FOOD NEWS
Prep Beans More Efficiently With A Run In The Salad Spinner
BY CATHERINE NYORANI
Preparing beans can sometimes feel like a chore, especially when it comes to cleaning and sorting. To make the process easier and more efficient, just use a salad spinner.
For dried beans, place them in a salad spinner's basket. Fill it with enough water to cover the beans, then give them a gentle swish to loosen and remove any dirt.
Skim off any lightweight debris, such as shriveled beans or bits of husk, that float to the top and discard them. Lift the basket to reveal heavier debris, like pebbles or soil.
This debris will have sunk to the bottom, remaining in the bottom of the bowl, which makes it super easy to discard them without losing any beans.
Repeat this process several times until the water runs clear to ensure your beans are fully clean. Next comes the soaking step, which softens the beans and reduces cooking time.
Fill the spinner with fresh water and let the beans soak in it. When it's time to drain them, simply lift out the strainer basket and transfer the beans into the cooking pot.
This method can also be used for canned beans. Begin by emptying your can of beans into the salad spinner's basket and filling it with water to rinse them.
After rinsing, just give the spinner a few pumps to remove excess water, canning liquid — which often contains excess sodium — and the slippery coating on the beans' exterior.