Most recipes that call for pre-baking pie shells say to fill the crust with beans before baking. But they never tell you what to do with the beans after the shell is baked. I can't stand to throw good food away, and beans certainly fall into that category.

So... Can I use the beans for cooking, after they have been used as pie weights?

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 11:17 pm: Edit

no, but they last forever and can be used again, and again.
but, if you put another pie pan on top of your dough and then turn both over and bake like that,upside down, it comes out just as nice and even and you have less shrink-edge from the dough.
don't forget to grease and flour the bottom of the top pan.

By Adelie (Adelie) on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 11:24 pm: Edit

Wow - what a good idea! I never thought of that. Sheesh! I'll try it the next time I do a pie.

Thanks!

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 11:37 pm: Edit

it may even take less time to bake so you may want to waych it the first time.
this depends on what kind of oven you have, how well it's dialed in and if your using a baking sheet.
pie dough continues to bake and color for about 3 mins after you take it out.

By Adelie (Adelie) on Wednesday, January 28, 2004 - 11:58 pm: Edit

OK, I've got this all noted in my personal recipe collection. I have a regular consumer GE oven that seems to be pretty accurate - assuming that the separate oven thermometer is also accurate.

I'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks!

By Adelie (Adelie) on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 02:24 pm: Edit

Just for curiosity's sake: Why can't dried beans be cooked after having been used a pie weights? Does the brief baking change them in some undesirable way?

By Kinglear (Kinglear) on Friday, January 30, 2004 - 09:01 pm: Edit

Yes, baking the dried beans will evaporate the moisture from them. Yes, there is moisture inside that dry thing-ever try to cook dried beans that are about 5 years old? They never soften.
I also use old coffee beans that I've gotten as gifts as pie weights. You know, those nasty tasting flavored ones, like southern pecan? I also use cheap rice. I also have kept the same bag of beans/rice/old coffee pie weights for about 10 years.
One question about the method of blind baking using two pie pans-doesn't this method crush your fluted edge pattern out of shape?

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 10:53 am: Edit

"One question about the method of blind baking using two pie pans-doesn't this method crush your fluted edge pattern out of shape?".....
this is not used if you want fluted edges, only if your going to fill with cold or bake the filling. you always back off the baking time if your going to fill and bake again, because the filling will replace what moisture you've lost in the crust, and it(the crust) won't be to dryed out. it's also good cause if you've ever notice the layer of white at the bottom of pies? thats unbaked dough. this step avoids that and you get crust baked all the way through. does that make sence? BUT, if your good and want the fluted edge---make a rope out of dough and place on the edge after you have pre-baked the shell, attach with egg wash, and then make your design or attach the top layer of dough and pinch it, like a new bride.

By Adelie (Adelie) on Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 11:54 am: Edit

I never thought of using that evil chemical coffee. Doesn't it flavor the crust?

By Kinglear (Kinglear) on Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 03:03 pm: Edit

Those beans should not flavor the crust if you line it with foil or parchment before adding the beans. After the first round in the oven, most of the flavor of those nasty coffee beans is gone anyway.

By Adelie (Adelie) on Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 04:41 pm: Edit

Good idea. I'll try it, if I ever get cursed with some of that stuff again. Thanks -

By Mattuk (Mattuk) on Wednesday, July 21, 2004 - 06:59 am: Edit

i prefer to use rice, smaller grains gets into the corners better, also lasts for ages

By Foodpump (Foodpump) on Thursday, November 04, 2004 - 04:21 pm: Edit

I use rice or "on special this week" lentils all tucked up in a foil pouch. I've seen some pastry chefs use lead shot sewn up in canvas bags, smooth pepples, even cherry stones. For small (3 - 6") individual shells, I like to use the upside-down method, usually I put another baking tray on top of the upside down shells to weight them down a little so they don't puff up and have distorted shapes