My neighbor saw my rice cooker beans and asked why I boil canned ones for 20 minutes | Dollar Store Dinners

Charlie Ward · 2026-09-23T13:30:07.32311+00:00

I was dumping a can of black beans into a pot on my porch last Tuesday when my neighbor Marcus walked by and asked what I was doing. I told him I always boil canned beans for 20 minutes to soften them up, and he just stared at me like I had two heads. He said his abuela never cooked canned beans at all, she just rinsed them and warmed them in a pan with a little onion and cumin from the dollar store spice rack. I tried it that night with a 99 cent can, half an onion, and a packet of cumin, and it took 6 minutes total instead of 20. The beans actually held their shape instead of turning to mush, and I used the time I saved to fry up some rice. Now I'm wondering what else I've been overcooking out of pure habit. Has anyone else had a neighbor or friend call out a cooking habit you never thought twice about?

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My neighbor saw my rice cooker beans and asked why I boil canned ones for 20 minutes | Dollar Store Dinners - The Community Guide