I cook black beans by just throwing them in their dry, unsoaked state into a pot of boiling water, covering, reducing to simmer for about 90 minutes or so. The first time I use low-sodium vegetable stock for the beans, and subsequent times I use the previous day's bean cooking liquid.
I've found that instead of discarding the water, if I re-use it in the next batch, the beans will taste even better.
Yesterday, I made more 'baked beans' style beans, starting from twice re-used black bean cooking liquid. The taste after reducing was amazing. I'm thinking of using the leftover beans/bean-juice-gravy as a base for making more black beans today.
That said, am I going to die? Is it safe to keep re-using the bean liquid, or is there a danger that builds each time you re-use the liquid?
>bean liquid
>>7884166
You're cooking the beans and the liquid, so you should be killing off anything that might pose a medical risk. If you wanna play it safe you should put the liquid in an airtight container between uses. You should definitely throw the stuff away as soon as it starts to taste or smell funky.
>>7884166
>That said, am I going to die? Is it safe to keep re-using the bean liquid, or is there a danger that builds each time you re-use the liquid?
Of course it isn't safe. The reasons are those you are obviously aware of. The water and beans contain (spore-forming) pathogens, the water contains nutrients after cooking. Therefore, pathogens will multiply and/or produce toxins. It would only be safe for a limited number of uses and time if you were to cool the water in between like you would any food item.
This technique is much safer and more effective in a pressure cooker, since you can cook a new batch every 10 minutes, rather than doing it over multiple days.
>>7884170
Bean broth is probably a better term. It's basically low-sodium vegetable broth that gains a 'black bean' taste the more it's used to cook black beans. So the beans end up more flavorful.
>>7884174
> If you wanna play it safe you should put the liquid in an airtight container between uses
Oh yeah, definitely.
I used to keep re-using this covered glass/pyrex dish every night for chicken - I'd fill it with seasoned broth/marinade and braise chicken thighs in it, 3 every night, skin-on, until half done - then remove the lid and broil until the skin was crispy. I'd then remove the thighs to eat, put the lid back on, and stick it in the fridge. Would do this for weeks at a time, until there was so much chicken fat in the dish that the entire thing would congeal into a solid, jello-like mass when refridgerated.
>>7884174
Many common pathogens are spore-forming and do not die in boiling water. So OPs process just cultivates an ever-growing colony of microbes until there's enough of them to cause infection. He may also be amassing bacterial toxins, most of which are also heat-stable.
>>7884166
soaking and draining beans makes them less gassy. reusing the water makes them more gassy prob
>>7884219
I haven't noticed any gas at all. But I eat at least 3-5 cups of beans every day so maybe I have some sort of immunity.
>>7884224
>3-5 cups a day
the fuck? anyway, ive always found a couple hour soak in hot water or over night in cold works for me. Wouldnt of thought theres any danger with it
That makes mustard gas
>>7884239
>the fuck?
Cheap protein, relatively healthy, tastes good, can be used in a lot of dishes. What's not to like?
>>7884246
Only if you haven't built up a bean gas immunity
>>7884250
>What's not to like?
eating the same fucking thing every day, for starters
>>7885964
There are tons of ways to use beans, especially if you have multiple kinds. Bean burgers, falafel, hummus or other bean pate/dip, tacos, lentil kraut bierocks, soups (minestrone, black bean soup, etc), curry dishes, salad (green, pasta, bean salad)... There's endless opportunity there.
I just boil down the water in the pot so that there's never any left over boiling water.
