lentils

[powerdog]

Has anyone actually found dirt or stones in their dried lentils? I think the wash/pick instruction was added by bean-company lawyers.

 

[butzy]

Nope, disagree.

We have a fair amount of stones in our lentils, beans etc

Maybe just because of quality control here or because the best stuff goes to the first world.

I'll definitely sort through my pulses before cooking them as dentist here charge a fortune !!!!

 

[kyheirloomer]

I've never found any in lentils or common beans, but have found them in chickpeas.

Most times, dried legumes need a good rinsing regardless, because there's lots of dust and other debris mixed in. But stones? Very rare in the U.S.

 

[french fries]

When I was a kid in France we would find stones in our lentils. Since I've been in the U.S. I've never found a single one, and I never bother rinsing legumes before using. Reading what you're saying, KYH, I realize I may want to start to!

 

[gunnar]

have found more getting lentils out of the bulk bin at the grocery store then in the small bags.

 

[leeniek]

 No, I can't say that I have found anything like that in dried legumes.  I do wash them anyway just to be safe.

 

[fl italian]

Not always, but I've found a few stones along the way.   Never hurts to rinse and check..

 

[petalsandcoco]

Always rinse at least 2-3 times cold water......nowadays you just cannot leave anything to chance. Wash.

 

[grumio]

Stones like crazy in this otherwise nifty buckwheat from Russia a local market sells...  rotten way to start the day.

 

[allie]

I have found what looked like little clumps of dried mud in pintos.  I also rinse and pick out anything that looks suspicious.

 

[kcz]

I have found plenty of stones in dried beans, but it's become less frequent in recent years.

 

[kyheirloomer]

The thing to understand with dried beans is that the majority of commercially grown ones are bush varieties which are mechanically harvested. So there is a greater chance of dirt, clods, and stones getting mixed in. Some packagers make a point of cleaning them, others don't.

 

[pete]

Working in a jail setting, we go through lots of beans.  We find (and are told about) plenty of rocks, though what I find more common are small clods of dirt that dissolve with a good rinse of the beans.  Even at home, I will do a quick glance through the beans before cooking or soaking them.  Lentils don't seem to have the problem as much, but I do find the occasional rock.  You should always do a cursory glance through any dried beans.  No company can guarentee 100% rock free dried beans.  Even the USDA understands this and has a threshold for foreign objects (rocks, dirt, insect parts) in dried beans.

 

[farosa]

As an Indian, we use alot of lentils in our cooking. My grandmother always cleaned the dry lentils before rinsing out with cold water before cooking. I do the same it never hurts to be careful.

 

[chefedb]

My wife many years ago purchases a Birds Eye package of Frozen Lima beans she prepared and served them and wound up chipping a tooth on a stone.So check even frozen.

 

[kyheirloomer]

You should always do a cursory glance through any dried beans.

I don't think so, Pete. A cursory glance is how you wind up with stones on your plate.

If you're actually concerned, the best bet is to spread the beans on a flat surface, such as a cutting board or counter top, and physically move each bean into a bowl. Any rocks and most clods will show up that way. Then a quick rinse and you're good to go.

Rocks, twigs, and other debris are only a problem because most people won't take the time to actually sort through the beans.