Bean soup
#2
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 4,688
It has been a long time since I handled my beans this way. I pre-soak my beans in boiling water for an hour to hour and a half before I put them in the slow cooker and they are fine after 7-8 hours on low. I they don't seem to soften up as well if they are soaked. That said, I would put them on high to speed up the softening,
#5
I soak them overnight and then simmer for 1 hour, drain, rinse and then make my recipe. For baked beans, my recipe calls for all of the above plus 6 hours in a 300 degree oven after combining with the other ingredients.
Since I learned that adding salt inhibits the beans from softening, I omit it until I am ready to season the dish. Has made a tremendous difference in the time needed.
Since I learned that adding salt inhibits the beans from softening, I omit it until I am ready to season the dish. Has made a tremendous difference in the time needed.
#6
I cook beans all the time and when that has happened to me the beans were old. Sometimes no amount of cooking is going to make them soft. They'll eventually be edible but will still be dry tasting. I have even thrown them in a pressure cooker and still could not get them soft!
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 353
If you salt beans before they cook, you can cook them forever and they will always stay hard. I rarely add salt to anything until after being cooked, my way of cutting back on salt intake. The shaker is put on the table. But don't overcook beans with out it, they will turn to mush. However, some people prefer the harder beans in soup. I am not one of them.
#10
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Posts: 1,040
I use the easy way. I just boil my ham bone until all of the meat will fall off, then cool and remove the congealed fat, then dump in 2-3 cans of great northern or any brand pinto beans. Yummy, Yummy, Yummy. Bake a pan of cornbread and you have a most delicious meal.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post