1/2 tsp of salt to 3 cups of water, then stir until fully dissolved.
- Add 1 cup clean, dry beans to the brine and soak for 24 hours at room temperature.
- Drain the beans.
- Bring 4 cups of fresh distilled water to a boil.
- Add the soaked beans to the boiling water and reduce the heat to a gentle boil.
- Cook the beans until they are firm yet tender and can be easily chewed.
Cooking beans in salted water
- Soak 1 cup clean, dry beans in 3 cups of distilled water for 24 hours at room temperature.
- Drain the beans.
- Bring 4 cups of fresh distilled water to a boil. For a 1% salted cooking water, add 1 1/2-2 tsps (9-11 g) salt. For a 2% salted cooking water, add 3 1/2 tsps (20 g) salt.
- Add the soaked beans to the boiling water and reduce the heat to a gentle boil.
- Cook the beans until they are firm yet tender and can be easily chewed.
A note on hard water
Cooking beans with hard water can greatly impact the cooking time and quality of the beans. Hard water can be found throughout Manitoba and is categorized by the level of calcium carbonate in the water:
Water Quality | Concentration (mg Calcium Carbonate/L) |
---|---|
Soft | 0-60 |
Medium Hard | 60-120 |
Hard | 120-180 |
Very Hard | 180+ |
Most communities in Manitoba use some degree of hard water:
Community | Concentration (mg Calcium Carbonate/L) |
---|---|
Winnipeg | Medium Hard (81) |
Brandon | Hard (150) |
Portage la Prairie | Very Hard (220) |
Dauphin | Very Hard (229) |
Neepawa | Very Hard (295) |
Melville | Very Hard (309) |
Morris | Very Hard (420) |
Source: aquatell.ca |