storing dry beans

[dolfinonmi]

how long can you keep dry beans before they go bad? I have some pintos that have been stored in glass canning jars for a couple of years. They are looking dark in color compared to fresh one and am just wondering how long you can safely keep and use them. Thanks for any info.

[Palooka]

Some opinions may differ, but no longer than a year with me. Stored in glass jars and away from sunlight.

I would give them a test cook before you try to make something with them. Older beans take longer to cook and might stay hard.

[greekislandgirl]

Try cooking them in a pressure cooker if you can't get them to cook in a regular pot. I know that some people claim that old beans "just never cook" but if you put them in a pressure cooker I bet they will turn out just fine. I cook beans in mine constantly and some of the beans I've cooked have been up to 4 years old and came out perfectly (and I'm picky, too!).

However, ideally buy your beans once per year in the fall (October, I think, is the time to buy them - once the previous year's harvest is not on store shelves anymore) and try to use them up within a year or 18 months.