Other Tips Buying Beans Buy from a store that sells lots of beans. Fresh beans taste better and take less time to cook. Beans should be uniform in size. Look for beans that have unshrivled skins, are brightly colored and are free of dust. Small holes found in beans indicate that they are infested with bugs.
Beans sold in bulk often cost much less than others sold in small packages.
Storage Beans will last indefinitely when stored in a tightly sealed glass jar in a cool, dry place. Do not refrigerate beans, as dampness tends to make them tough. Before soaking, beans should be sorted to eliminate all foreign debris such as rocks and dirt. Afterwards, rinse beans thoroughly. The vast majority of beans only need four hours to soak.