How To Cook Black Beans

Learning how to cook black beans is simple. Black beans, also known as turtle beans, must be soaked for two to 24 hours before cooking and simmered in a large pot with water until they are tender. Black beans can be flavored with several different spices, onion and pork to make a high protein soup, side dish or mashed into hummus.

To cook black beans, you will need:

• Black beans
• Small onion (optional)
• Bacon (optional)
• Garlic cloves (optional)
• Large pot with lid

1. Prepare black beans for cooking. Spread black beans on a flat plate and pick through each black bean. Remove any foreign objects. Place the beans in a colander and rinse well.
2. Soak black beans. Place the black beans in a container or pot, cover with two inches of water and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours before cooking. This will shorten the cooking time. The quick soak method will cause the beans to break apart more than the slow soak. To quick soak, place the black beans in a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil for two minutes and let the black beans soak covered for two hours.
3. Cook black beans. Drain the soaking water from the black beans and add three cups of water to every cup of beans to the pot. Bring to a boil over a high heat then lower to a simmer and cook for 1-1/2 to two hours until tender. If additional water is required during cooking, boil the water first then add hot water to the pot.

Tips & Warnings:

• Flavor the black beans by adding a small chopped onion, two minced garlic cloves and a piece of bacon. Salt and pepper to taste just before serving.
• Black beans are the perfect beans to spice up with a sprinkle of chili powder and salsa when making hummus.
• Black beans are a natural food which means there may be small twigs and pebbles mixed in with the black beans. Always pick through the black beans by hand to remove any foreign objects to avoid biting down on a pebble that could break a tooth.