You Asked It!

Are Your Dried Beans Old?

It is soup season and many recipes include dried beans. But how can you tell if they are old? One specific sign dried beans are old, is if they wrinkle during soaking.

As dry beans soak, they should absorb moisture through the hilum, the part of the bean that attaches to the pod. But during harvest handling and storage, dry beans can develop holes, called “checks”, due of temperature changes, moisture changes, and fungi growth. The “checks” allow water into the bean and wrinkle the skin.

Since these “checks” are difficult to see before cooking, always buy new beans and use  remaining dry beans within one year.

Source: The Science of Good Cooking, Cook’s Illustrated

 

About Karen Blakeslee

The Rapid Response Center was formed in 1995 as a resource for Kansas State University Research & Extension Agents. Resource topics included Food Science, Human Nutrition, Food Service, Textiles, Home Care and other consumer topics. Since that time, the Center has grown to be of valuable assistance to Kansas State University Extension Specialists in those areas.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *