Beans, Lentils, Split Peas, Pearl Barley

Use instructions for Beans, Lentils, Split Peas, Pearl Barley…

Beans - Preparation Instructions: QUICK SOAK- rinse and sort beans.  To 1 lb. beans (about 2 cups) add 8 cups water.  Bring water to rapid boil, boil for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Cover and let stand for 1 hours. Drain soaking water and rinse beans. [This removes the toots]……………….. OR……………………………. OVERNIGHT SOAK- rinse and sort beans.  To 1 lb. beans (about 2 cups) add 8 cups of cold water.  Let stand overnight or at least 8 hours.  Drain soaking water and rinse beans. COOKING INSTRUCTIONS- Add 8 cups of water to drained and rinsed beans.  Simmer gently with a lid on until desired tenderness is reached, about 2 hours.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Salt pork, ham or bacon may be added during cooking for extra flavor.  Add acidic ingredients such as tomatoes, vinegar, or citrus juices only at the end of cooking once beans are tender.

Lentils- Preparation: Before cooking, always examine, sort and rinse well.  Lentils require no soaking prior to cooking. COOKING INSTRUCTIONS- In a large pot, add lentils and hot water (to 1 pound of lentils add 8 cups hot water).  Cover and cook lentils about 25-45 minutes or until desired tenderness is reached depending on the dish you want to prepare(about 25 minutes for salads and main dishes and 30-45 minutes for soups or purees). Note: do not cover completely, when placing a lid, leave the pot slightly open.

Split Peas – Preparation: Before cooking, always examine, sort and rinse well.  Split peas require no soaking prior to cooking. COOKING INSTRUCTIONS- Cover peas with water (3 cups of water to 1 cup of dry peas). Bring peas to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes until tender.

Pearl Barley - Preparation: Before cooking, always examine, sort and rinse well.  COOKING INSTRUCTIONS- Wash barley thoroughly and add water (to 2 cups of barley add 8 cups water); cook for 30-45 minutes in a large volume of rapidly boiling water. Drain, wash with cold water and reheat as needed. Barley increases 4 times in bulk.  Add to soups and casseroles.

16 Bean Soup Mix – Preparation: Thoroughly examine and sort beans prior to cooking. Wash beans in cold water. Soak beans as follows: QUICK SOAK- place washed and sorted beans in a large pot and add water.  (To 1 lb of beans add 8 cups water.) Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour.  Drain soaking water and rinse beans. [This removes the toots]……………….. OR……………………………. OVERNIGHT SOAK- washed and sorted beans may be soaked, covered in cold water overnight or at least eight hours.  Drain soaking water and rinse beans. COOKING INSTRUCTIONS- Add 6 cups of hot water to drained and rinsed beans.  Simmer gently with a lid on until desired tenderness is reached, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.  Add contents of seasoning packet during last half hour of cooking.

Using Beans

Using Beans

Soaking and cooking beans before mixing with other recipe ingredients helps to get the right tenderness and can minimize final cooking time.

Overnight Soaking

For each 1 pound of beans, dissolve 2 tsp. salt in 6 cups of water.  Wash beans, add to salted water and soak overnight. Before cooking drain and rinse.

Quick Soaking

For each 1 pound of beans, bring 8 cups of water to boiling.  Wash beans, add to boiling water, boil for 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat, cover and soak for 1 hour.

To Cook Soaked Beans

For each 1 pound of beans, dissolve 2 tsp. salt in 6 cups hot water; bring to boiling. Add soaked beans; boil gently, uncovered, adding BOILING water if needed to keep beans covered with water, cooking until tender.   Yield: 6-7 cups

To Cook Old, Hard, Beans

Wash and sort to remove any discolored beans or foreign material.  For each cup of dry beans, add 2 ½ cups hot tap water and 2 tsp. baking soda and soak overnight.  Drain and rinse two times, then add water to cover beans and cook until tender and soft, about two hours, adding more BOILING water as needed.  Note: if you add water to cooking beans that is not BOILING, your beans will be tough.  This holds true for all dried beans.

Adding a tablespoon of oil will cut down on foam as beans cook. Stored beans should be rotated regularly. 

They continue to lose moisture and will not reconstitute if kept too long.

Pressure cook old beans for 20 minutes, and they will be soft. (I have not personally tried this)

 

From the PL Bean class 2/28/2012

Cooking Beans

BBQ  LIMA BEANS

2 c large dried lima beans

8 c water

¼ lb. bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces (cook, drain before adding)

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

½ c margarine

1 tsp prepared mustard

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 ½ tsp chili powder

1 (8oz) can tomato sauce

2 Tb brown sugar

2 Tb vinegar

Sort and rinse beans; do not soak. In 4-quart saucepan, combine rinsed beans, water, and ¼ pound diced bacon.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beans are almost tender (1 – 1 ½ hours), checking several times.  Add boiling water as needed to keep beans just covered while cooking.  Drain, reserving ½ c liquid.  Cook onion and garlic in margarine until soft.  Add remaining ingredients except drained limas and bacon slices.  Cook 5 minutes, add to lima beans.  Place in greased 2 qt casserole; top with sliced bacon.  Cover; bake for 2 hours at 350 degrees, adding reserved bean liquid if necessary.

REFRIED BEANS

2 c cooked pinto beans, drain, reserving liquid

1 clove garlic, minced

1/3 c shortening

3 Tb onion, minced

Heat shortening, cook onion and garlic a few minutes.  Add means, mash and stir with potato masher while cooking.  Cook until all shortening is absorbed.  Stir in reserved liquid if desired for correct consistency.  Use for recipes calling for refried beans, or use as a side dish.

*You may used dry pack dehydrated refried beans, hydrated according to package directions, then add some extra water if more is needed for proper consistency.

CALIFORNIA BEAN SOUP

2 c white beans (rinsed)

1 qt tomatoes

¼ c dried onions

¼ c dried diced carrots

½ c dried chopped celery

1 or 2 ham hocks

10 c water

Soak beans in water overnight or boil 5 minutes and soak one hour. Add tomatoes, cook for two hours.  Add remaining ingredients and cook until beans are soft.

*you can use fresh onion, carrots and celery instead of dried

THREE BEAN STEW

1 (8oz) pkg. dry navy beans

½ c baby lima beans

½ c dry red kidney beans

1 Tb salad oil

1 medium green pepper, cut up

1 medium onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 ½ Tb packed brown sugar

2 tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1/8 tsp ground cloves

6 c water

1 (15 oz) can tomatoes

1 (6 oz) tomato paste

1 lb. smoked Polish sausage cut into 1 ½ inch chunks

*if desired, cook sausage and drain before adding to stew. Dried onions may be used.

Use quick-soaking method to prepare beans; drain water.  In heavy pan or Dutch oven, heat salad oil over medium heat.  Add green peppers, onions and garlic.  Cook until tender, stirring occasionally.  Add beans.  Stir in the brown sugar, salt, pepper, clovers and water.  Heat to boiling.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer about one hour or until beans are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes with their liquid, tomato paste, and Polish sausage chunks.  Stir to mix well.  Cover and simmer 30 minutes.

BEANS AND HAM STEW

2 c dried lima beans

Water for soaking beans

4 slices bacon, diced

1 lb. ham shank cut into 3-4 pieces

1 c onions

3 bay leaves

1 tsp salt

1 ½ c cooking water

Sort and soak lima beans; drain; discard soak water.  Put soaked lima beans in a 4-qt pot, add cooking water, set aside.  In a medium skillet, fry bacon until almost crisp.  Add onion and cook until onion is tender, but not browned.  Add bacon/onion mixture to lima beans.  Break bay leaves in half and add to beans.  Add ham shank pieces and salt.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat.   Cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 45 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool at least one hour at room temp. or overnight  in the fridge.  Remove pieces of ham.  Cut meat from bones and discard bones.  Dice meat.  Add ham to beans.  Remove and discard bay leaves.  To serve- reheat stew uncovered over medium heat until heated through 20-30 minutes sitting frequently to prevent sticking.

LENTIL SOUP

2 c lentils

1 ½ qt water plus 6 chicken bouillon cubes**

1 (28 oz) can stewed tomatoes

1 lb. cooked hamburger or 1 (15 oz) can roast beef

1 bay leaf

3 carrots, cut into chunks

1 onion, cut up

Salt and pepper

(**you can use 3 (15 oz) cans chicken broth and 3 broth cans water instead of water and bouillon cubes)

Put all ingredients except hamburger in a 4 qt kettle.  Bring to a boil, and let cook until tender.  Add cooked hamburger and heat.  A ham hock may be added at the end in place of or in addition to hamburger.

CREAM OF SPLIT PEA SOUP

2 c split peas

4 ½ c boiling water

½ c celery, diced

½ c carrots

1 onion, chopped

2 tsp salt

2 ½ c milk

Season to taste

Wash split peas and sort. In a large saucepan combine water, split peas, vegetables, and salt.  Simmer until peas are soft, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Push through sieve or bender, then add milk and seasonings, chunks of meat as desired, then reheat and serve.

 

PIONEER STEW

1 ¼ c dry kidney or pinto beans

1 tsp salt

½-1 lb ground beef

½ c chopped onion

½ c minced green pepper

6-8 c water

1 (15 oz)) can undrained whole kernel corn

½ tsp chili powder

¾ tsp salt

½ c shredded sharp American cheese

In large saucepan place washed and drained beans, cold water and salt.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and let stand 1 hour.  Return to heat and simmer 1 hour and 15 minutes.  In skillet cook ground beef, chopped onion, and green pepper until meat is browned and vegetables are tender.  Drain off fat.  Add meat mixture, corn, tomatoes, chili powder to beans. Simmer 20 minutes.  Combine 1 T flour with 2 T water.  Stir into stew.  Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.  Stir in cheese.

CANNERY REFRIED BEANS

Add 1 cup refried beans to ¾ c boiling water, stirring briefly and cover.  Allow to sit for 10 minutes.  More water may be added for a thinner consistency. Makes about 2 servings.

From the PL Bean Class 2/28/2012

Soup Mix

A great food storage item… very delicious to eat and very inexpensive!

1-14 oz pkg. green split peas             (approx. 2 ½ c)

1-14 oz pkg. yellow split peas            (approx. 2 ½ c)

1-14 oz pkg. alphabet macaroni        (approx. 2 ½ c)

1-12 oz pkg. pearl barley                    (approx. 1 ¾ c)

1-12 oz pkg. lentils                               (approx. 1 ¾ c)

1 ½ c brown rice

Mix together and store in clean dry jars or other containers with tight lids. (it looks really nice layered in bottles)

To make soup:
 

Measure 2 quarts or water into large kettle

Add 1 1/3 cups dry soup mix, 1 T. & 1 tsp. salt

Bring to boil, (use lid), reduce to simmer for about 1 -2 hours (until lentils are cooked).

Add ½ c chopped fresh onion, 2 diced carrots and 1-2 stalks celery (which has been steamed)

Add 2-8 oz cans tomato sauce and simmer for 20 minutes

Serve.

 

This is delicious like this, but if you prefer brown ½ pound of ground beef, drain and add when you add the tomato sauce.

You can also add the hamburger and raw vegetables to the dry mix and cook together, then step 5.

Optional - ¼ c chopped cabbage may also be added or any other favorite veggies.

My mom always kept this on hand, even if she wasn't making the basic soup, she could always be counted on to toss a 1/3 - 1/2 cup of the mix in with any other soup she was making - Launa S.