Beans from a can vs cooking from scratch

[Lintu]

So.  How big a difference is it, really?  I always hear that cooking from scratch is way better, but are we talking...canned beans are like McDonald's, and cooking from scratch is like Olive Garden?  Or is it that canned beans are like McDonald's and scratch-cooked are like that amazing hole in the wall Italian place down the block? 

[redkitty]

Are you talking nutrition or taste?  Personally, I cannot tell much of a difference in taste and if you gave me a canned v a home cooked one, i doubt I could pick one out over the other. As far as nutrition, I actually have no idea.  If you used canned beans, I suggest rinsing them off very well, though, since they are loaded with salt. Rinsing can get a lot of the salt out.

Btw, I am totally guessing most people are going to tell you that homemade tastes so much better. I guess you should experiment and see for yourself.  For me, homecooked isn't worth the effort nor do I ever eat that many beans at once (so a can is a good size for me.) One tip on beans if you get dried ones...when they get too old they do NOT cook well. I didn't know that. I thought they had a long shelf life...a year is too long.

[Run Amok]

Hmmm... I guess I would say it's sort of the difference between "soup I made myself" and "soup from a can". Does that help?

Beans are not really that complicated to make... so why not try it once and see how it goes? 

I find it worthwhile enough that I basically no longer buy canned beans. The taste and texture is just so much better when you make them yourself.  Or maybe it's mostly texture. But the other thing is that you can flavor the beans while you cook them, if you cook them yourself. If you try and do that with canned beans, they just turn to mush.

[Run Amok]

...and, if you want to try it- I recommend this recipe to start with: http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2009/10/in_praise_of_peasant_cooking

The beans turn out really flavorful and delicious and the cooking liquid actually makes a really yummy stock all on its own. But, the accompanying recipes to go with the beans are all really good and give a good sense for the versaitility of using cooked beans. When I made this recipe for the first time I used the beans in a soup that didn't really work out... when I asked dh what he though he didn't like the soup much, but thought the beans were great (and he's not much of a bean guy). I change this recipe up and sometimes use rosemary instead of sage. I make a big batch and then freeze them. They go into soups, into pastas, on top of salads, etc. Very versatile, and satisfying.

But... I really like beans. So, there's that.

Beyond soup, I also make homemade baked beans. They are really yummy and, again, I just freeze them in ready to go portions. I eat 1/2 cup beans + a grilled cheese sandwhich and a salad. Yummy, satisfying, really healthy. The home made ones are sooooo much better than what you get out of a can.

If you don't have time to soak overnight, you can do the quick method and bring to a boil and let them sit for 2 hours.

Also, I understand they cook quite quickly in a pressure cooker. But, I've also heard the texture is more like a canned bean in that case.

[merigayle]

I make beans from scratch because i want to avoid cans in general and the lined cans are too expensive for beans. I find beans freeze really well too. I cook them in my pressure cooker and the times vary depending on the bean. You do not really need to presoak them. I think the beans taste the same EXCEPT chickpeas. The fresh chickpeas taste incredible. I just cannot put how in words. They just taste amazing. My local natural food store sells dry beans bulk and i buy them there and cook about 4-5 cups at a time.

[rocketgirl]

I just use canned beans.  The first time I made chili, I used dry beans, soaked them overnight, etc.  They were still way too firm.  Somebody said the beans may have been old.  Well, if I can't tell until they don't work right, I'd rather use canned beans.  I also tend to make my cooking decision day of (not being someone who cooks every day), so dry would not work in that instance.  I use the 5 minute rice too.  So sue me.

[merigayle]

and that is why i freeze beans, so i have them on hand. If mine are hard, i generally just put them back in the pressure cooker for 4-5 more minutes. And I cook rice  in the pressure cooker, brown rice takes 15-18 minutes!

[nadra24]

I think it depends on what you're using the beans for.  I eat a lot of beans in salads, and I prefer the firmer texture of canned beans in salad.  For use in enchiladas/burritos, soups, gallo pinto, etc. I prefer making my own from dried.  I don't do it very often though, because I am not very good about using food that's in my freezer. I forget about it and it gets freezer burned and ruined, and I'm not saving any money over canned beans if I'm throwing food away.

[Run Amok]

I have no problem with canned beans, I just prefer the "fresh" ones.

I also use the frozen rice from trader joes. 3 mins in the microwave to perfect rice? Yes please. I don't care that it's more expensive.

[rocketgirl]

and that is why i freeze beans, so i have them on hand. If mine are hard, i generally just put them back in the pressure cooker for 4-5 more minutes. And I cook rice  in the pressure cooker, brown rice takes 15-18 minutes!

I make a lot of decisions based on what I have too.  I don't have (or want) additional kitchen appliances like rice cookers or pressure cookers.  Or even a microwave.

[Run Amok]

I make a lot of decisions based on what I have too.  I don't have (or want) additional kitchen appliances like rice cookers or pressure cookers.  Or even a microwave.

I am here too. But, I am the oposite of you. Having lots of little bits and pieces in my freezer makes it super easy for me to create a healthy meal in zero seconds. I keep sausages, leftover pasta, and beans in the freezer most of the time. So, if I'm really hard up I can just nuke those things (or stick them in a pan, but nuking is faster) and have an instant plate of yumminess with zero thought or effort.

There's only one of me, so I tend to make things that can go into the freezer and I can assemble in various ways for thought-free healthy eating.

But...yeah... you gotta do what works for you. And if that doesn't work for you... well, there is your answer!

[monster2]

Not to derail this thread but are pressure cookers expensive and what are they good for? (Aside from beans) My friend used to make us black beans with chorizo in one and if he had shared his recipe then I would have already bought one.

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[diablita]

I recently tried dry beans and found that the texture was much nicer if I used good beans.  The cannelini beans I used were fabulous, as were the chickpeas the first time I used them.  Both were purchased at Earth Fare in the bulk area.  The next time I wanted to make chickpeas, I bought a bag of Goya beans at the regular grocery and was very disappointed with the texture/taste.

[rocketgirl]

I have been freezing more stuff, and partially thawing in water in the sink and reheating on the stove.  Plus, I have a microwave at work, so I can nuke stuff for lunch there.

Currently, I have cooked cornbread, chili, shrimp and grits, sausage/peppers/pasta, parmesan chicken & rice, gravy, and pot roast in the freezer.  Uncooked, I have chicken that I have cut up because that's how I use it, and some uncooked leftover chicken broth.

Having too many frozen "ingredients" vs "cooked meals" is just too complicated for me.  I'm happy to even be cooking as much I have been.  Dating has been good for me in this regard (as well as for the man I'm dating, because he gets lunches out of it too).

[rocketgirl]

Not to derail this thread but are pressure cookers expensive and what are they good for? (Aside from beans) My friend used to make us black beans with chorizo in one and if he had shared his recipe then I would have already bought one.

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I've seen some for under $50 i think.  If I ever get one, I'll get one big enough for canning, which would be more expensive.  But that's pointless until I have a house and a garden again.

[nadra24]

Not to derail this thread but are pressure cookers expensive and what are they good for? (Aside from beans) My friend used to make us black beans with chorizo in one and if he had shared his recipe then I would have already bought one.

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You can get a pressure cooker from Bed Bath & Beyond for 20 bucks.  You can also use the bottom as a regular pot, so it can pull double duty.  I don't think my mom has ever used hers for anything other than potatoes, but we eat a lot of mashed potatoes in our family.  I have used mine for beans, potatoes, corn on the cob, brown rice, and once for steel cut oats.  The oats didn't turn out too well, but that's because I'd been making a lot of beans in my pressure cooker and it smelled vaguely of cumin.  Cumin flavored oatmeal =    I seem to recall using it once for chicken that I was going to shred and put in enchiladas, but I can't remember how it turned out or if I ended up just boiling the chicken.  You can pretty much use it for cooking anything that you'd otherwise boil or steam, it just cooks it a lot faster because the temperature gets higher in a pressurized environment.

[Lintu]

Not to derail this thread but are pressure cookers expensive and what are they good for? (Aside from beans) My friend used to make us black beans with chorizo in one and if he had shared his recipe then I would have already bought one.

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America's Test Kitchen is publishing (or has published) a new book on pressure cooker recipes - worth checking out I think!

[merigayle]

I use the pressure cooker for beans and rice, not much more. but those are two things i eat a lot! i think i make rice more in the pressure cooker than the rice cooker.

[Ice Cream]

Doing beans from scratch is too much work for me.  I am fine with canned, quick rinse.  Plus,  do not need all many.

Rice, however, I would never buy ready made, unless I were living alone.  But I just throw it in the rice cooker with water and schedule the cooker to have it ready for dinner time.  No effort.

[wherestheportojohn]

I use both.
I keep several cans of low or no-sodium beans and lentils in the pantry.
When I use canned beans for salads, I always rinse and drain them.
In chili or soup, etc I don't always drain.

I prefer to pressure cook dried beans for various recipes (as others have mentioned) and freeze remainder.
Lately, I've been lazy and just bought canned.

With rice, I sometimes use my steamer. Generally just cook them on the stovetop.


Fwiw, the sodium content in some of those packaged/boxed rice mixes would blow me up like a puffer fish, so I rarely ever buy them more than once-twice a year.
Not a pretty sight.

[The Turtle Whisperer]

Hmmm... I guess I would say it's sort of the difference between "soup I made myself" and "soup from a can". Does that help?

That's a great analogy. 

If I'm using beans as an ingredient in a recipe, I'll generally go with canned and rinse really well. 

If beans are a side dish, I'll start with dried. 

[Ice Cream]

Fwiw, the sodium content in some of those packaged/boxed rice mixes would blow me up like a puffer fish, so I rarely ever buy them more than once-twice a year.
Not a pretty sight.

I think the sodium content in premixed rice packages is high, if the rice is not cooked yet.  In many cooked rice packages, it is OK< as far as I know.

[rocketgirl]

I was just talking about instant white rice.  It doesn't have any sodium at all.  The rice is enriched with iron, thiamin, niacin, and folic acid.

And may contain wheat, soy and milk.  Which is sort of surprising.  Maybe it's processed in the same factory with that other stuff.  None of those are technically ingredients.

[Run Amok]

I think wpj must be talking about ricaroni type things? The 3 min frozen rice from trader joes is just rice, plus water. It's exactly like the rice you cook yourself, only you don't have to do any of the work. Yay!

[Ice Cream]

I think wpj must be talking about ricaroni type things? The 3 min frozen rice from trader joes is just rice, plus water. It's exactly like the rice you cook yourself, only you don't have to do any of the work. Yay!

Yes, I think so, too.  Or the Near East Ric pilav package.  Very salty.  I have some from Uncle Ben's that I use when camping, and some are just plain white or brown rice, heart healthy.

[redkitty]

I was just talking about instant white rice.  It doesn't have any sodium at all.  The rice is enriched with iron, thiamin, niacin, and folic acid.

And may contain wheat, soy and milk.  Which is sort of surprising.  Maybe it's processed in the same factory with that other stuff.  None of those are technically ingredients.

One of DH's coworkers had to go to gluten free because her daughter was having issues (she was breastfeeding.)  they found that white rice often has gluten in it...it is the way it is processed...not necessarily cross contamination, but however it is processed they use gluten to do it.  (His co-worker could explain it better.) I am sure some brands are better than others when it comes to this.