I don't hink they "go bad"-- but they will definitely take longer to cook!

Why will they take longer to cook?

As they age they dry out (even more) and get harder.

At less than $2 for a bag, why not buy a new one? I don't want to be wasteful, but what if you spend all the time soaking and cooking and they don't turn out?

I have a question. ? Why would you bother to go to the trouble to can dried beans? IMHO, storing them as dry is simpler. Just my wondering.....

CA Kate,

Canned beans are far more convenient. if you decide to cook something last minute. You can dump a jar of canned beans into a pot and have food onn the table as soon as they are warm. Dry beans require forethought and soaking. I would preserve most beans in dry form, but keep several jars of various canned beans on hand, as well.

CA Kate,

For me it's partially for convenience and partially because the canned beans I can buy have been tough and not very good. Because of food allergies, I can only buy certain plain beans. I used to get Bush's pinto beans, but now have trouble finding them. Other brands aren't worth eating.

I just cooked some very old Great Northern white beans. They cooked on top of the stove for two or three hours and were okay, but not great. I put them in the fridge in the pot and put them back on the next night with additional water and simmered about thirty minutes to an hour. They were great.

I cooked a new package of pintos, without soaking. in only about an hour and half. They were also good.

I will bring old beans to a boil and then put in frig overnight. (I have quit soaking and draining the beans of any kind.) I don’t think it would be worth the trouble to can, but I have found that they freeze well. I also have found that I no longer like any canned beans. They used to be fine, but have an odd taste now.

You could try a soften test. Take a dozen or so beans and soak them for a day or two. If they swell, they can still cook well. If they stay hard and don't swell, you know they are too dry to cook up well.

Since they are old, if they pass the soften test... try adding a smidge of baking soda to your soak water. That can help with older beans.

I don't buy canned beans anymore, I do all mine from dry. Except kidney beans, those I have a couple cans of for the rare batch of kidney bean chili. Otherwise, I cook up a pound at a time when I need some and freeze the remainder in a couple pint containers. We eat a lot of beans, and the commercial cans have a lot of sodium in them. I cook mine without salt and use salt when I'm making the dish that has beans in it. I make my own refries in batches as well, and those I season up during the cooking.

I guess having beans at-the-ready makes sense. I have a few cans of beans for such needs, but then I don't have any food problems and never thought about canning my own.

I'm really glad to read about freezing them. I recently cooked up too many Corona beans. I measured out packets and froze them, but didn't know what I would get. I now have great hopes for future meals.

I do the same when I cook dried beans - just make a big batch, unseasoned, and freeze the extra in pint jars.