Method and system for producing a dehydrated whole food product

A method for producing a reconstitutable dehydrated chunky bean product so as to substantially eliminate hard beans from the bean product, the method comprising:

• a. separately hydrating first and second portions of raw beans by maintaining the entirety of said first and second portions submerged in a wetting liquid for respective first and second hydration periods so as to obtain respective first and second portions of unchopped hydrated beans;
• b. separately cooking each of said first and second portions of hydrated beans to obtain respective first and second portions of unchopped cooked beans;
• c. chopping said first portion of the cooked beans to form a composition of a desired texture;
• d. forming the texturized composition into a generally flat sheet;
• e. drying the flat sheet of texturized composition;
• f. forming the sheet into chunks;
• g. arranging the second portion of unchopped cooked beans into a stack of multiple bean layers;
• h. drying said layers of unchopped cooked beans using microwave energy;
• and
• i. adding the dried second portion of unchopped cooked beans to said chunks.

A method of hydrating a batch of raw beans having a variety of initial moisture contents, comprising:

• a. placing the raw beans into a hydration vessel;
• b. introducing a defined quantity of wetting liquid into the hydration vessel to establish a liquid level such that all of the beans are immersed in the liquid;
• c. capturing, at a location below said liquid level, beans that buoy up towards an upper portion of the hydration vessel;
• d. circulating said wetting liquid through the beans within the hydration vessel for a predetermined hydration period;
• e. after said hydration period, removing a broth formed from said liquid and beans from the hydration vessel;
• and
• f. removing the now hydrated beans from the hydration vessel.

A method for producing a reconstitutable dehydrated bean product, comprising:

• a. hydrating a first portion of raw beans by maintaining said portion submerged in a wetting liquid for a desired hydration period so as to obtain a first portion of hydrated beans;
• b. cooking said first portion of hydrated beans to obtain a first portion of cooked beans;
• c. chopping said first portion of cooked beans to form a composition of a desired texture;
• d. forming the texturized composition into a generally flat sheet;
• e. drying the flat sheet of texturized composition;
• and
• f. forming said sheet into chunks.

A method for producing a reconstitutable dehydrated bean product, comprising:

• a. hydrating a first portion of raw beans by maintaining said portion submerged in a wetting liquid for a desired hydration period so as to obtain a first portion of hydrated beans wherein the wetting liquid is selected from the group consisting of water and a broth of water and bean solids;
• b. cooking said first portion of hydrated beans to obtain a first portion of cooked beans;
• and
• c. drying the cooked beans using microwave energy such that the beans substantially maintain their shape.