Storing Cooked Beans

by Irene
(Wellington New Zealand)

Hi, could you please advise if it's best to freeze chickpeas cooked in bulk? Or can they be stored in airtight jars in the fridge? If so, do we add the cooking water to the jar?

Thank you!

Hi Irene - Storing the beans with the cooking water is personal preference. Personally, I do keep some of the soaking water when storing my beans because it is flavorful.

When you store beans in the refrigerator, they will only last 4 days, tops, before they start to get yucky -- you will only make the mistake ONCE of storing them too long in the fridge before eating them because they give off a MOST unpleasant aroma if they sit too long.

To store in the freezer, be sure to break them up into batches that make sense (1, 2, or 3 cup batches, depending on the number of people in your household). Then defrost in the refrigerator (takes about 24 hours). We use sealer bags for freezer storage.

By the way, no matter which way you choose to store them, be sure the beans are cooled completely first. Otherwise they can grow unhealthy bacteria in the middle of the container even as the sides cool. Not to mention it could bring the temperature of your fridge or freezer down putting the rest of your food in jeopardy. xo Sassy

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Storing Cooked Beans

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Mar 03, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		Rinsing cooked beans
by: Small Footprints

That was really an informative article ... thank you.

I was wondering whether rinsing stored beans would help them to last in the refrigerator?

Thanks so much!

Mar 05, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		Storing Cooked Beans
by: Jaime

I have found that when I store cooked beans in the refrigerator they only last about 2 days. I put them in individual baggies, as Sassy suggested, in 1 1/2 cup portions and thaw as I go along. I find that they are ALMOST as convenient as canned beans, but much better for you (because of the sodium) and far cheaper.
Mar 08, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		Rinsing beans after cooking...
by: Sassy

Hi Again -- I have stored beans in the fridge both rinsed and not rinsed, and I personally have not noticed that they last longer one way or the other. But storing beans in their cooking liquid helps the beans to stay tender and yummy, whereas without the liquid they can get a bit dried out.
Mar 12, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		tip for cooking garbanzo beans
by: Laura

A great tip for cooking garbanzo beans is to soak them 8 - 12 hours, remove from liquid (save it and refrigerate) place the beans on a cookie sheet/pizza pan and freeze. Then remove from freezer, place in bean soak water, and cook as usual. They take only half the time to cook, as the freezing breaks down the bean somewhat. Another tip for any beans, is to use about 1 1/2 inches of kombu seaweed (or a quarter of a dried stick) in the water when cooking the beans. It causes the beans to cook faster and be more tender. When the beans are done, I fish out the seaweed and eatit! Garbanzo beans cook this way, with freezing and kombu, in about a half an hour!
Mar 14, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		Garbanzo Beans
by: Anonymous

I find that if I soak my garbanzos for 8 or 9 hours, drain off the soaking water and rinse the beans, then put them back in the pan they were soaked in and cover them with water to about an inch above them and then bring them to a boil, turn down the flame as low as possible, cover the pot and cook for 30 to 40 minutes depending on what degree of doneness you prefer, the beans will be perfect. I don't understand why recipes say it takes up to 3 hours for them to get done.
Apr 27, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		I can my own beans
by: Anonymous

I make sodium free cooked beans and can them in a pressure canner. This tool is under $60, and you can also use it to can soups or lots of stuff from the garden that is low-acid, like veggies. You can make a lot all at once this way and conveniently store in your pantry.

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