Cooking pinto beans in a pressure cooker
So I have read some of the questions and answers regarding soaking and cooking pinto beans and I am still trying to figure out the best process for my needs. I cook a bunch of pinto beans at one time and then freeze them. Because I cook a lot of beans at a time, I like using the pressure cooker. My main concern is loss of nutrients. I have been soaking the beans for 24 hours and then cooking them in a pressure cooker. Does this method compare well to others in retention of nutrients?
Best Answer
There doesn't seem to be much of a difference in nutrition between pressure cooking and boiling beans. Cooking at pressure cooker temperatures at 10, 20, or 40 minutes instead of boiling in a pot changed the nutrition/antinutrient content and digestibility by less than 5%.
Soaking prior to cooking was generally found to be advantageous. However, the results were not unanimous, and it didn't change very much in terms of nutrition. Soaking and discarding the water was found to:
- reduce the carbohydrate fraction and maintain/increase fiber content.
- reduce mineral content, but increase bioavailability.
- reduce the oligosaccarides that cause flatulence.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814604004649
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2621.2010.02395.x
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How long do I pressure cook pinto beans?
Close the Instant Pot lid and turn the steam release valve to the sealing position. Pressure cook on high pressure: 30 minutes for unsoaked beans or 15 minutes for soaked beans.How long does it take to pressure cook beans in a pressure cooker?
Place seasoning and beans in pressure cooker. Cover with about 1 1/2 inches of hot water over the level of the beans. Be sure to not fill the cooker over half way. Cook for 22 to 30 minutes, depending on the variety.What is the ratio of beans to water in a pressure cooker?
All you need to do to cook beans in the instant pot is add them into your pot, followed by 2 \u2013 3x that amount of water. So if you're using 1 cup of dried beans (unsoaked), you'd follow that with about 2 \u2013 3 cups of water.Pressure Cooked Pinto Beans
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Answer 2
First I have to wonder just what nutrition you are expecting to get from pinto beans? There isn't that much there to begin with, but most of what is there is probably washed away with the water assuming you pour that off to keep the beans.
But still, the pressure cooker is my method of choice for making pintos. FWIW I always use beef or chicken broth in the pressure cooker when preparing my beans, it really helps to infuse the meaty flavor into the beans. When preparing beans for my chili recipe I will also slice up a jalapeno or two. You don't need to soak the beans prior to putting them into the pressure cooker, but a good rinse and sort is in order.
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