Rice and Dried Beans

[MoleStomper]

I have been reading that it is best to freeze rice and beans for 48 hours before long term storage in mylar bags to kill any possible hitchhikers.  Can't get past the fact that usually once something is in the fridge or freezer it has to remained chilled.  Is there any concern with rice and dried beans?

[nj_m715]

I figured that the near zero O2 would do the trick

[RWS]

Me TOO.  I just vacuum seal rice in mason jars.  I found a recipe for a rice casserole using frozen mixed vegetables.   It looked good and the wife & I talked it over.  We figured we could use canned soup and bake it in the oven.  After cooking the rice first.  The rice I have in storage is not quick rice.  That way I can vary the dish with different types of canned soup.  Needless to say we have lots of canned soup in the storage closet.

So now we can stay home and avoid the grocery store rush.

[tlwagg]

Speaking of beans I had the best black-eyed peas at Paula Dean's restaurant in Pigeon Forge I think this is the recipe I'm going to try it this week. https://www.pauladeen.com/recipe/black-eyed-peas/

[Starlady]

LOL,  I like how the direx never included adding the ingredients I don't have (her seasoning, the hog jowl, etc), but I LOVE me some BEPs!

[tlwagg]

Her house seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

[ProGeek]

If you add food grade DE powder to the beans it kills any bugs. Rinse the beans before cooking. Never had a problem with anything in rice.

[miatadude]

I always put my beans and rice in the freezer for a week. After that, I take them out, let them come to room temperature, then vacuum seal 2 cup portions in a food sealer. Then I put the bags in 5 gallon buckets, throw in a few oxygen absorbers, seal the bucket and write the date on it. I have eaten 7 year old rice and beans and they are fine. It is an easy, cheap food prep.

[Abigayle]

For Y2K, ( dead giveaway on age), we used the five gallon bucket that could be opened with a tool of some sort.  After doing huge buckets of rice and beans, it dawned out us that the five gallon was a smarter more.  We added mylar bags of hard winter wheat, summer wheat, popcorn,  hard candy, rice and beans. Five year later, and under the light of our still functioning grid, all was well.  Everything tasted fine.  This gave us a good deal of variety in each bucket.  At that time, we were hopeful that kids and grandkids could magically appear on our doorstep, from all over the country.  Only a small scattering was nearby.  I wish we were as really now, because we had everything one would need back then... And I mean everything....

[tlwagg]

I made that Paula Deen recipe last night. They were delicious! We don't like hot so I left out the chili powder we'll have them again tonight then I'll freeze whats left for next week.