Question of the Week:

After using uncooked beans or rice as weights to prebake a pie shell, can they be cooked and eaten? 

While it’s safe to cook and eat beans and rice after using them as weights, we don’t advise doing so because their quality deteriorates. The structure of both is altered in the baking process, compromising their ability to absorb water. Not only will they take longer to fully cook and become tender, but their flavors also will be affected.