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In the UK I used to soak all my beans overnight. I still do here actually. However, on some of the packets here, they say "Quick soak" and have instructions for boiling and rinsing instead of soaking overnight. I don't really think that's very safe.

Does anyone do the quick soak?

dianey @ Tue 26 Feb, 2008 Wrote:
In the UK I used to soak all my beans overnight. I still do here actually. However, on some of the packets here, they say "Quick soak" and have instructions for boiling and rinsing instead of soaking overnight. I don't really think that's very safe.

Does anyone do the quick soak?


Yes...

Wash dried beans, check for any stones/gravel. Place in a pot and cover with about 3 inches of cold water, bring to a boil and boil for two/three minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for an hour.

However, with some beans, such as great northern beans/white kidney beans/black beans I don't even soak them at all. However with red kidney beans, even if you soak them overnight or the quick method you should boil them for at a least tow or three minutes to ensure those groovy toxins are eliminated.

Actually, the quick soak also reduces their...tootiness too...as it prevents them from fermenting.

Andrew :)

Thanks Maczip.

I later found a site that had all the amount of hours needed for soaking and as I am making mixed bean casserole I only needed to soak for 8 hours max on most of them.

I'll try your way next time (obviously you've lived to tell the tale)

But I didn't realize until I went to this website that some beans don't even require any soak black eye beans, for example.
What was the site?
Sorry Oddie, I looked last week and have just looked again for the same site and can't find it now. Should have book marked it, can't remember what I typed in to google to find it.
I made some bean soup last night and I soaked for 8 hours and boiled for 2 1/2. Its very good, but the problem is that I've got about 8 gallons of the stuff Smile

Is it true that beans are poisonous w/o soaking? My MIL didn't seem to believe me.
I was always told they could potentially be poisonous without soaking. I'd never even heard of the quick soak thing in the UK.
Red kidney beans contain a toxin called Phytohaemagglutinin, plant lectin, which is a sugar binding protein. It can cause severe gastric distress, including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Under-cooked beans can be more toxic than raw and it only takes 4 to 6 beans to bring on symptoms.
Cannellini and Fava beans also contain this toxin but in much smaller amount.

marmitemaniac Wrote:
Red kidney beans contain a toxin called Phytohaemagglutinin, plant lectin, which is a sugar binding protein. It can cause severe gastric distress, including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Under-cooked beans can be more toxic than raw and it only takes 4 to 6 beans to bring on symptoms.
Cannellini and Fava beans also contain this toxin but in much smaller amount.


no kidding. once suffered this and now i won't go near dried kidney beans. was very nasty.SadRolling Eyes

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