How to Presoak Dry Beans

If you are cooking with dry beans, you will have to presoak them before cooking.

There are two ways to presoak dry beans – the quick soak & overnight soak.  Rinse beans before you start cooking.

Quick Soak

Place the beans in large saucepan with about 7 cups water. Bring to rapid boil on medium high heat, and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain soak water and rinse beans. If you use Lima beans I prefer to peel them (I would rather spend 10 minutes on that than having white peels floating in my soup or stew).

Overnight Soak

Place beans in  large saucepan with about 7 cups water. Cover and let stand overnight, or at least 6-8 hours. Drain soak water and rinse. Again I would also peel the Lima beans as I don’t like the peels from the beans floating in the soup or stew.