Raw beans are hydrated in a hydration/wetting liquid (water or a broth of water and bean solids) in a stationary hydration vessel for an amount of time sufficient to obtain uniformly hydrated beans. In one embodiment, more wetting liquid than necessary is used. In this embodiment, the hydrated beans are separated from the excess wetting liquid remaining at the end of hydration, and all of the excess wetting liquid is used to hydrate subsequent raw beans. In a second embodiment, the hydration liquid is of an amount such that, at the end of hydration, the hydration vessel is substantially free of excess wetting liquid; here, the beans may be agitated during hydration so as to be maintained in uniform contact with the hydration liquid. In all embodiments, the hydrated beans are then steam cooked in a separate stationary cooking vessel that contains no wetting liquid.
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