STOVE TOP COOKING GUIDELINES FOR
ORGANIC BEANS & SPLIT PEAS

General Cooking Guidelines for Aurora Customers regarding Beans & Split Green Peas.

The internet is a great resource for recipes and cooking instructions.  We encourage you to explore internet cooking forums and websites for additional information.

All information presented here was gathered from numerous websites and should be viewed ONLY as simple stovetop cooking guidelines for the Beans & Split Peas products carried by Aurora.

Aurora cannot be held liable or responsible for any problems resulting from these recommendations.

BLACK BEANS: 

  1. SORT/PICK/RINSE
  2. SOAK 4 to 12 HOURS, Rinse & discard soaking water.
  3. RATIO – 3 cups water to 1 cup dried beans yields 2 to 3 cups cooked beans.
  4. COOK 60 to 120 minutes, add water if necessary.

In a lidded pot bring beans with water or broth, to boil, reduce heat to Low, and remove cover.  While beans gently simmer, stir occasionally.  Do Not let it reach a 2nd boil. Cook beans until desired consistency. Check beans for doneness by mashing them against side of the pot. Once beans are tender, slightly increase heat to reduce cooking liquid into a more gravy like consistency (approx. 5 to 15 minutes)

GARBANZO BEANS (ChickPeas):

  1. SORT/PICK/RINSE
  2. SOAK 6 to 12 HOURS. For 1 cup of beans, add dash of Baking Soda to soften beans if desired. Rinse & discard soaking water.
  3. RATIO – 3 cups water to 1 cup dried beans yields 2 to 3 cups cooked beans.
  4. COOK 60 to 120 minutes, add water if necessary.

Place beans & water in large pot.  Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook until smooth and water is absorbed.  Frequently check mixture, beans absorb a lot of water as they cook.  Season to taste.

RED KIDNEY BEANS:

  1. SORT/PICK/RINSE
  2. SOAK 6 to 12 HOURS, Rinse & discard soaking water.
  3. RATIO – 4 cups water to 1 cup dried beans yields 2 to 3 cups cooked beans.
  4. COOK 90 to 150 minutes, add water if necessary.

Bring beans to a boil, with lid covered partially on saucepan.  Boil for 10 min, then Low to simmer for 30mins.  Start checking at 25min increments to test for desired consistency.  Stir occasionally to evenly cook beans. Skim foam from water if desired.  Add boiling water to pot if extra water is needed.  When done, drain the excess liquid.

NAVY BEANS (White in color):

  1. SORT/PICK/RINSE
  2. SOAK 8 to 12 HOURS, Rinse & discard soaking water.
  3. RATIO – 3 cups water to 1 cup dried beans yields 2 to 3 cups cooked beans.
  4. COOK 60 to 150 minutes, add water if necessary.

Bring to beans to a boil, with lid cover partially on saucepan. Once boiling, reduce to simmer, tilt lid to allow steam to escape, and leave to cook until desired tenderness.  Check every 15 min. as they cook. Season to taste.

PINTO BEANS:

  1. SORT/PICK/RINSE
  2. SOAK 6 to 12 HOURS, Rinse & discard soaking water.
  3. RATIO – 3 cups water to 1 cup dried beans yields 2 to 3 cups cooked beans.
  4. COOK 60 to 150 minutes, add water if necessary.

In a large, lidded pot, add spices (except salt), and if desired, 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock. Bring pot to boil, over medium high heat for 1 minute then reduce heat to gentle simmer.  Check beans and taste. Beans should be tender & creamy. If not, cook until desired consistency is reached.

GREEN SPLIT PEAS:

  1. SORT/PICK/RINSE
  2. SOAK – Green Split Peas do not need to soak. If desired, soak for no more than 2 hours.
  3. RATIO – 3 cups water to 1 cup dried peas yields 2 to 3 cups cooked peas.
  4. COOK 60 to 120 minutes, add water if necessary.

In a large pot, bring peas to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover, and cook until smooth and water is absorbed.  Frequently check mixture, stirring.  Peas absorb a lot of water as they cook.  Add more liquid if desired, season to taste.  Add vegetables and meat after peas begin to break down.  If needed, add 1/4 tsp of baking soda while cooking to help soften peas.

DETAILED INSTRUCTION STEPS

SORT / PICK / RINSE

Spread beans out on sheet pan or dish towel. Pick out any debris or broken beans.  In colander/strainer, rinse beans to wash away grit & dust.

All Beans & Split Green Peas should be rinsed in cool water before cooking.

SOAKING

Soaking is recommended for all bean types, but strongly recommended for the Red Kidney and Garbanzo Beans.  Soak rinsed beans in cool water.  Cover with 2 to 3 inches of water.  Soaking times vary by bean type. Beans should double in size.  Add more water if necessary.  Do not oversoak beans.  Over soaked beans can potentially grow harmful bacteria.  If beans are old or you require them to break apart more easily when cooking, add 1/8 tsp of baking soda and 1/42 tsp of kosher salt to soaking water per 1 cup of dried beans. After soaking, discard liquid, rinse and use fresh liquid for cooking.

Exception – The longer the soak, the more starch will leach from the beans.  If you like your bean gravy thicker, soak for less time and don’t rinse after draining soaking water.  The residual starch should help naturally thicken the bean gravy and enhance the bean taste.

Drain and rinse when done.

BENEFITS OF BAKING SODA

Baking soda helps soften hard tap water. Not only does the addition of baking soda to soaking and/or cooking water add sodium ions, it helps remove minerals from the water which helps weaken the cell wall of beans causing the beans to soften.                                                 

Beans are particularly gas-inducing because they contain raffinose sugars, a complex sugar that human bodies poorly digest. Adding baking soda to water while soaking helps decrease the raffinose sugars.

STOVE TOP COOKING GUIDELINES
FOR ORGANIC LENTILS

General Cooking Guidelines for Aurora Customers regarding Lentils.

The internet is a great resource for recipes and cooking instructions.  We encourage you to explore internet cooking forums and websites for additional information.

All information presented here was gathered from numerous websites and should be viewed ONLY as simple cooking guidelines for the Lentil products carried by Aurora.

Aurora cannot be held liable or responsible for any problems resulting from these recommendations. 

ORGANIC BROWN LENTILS:

  1. SORT/PICK/RINSE
  2. SOAK – If desired – 1 to 2 hours
  3. RATIO – 2.5 cups water to 1 cup Lentils yields approx. 2 ½ cups cooked lentils.
  4. COOK – 20 to 30 minutes

Bring liquid and lentils to boil.  Add seasonings to pot, reduce heat, cover & simmer until tender, but whole.  Add more liquid if needed.  When done drain excess liquid.

Mild, earthy flavor – good for Soups, Stews & Side Dishes

ORGANIC GREEN LENTILS:

  1. SORT/PICK/RINSE
  2. SOAK – If desired – 1 to 2 hours
  3. RATIO – 2.5 cups water to 1 cup Lentils yields approx. 2 ½ cups cooked lentils.
  4. COOK – 25 to 35 minutes

Bring liquid and lentils to boil.  Add seasonings to pot, reduce heat, cover & simmer until tender, but whole.  Add more liquid if needed.  When done drain excess liquid.

Mild, earthy flavor – good for Soups, Stews & Side Dishes

ORGANIC FRENCH GREEN LENTILS:

  1. SORT/PICK/RINSE
  2. SOAK – If desired – 1 to 2 hours
  3. RATIO – 2.5 cups water to 1 cup Lentils yields approx. 2 ½ cups cooked lentils.
  4. COOK – 18 to 30 minutes

Bring liquid and lentils to boil.  Add seasonings to pot, reduce heat, cover & simmer until tender, but whole.  Add more liquid if needed.  When done drain excess liquid.

Thick skinned, greenish blue & speckled.  Robust, slightly peppery flavor – good as Side Dish, in Salad, Pasta or Light Soup.

ORGANIC RED LENTILS SPLIT:

  1. SORT/PICK/RINSE
  2. SOAK – If desired – 30 minutes in cool water
  3. RATIO – 2 cups water to 1 cup Lentils yields approx. 2 cups cooked lentils.
  4. COOK – 12 to 15 minutes

Bring liquid and lentils to a boil. Reduce heat, cover & simmer until they are tender. Remove from heat & allow lentils to sit for 5 min. Drain excess liquid.  Season to taste.

Sweet Nutty flavor.  Add spices or seasonings to make a thickener in soups or for purees.

RINSE AND PICK

All Lentils should be rinsed in cold water before cooking. Use a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth to complete the rinse process.  Remove all foreign objects like dust, debris, or hard pieces. 

SOAKING

It is not necessary to soak Lentils, but if you choose to do so, soak for 30 minutes  to 2 hours.

The process of soaking removes the gas-causing elements from the lentils. While legumes contain complex oligosaccharides, a type of complex sugar responsible for bloating and gas. Post-soaking, the complex sugar is remarkably reduced thereby easing gas troubles. Additionally, soaking also reduces the cooking time of lentils and legumes.

BRINING LENTILS (do not Brine Red Split Lentils)

Brining the lentils help them to hold their shape better.  The process softens the outer shell making it more pliable and reducing the chance of the lentils bursting while cooking.

After rinsing, transfer lentils to a medium-sized bowl, soak in 4 cups of warm salt water (110°F/43°C) for 1 hour (1 tsp salt to 4 cups water).  The hour allows the brine to hydrate and be absorbed by the lentil, reducing the time to cook.  Drain and rinse with cold water.

In saucepan, set liquid you will be cooking the lentils in, to boil. Reduce to simmer. Move lentils into simmering liquid.  The liquid should completely cover the lentils. Cook for about 10 to 15 min. over very low heat with minimal agitation.

LENTILS NOT SOFTENING

Lentils usually softened after soaking then boiling them, however if, after simmering for reasonable length of time, you can try to add a bit of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) while simmering.  No more than half a teaspoon will do.  Do not add more, it might catch too much of that baking soda taste and ruin it all.

DO LENTILS TAKE LONGER TO COOK AT HIGH ALTITUDES?                                                                    

Lower air pressure causes boiling water to evaporate more quickly in a high-altitude location. Boiled foods like lentils take longer to cook at high altitudes and may require more liquid than at sea level.  As altitude increases, the atmospheric pressure decreases making the boiling point decrease. To compensate for the lower boiling point, the cooking time must be increased. Turning up the heat will not help lentils cook faster.

SHELF LIFE for LENTILS                                     

For optimum use, taste and cooking – Packaged lentils can be stored in a cool, dark, dry location for up to 6 months after Best if Used By Date. Transferring open packages to airtight containers can help take advantage of this longer shelf life. The longer the lentils are stored, the drier they become, and the cooking time will probably take longer with the lentils not breaking down, no matter how long they are cooked. Older lentils take much longer to cook and often shed their skin during cooking.          Cooked lentils can last in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.  Prepared lentils can be stored in airtight containers and kept in freezer for up to three months.                                                 

ALTERNATIVE COOKING OPTIONS                    

Lentils are cooked as soon as they are tender and no longer crunchy.

1) COOKING LENTILS IN OVEN

Only recommended for Black or French Lentils. Using a Dutch oven, this method provides a gentler cooking process as the indirect heat evenly surrounds the entire Dutch oven.

Set oven to 325°F (163°C) and move oven rack to middle position.  For 1 cup lentil, add 4 cups water and ½ teaspoon salt. Place Dutch oven container into oven.  Cooking time is approx. 20 to 50 min. After 20 min., check every 5 min. until desired tenderness is reached.  Yields approx. 3 cups cooked lentils.

2) COOKING LENTILS IN RICE COOKER

Combine 1 cup of dried lentils in 2 cups of water. This yields about 2 cups of cooked lentils.  Cook time 20 to 40 minutes.

3) PRESSURE COOKER (ELECTRIC) / INSTANT POT

Red Lentils: These are commonly used in Indian dal and soft dishes like soups and curries. They break down quickly and become creamy, making them the perfect thickening agent for stews, soups, and purées.  For a soup/stew/curry cook red lentils with other added ingredients for about 10 minutes at high pressure. This gives them plenty of time to disintegrate and melt into those other ingredients, thereby naturally thickening the texture. If only cooking red lentils in plain water, they just need 2-3 minutes to get mushy.  Cook 1 cup dry lentils with 2 cups liquid.  Yields approx. 2.5 cups.

Brown and Green Lentils: Both these lentils are versatile, so the ideal cook time depends on the desired outcome. To keep them whole and on the firmer side, cook for 6-9 minutes at high pressure. This is great when they are added to salads, grain bowls, or in a wrap. Cook them for 10-12 minutes to be softer or 15 to 20 minutes to break down and become mushy. This last option is ideal for a puréed dish, soup or stew.  Cook 1 cup dry lentils to 2.5 cups liquid on high pressure.  Yields approx. 3 cups. When cooking time is done, hit the Quick Release valve.