How to Cook Red Kidney Beans

1. 
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   Sort and wash the beans. Dried beans are among the most nutritious and affordable foods you'll find in your local grocery store. However, they require a little extra work before you can start cooking them. Start by pouring your beans out on a flat surface and looking for any that are shriveled or discolored. Discard these beans (and, if you find them, any small rocks).

   • Next, drop your beans into strainer and rinse them gently under a little running water. This helps to remove any small imperfections or dirt particles you may have missed.
   • The process for cooking beans is basically the same no matter how much you're cooking at once. The rest of this section will assume you're cooking 1 pound of beans ( about 3 cups dry or 6-7 cups when cooked ), which will feed four or five people easily. ^[2]
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   If you can, soak the beans overnight. Drop your rinsed and sorted beans into a large stove pot, cover them with an inch of water, and set them in the fridge overnight. They will soften slightly and absorb some of the water by the next day. They may appear larger and somewhat wrinkled. This is normal.

   • This isn't essential , but it's always a good idea if you have time. Letting the beans soak will shorten their cooking time, help them cook more evenly, and make them slightly easier to digest. In addition (there's no nice way to say this), soaked beans tend to cause less flatulence.
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   Bring the beans to a boil. If you let your beans soak overnight, pull them out of the fridge, drain them, and re-cover them with an inch of water. You can season the beans before cooking. If you didn't soak your beans, transfer them directly to the stove. Heat on "High" until the water reaches a moderate boil.

   • For seasoning you could add paprika, oregano, thyme, pepper, black pepper, and/or cayenne pepper.
   • If needed, you can keep the water from foaming or boiling over by adding a dash of vegetable or olive oil.
   • If you are using the garlic, onions, and other optional ingredients above, add them to the water as soon as you begin heating the pot.
4. 
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   Reduce the heat and allow the beans to simmer. As soon as the beans reach a healthy boil, turn the heat to "Low." The boiling should reduce to a gentle simmer. Stir gently. Leave the beans on the stone with the lid on (but tilted to allow the steam to escape).
5. 5
   Start checking for done-ness after about an hour. Dry beans almost always take a long time to cook. You may stir the beans occasionally every 15 minutes or so, but don't expect them to be anywhere near done before at least an hour or so. At this time, you may check the beans by taking one in your hands and crushing it (after it has cooled, of course). Don't eat red kidney beans that are raw or obviously undercooked. This can cause a temporary condition similar to food poisoning (see "Tips" below).

   • If the beans are even a little "crunchy," they aren't done. You want beans that are completely smooth and soft — this texture should be almost "creamy."
   • Be patient. A batch of dry beans can take anywhere from one to four hours to cook completely. Resist the temptation to crank up the heat — this will just make them cook unevenly.
6. 
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   Add a little salt when the beans are slightly tender. As soon as you notice the beans start to lose some of their "crunchy" texture, add a few teaspoons of salt to the water. This will give the beans a pleasantly savory taste.

   • Make sure that you don't add the salt before this point. Adding it before the beans have started to break down will lengthen the cooking time and make the beans cook unevenly. ^[3]
7. 7
   Cool and store the beans. Continue stirring and tasting the beans every 10 to 15 minutes. When the beans all seem to have a soft texture without a hint of "crunchiness," they're ready to eat! Let the beans cool in their cooking liquid, then serve or transfer to the fridge (keeping the beans in their liquid).

   • If you think the beans are especially watery, you can drain some of the liquid, but try to avoid pouring it all off. Leaving the beans in their cooking liquid helps maintain their texture and flavor (plus, the liquid itself is flavorful and full of nutrients). ^[4] You can even use it as a nutritious base for soups.
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Using a Pressure Cooker

1. 1
   Prepare the beans for cooking as above. Cooking in a pressure cooker (or a slow cooker, crock pot, etc.) is basically the same as the stove top process, but with a few minor changes. You'll want to start with exactly the same steps as you'd use above: sort and wash the beans, then cover them with water and let them soak overnight if you have time.
2. 
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   Put beans and water in the pressure cooker. If you soaked the beans overnight, drain the soak water and add the beans to the pressure cooker. If not, add the beans directly. Cover the beans with about an inch of water. Don't fill the cooker more than halfway. ^[5]
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   Heat to high pressure. Secure the lid and place the pressure cooker on the stove over medium-high heat. Once it reaches high pressure, reduce the heat to low to maintain the pressure. If you are using an electric pressure cooker, simply set it to the high pressure setting.

   • If you are including the garlic and optional vegetables, add them before securing the lid.
4. 4
   Count on a much quicker cooking time. Pressure cookers cook beans very quickly compared to ordinary stove top cooking. Most recipes call for anywhere between 22 and 30 minutes of cooking time. ^[6] You may want to check for done-ness after about 20–22 minutes and adjust the cooking time accordingly.

   • When the beans are done, release the pressure under cold running water, then drain and rinse the beans. ^[7]
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