Sprouting Black Beans??

[alexa52]

Anyone had experience sprouting black beans? What is the process?

Do you eat the sprouts and then cook the beans after the sprout?

Thanks.
Alexa
http://52perfectdays.com

[janetms383]

Did you intentionally sprout your beans? Dried beans properly stored shouldn't sprout. They need moisture to encourage growth.

If you are encouraging the sprouts, they will use the dried bean as nutrients to grow and the result will only be the sprout.

If they sprouted in your pantry, I'd toss them.

[alexa52]

I want to start sprouting. I read the beans have more nutrients if they sprout, but I haven't done it yet.
Alexa
http://52perfectdays.com/ideas/food

[janetms383]

I'm confused how beans can have more nutrients when sprouted. Beans are seeds. When you sprout them, the sprout uses the bean as fuel to grow, then it is the sprouts that have the nutrients.

Regardless, black beans sprouts should be cooked because when they are raw, they are hard to digest

[MikeG]

Depends how you define nutrients - vitamin content both increases and decreases, I think (more C, less of some B), protein content increases slightly, I think, but carb content presumably drops. Otherwise, total nutrient content shouldn't be much changed, albeit it's form changes.

But I can't imagine sprouting kidney-type beans - just sounds wrong :) and I can't imagine they'd taste normal if you tried to cook them the same way sprouted as un-sprouted. I guess you could - for no particular reason - trying separating what's left of the "bean" and cooking them up but that'd be a huge amount of work and probably would taste weird, at best.

If the OP means black soybeans, that could work, maybe, I don't know if they taste different from regular soybeans, or what.

To the OP: if you want to try sprouts, I'd start with beans that are usually sprouted - like mung, soy or adzuki, then try branching out (no pun intended.;) )

[alexa52]

I did a little more research. I found this info at this link: http://www.ellenskitchen.com/recipebox/beanpeas.html -- Sprouted beans cook in about ½ the usual time. Sprouting beans increases vitamins and protein, reduces carbohydrate and reduces gas.

And I also found this link http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2005nl/june/050600mary.htm with this info: Sprouting beans: One reliable way to "de-gas" legumes is to sprout them first. Cover beans with water for 12 hours, drain off water, lay damp paper towels on the bottom of a baking dish, spread out beans on the moist towels, then let them sprout for the next 12 hours. When you notice tiny white shoots (1/16") beginning to appear they are ready to cook. (There will not be green shoots and leaves.) The tiny plant is utilizing the indigestible sugars for growth. Needless to say, beans will take less time to cook after sprouting.

http://www.sproutpeople.com/seed/blackbean.html
Seed to Sprout in 2-4 Days
Yield = 2:1
Seed Shelf Life at 70° = 5 years
Sprout Shelf Life = 2-4 weeks

But it does look like black beans aren't the most optimal to sprout. I guess I will stick to seeds mostly!
Alexa
http://52perfectdays.com/ideas/food

[Maya.design]

Hi Alexa.
Did you you ever sprout your beans?
I am a bean lover and go to great lengths to get sprouted rather than dry beans. Frequently I go to the farmers market just so that I can get them. There's an enormous taste and consistency difference. Once you go sprouted you won't go back.
People rave about my beans (no matter what kind I make and that's the difference. I make whatever my sprout guy happens to have from traditional black beans to those small reds, to black eyed peas, to chick peas.
Today I bought some sprouting jars and was going to give it a shot myself. If you gave it a try and have any words of wisdom, please let me know.
Thanks:)
-Maya

[jvanderh]

If you're just looking for the tiny white shoots she mentioned, boil the beans 5 minutes and then put the beans/water in the fridge for a day or two.

[dindixie]

I've sprouted black beans, and yes, I cook them after the sprout. Raw bean sprouts shouldn't be eaten frequently, but cooked, sprouted beans are great! (Sprouted kidney beans and soy are reputed to be toxic.)

I've been sprouting for several years now, but only recently began sprouting cooking beans just this past summer. http://www.growyouthful.com/recipes/sprouts.php This link gives some reasons as to why beans and grains should be soaked and sprouted.

I've found that sprouting the beans prior to cooking does remove a substantial portion of gas problems associated with beans. I've sprouted chickpeas, black beans, pinto beans, and great northern, all with good results - and it does cut down the cooking time a little, but not quite to half. When you sprout the beans, you soak overnight, and then rinse 2-3 times per day for 2-4 days. If I'm sprouting beans to cook, I only look for a tiny rootlet prior to cooking - 1/16 to 1/8 inch long. Some sites say to let the rootlet get as long as the bean, but my family squawks about that, so I cook them shorter.

I seriously doubt you can cook beans 5 minutes, stick 'em in the fridge for a day or two and expect to see tiny sprouts: https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/information_center/all_about_beans_legumes.htm (look under the "sprouting" heading).

More information on sprouting: http://sproutpeople.org/sprouts/grow/sprouting.html

http://www.primalseeds.org/sprouting.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprouting

http://sprouting.org/

Just an additional FYI - soaking and sprouting brown rice prior to cooking improves the flavor. It's the only way I can get my fussy husband and children to eat brown rice. (Just be aware that sprouting rice takes pre-planning.)

[jvanderh]

It works. I think because beans are so hard and dry, the water cools before the bean is damaged, but the heat is enough to encourage germination.