Bridget takes on bean-cookery folklore and settles the soaking debate once and for all.
Welcome to Learn to Cook Week! We’re dedicated to making everyone a better cook, especially in our newly launched America’s Test Kitchen online Cooking School. Click here for the full lineup of giveaways and events.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
This exhaustive course will teach you how to prepare authentic Italian dishes at home. You will master fundamental Italian cooking techniques, from cleaning artichokes to making fresh pasta.
America's Test Kitchen Cooking School
Now fully revised and expanded, this new edition offers more than 1000 recipes for all your favorite dishes from roast chicken to chocolate chip cookies. There are also expanded tutorials on grilling, baking, stir frying, and much more. This is the ultimate cooking resource for novice and experienced cooks alike.
thanks so much for posting this one, I looked all over this site and my cook books but I couldn’t remember how to flash brine beans.
Wow, great new info. I always went by the “don’t add salt because it makes the beans tough” idea. I’ll be brining now! Thank you!!!
Great tip! What is the ratio of beans to water that you recommend?
Hi yaarainbar, 1 pound of beans in 3 tablespoons table salt dissolved in 4 quarts cold water.
Thanks, Christine! Is it safe then to assume if I wanted half a pound of beans I could then also halve the salt and water? I am curious as to why this technique calls for a substantial amount of water relative to beans (even after a 14 hour soak, the beans to water ratio appears to be about 30% to 70%–my best eyeball guestimate). When I brine meat, I use enough water to just cover it, so my intuition tells me that with beans I would use slightly more water to allow room for absorption. Would you happen to know the answer? I appreciate your valuable knowledge! =)
Bridget,
Thanks for the video.
Please get rid of the music track. It is a complete distraction.
Thanks.