Q: Am making soup and the recipe calls for adding cans of beans undrained...

A

andreaindc

Well-known member
I always drain and rinse kidney beans, garbanzo beans, etc. because the sludgy liquid looks so gross. Is there a reason to add undrained as opposed to drained beans? What is that liquid? Does anyone here use undrained beans?

 
I do, sometimes. It adds body to the soup, and depth, but that can also be...

...achieved by pureeing some of the beans and adding them back into the soup.

Adding the liquid will increase the gassy side of things as well.... not necessarily a problem in our house (2 teenage boys).

Michael

 
Andrea, the liquid is

bean juice, salt, and any additives listed on the can. Raw beans are put into the cans, filled with water containing salt and any additives listed on the cans, the cans are sealed, and they are processed/cooked.

The sealing/canning/cooking/sterilizing all happens at the same time.

When I use canned beans, I rinse to get rid of some of the salt.

 
Thanks, Richard. I had no idea the beans were processed in the cans.

Although to be honest, I don't think I ever gave it a second thought. I did add some pureed beans to thicken the soup, but will also be sure to taste for salt.

 
Nice summary of the amount of salt in beans: rinsed/drained etc

From CookingLight via cnn.com {linked)

Here's a look at the sodium content of various canned black beans on the market, and how label reading, and rinsing and draining, contribute to sodium savings. Always check labels as different brands may vary slightly.

• 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained = 859 milligrams

• 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained = 815 milligrams

• 1 (15.5-ounce) can 50%-less-salt black beans, rinsed and drained = 780 milligrams

• 1 (15-ounce) can organic black beans, rinsed and drained = 420 milligrams

• 1 (15-ounce) can unsalted black beans, rinsed and drained = 90 milligrams

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/diet.fitness/10/14/cl.sodium.savvy/index.html

 
That's how they do tuna too. So Dawn_MO suggested the bigger the can, the bigger the tuna pieces.

She's absolutely right. Of course, you have to think ahead before opening one of those 3 lb cans of tuna, even if the pieces are nice and big.

 
I have been cooking beans in bulk and freezing them in zip-loc bags in

3-4 cup increments. This next time I am going to drain them and flash freeze them on a cookie sheet and then store them in the bags. I slightly undercook the pintos and cannellinis because I tend to use them more in soups or stews. It is working out great and I have used up my stock that I made. It's easy enough to do one bean a day or so, so that it isn't overwhelming. The only sodium in these beans are what are naturally in them. And an added bonus is how economical they are.

 
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