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The Secret to Cooking Dry Beans…

 …is the Dutch oven.

I know, it just looks like a regular pot with handles.  That’s pretty much what it is, but the cool thing about it is that it can go on the stovetop AND in the oven.  Which, as it turns out, is the secret to cooking dry beans, WITHOUT EVEN HAVING TO SOAK THEM FIRST.  

Normally you have to soak them in water overnight and then boil them at just the right temperature for an hour or two while really keeping an eye on them.  And if you’ve only ever used canned beans, you’re missing out on the incredible black-beans-cooking smell and sense of accomplishment of doing it yourself.  It tastes a bit better and costs less, too.

So this is how you do it: Put the black beans in water covering them 1.5 inches, in a Dutch oven pan.  Bring the pot to a boil, while preheating the oven to 250.  Put the cover on the pot and “bake” for 90 minutes, checking halfway through to see if they need more water.  (I’ll admit I did pre-soak for just a few hours, but I don’t think it’s necessary.)  

BEHOLD: PERFECT BEANS.