Slow cookers are perfect for cooking beans and pulses; keep in mind that the slow cookers of today represent the evolution of the classic bean pot. The first step for all bean recipes is to rinse the beans in a sieve or colander, and look them over carefully to discard any broken beans or the occasional pebble that sneaks into the bag. Also, keep in mind when you’re cooking beans to not fill the slow cooker more than one third with beans because they more than double in volume once they’re cooked.
Although guidelines are given for how long each bean recipe takes to cook, there are variables that influence this time. If beans are a few years old, they’ll take longer to cook. Also, the minerals in your tap water can retard the softening and require a longer cooking time, as can the addition of sweeteners such as maple syrup or acids such as tomatoes or wine.
Cooking beans is common sense; the larger the bean the longer it will take to soften. But it’s not necessary to pre-soak larger beans for a longer period of time than smaller beans. There’s only so much softening that goes on at no or low heat. Beans need to be gently simmered, and that’s why the slow cooker is your best friend. It’s far more patient than any pot on a stove to accomplish this task.
The chart is based on two cups of dried beans, which yields six cups of cooked beans.
BEAN TYPE |
TIME ON HIGH |
Black beans |
3 hours |
Black-eyed peas |
3 1/4 hours |
Fava beans |
2 3/4 hours |
Garbanzo beans |
31/2 hours |
Great Northern beans |
2 3/4 hours |
Kidney beans |
3 hours |
Lentils |
2 hours (no presoaking) |
Lima beans |
2 1/2 for baby, 3 1/2 for large |
Navy beans |
2 1/2 hours |
Split peas |
2 1/2 hours (no presoaking) |
White beans |
3 hours |
Keep in mind that beans should always be covered with liquid at all times while they’re cooking, so toward the end of the cooking process take a look and add boiling water if the water seems almost evaporated.