Comments on: How to Soak and Cook Dried Beans http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/ Where personal finance & frugal living are sexy, delicious, and fun. Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:06:52 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Kim http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/comment-page-1/#comment-28290 Kim Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:03:25 +0000 http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/#comment-28290 I ended up here because I'm listening to my chickpeas pop and wondering why. So if anyone finds a reason I'd love to hear it. But in the meantime, I followed an interesting recipe in Cooks Illustrated that instructed one to actually brine the beans! They were fantastic. Turns out there's all sorts of opinions about when to add salt and what it does when you do so, so this method intrigued me. The result were soft, not gritty or mealy beans with skins in tact. The process involved 1 lbs of cannellini beans soaked overnight in a brine of 3T of salt in 4 qts of water at room temperature for at least 8 hours and up to 24-then drained and rinsed. These are then baked at 250 for upwards of about 2 hours with acidic ingredients added towards the end of the cooking, so as not to interfere with the beans texture. The recipe itself was from the 2009 The Best Of America's Test Kitchen. So great-I'm going to try brining more often. I ended up here because I’m listening to my chickpeas pop and wondering why. So if anyone finds a reason I’d love to hear it.

But in the meantime, I followed an interesting recipe in Cooks Illustrated that instructed one to actually brine the beans! They were fantastic. Turns out there’s all sorts of opinions about when to add salt and what it does when you do so, so this method intrigued me. The result were soft, not gritty or mealy beans with skins in tact. The process involved 1 lbs of cannellini beans soaked overnight in a brine of 3T of salt in 4 qts of water at room temperature for at least 8 hours and up to 24-then drained and rinsed. These are then baked at 250 for upwards of about 2 hours with acidic ingredients added towards the end of the cooking, so as not to interfere with the beans texture.

The recipe itself was from the 2009 The Best Of America’s Test Kitchen. So great-I’m going to try brining more often.

]]> By: pdw http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/comment-page-1/#comment-21189 pdw Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:12:38 +0000 http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/#comment-21189 If you soak them, it tends to reduce the cooking time, so you are probably overcooking. If you soak them, it tends to reduce the cooking time, so you are probably overcooking.

]]> By: Fox http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/comment-page-1/#comment-21178 Fox Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:29:23 +0000 http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/#comment-21178 @alison What kind of beans are you cooking? The general rule is the bigger the bean, the longer soaking times are required. It's generally the cooking part that makes beans mushy. @alison What kind of beans are you cooking? The general rule is the bigger the bean, the longer soaking times are required. It’s generally the cooking part that makes beans mushy.

]]> By: alison hartley http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/comment-page-1/#comment-21176 alison hartley Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:16:58 +0000 http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/#comment-21176 is it possible to over soak the beans ? i cant figure out why i soak them overnight, then slow cook them and sometimes they turn out too mushy. is it the soaking part or the cooking part ? thanks ! is it possible to over soak the beans ? i cant figure out why i soak them overnight, then slow cook them and sometimes they turn out too mushy. is it the soaking part or the cooking part ? thanks !

]]> By: Bob Hardison http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/comment-page-1/#comment-21035 Bob Hardison Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:02:28 +0000 http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/#comment-21035 I probably love navy beans and pinto beans more than anyone else on earth. I have had to give them up because the gas is much worse than before on me. I will try this soaking and I'll also include the baking soda also. As of now, I can not ever eat dried beans, but I will try again after trying these methods. I probably love navy beans and pinto beans more than anyone else on earth. I have had to give them up because the gas is much worse than before on me. I will try this soaking and I’ll also include the baking soda also. As of now, I can not ever eat dried beans, but I will try again after trying these methods.

]]> By: Carl http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/comment-page-1/#comment-18078 Carl Fri, 31 Jul 2009 03:27:14 +0000 http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/#comment-18078 Jeff - those things drove me crazy last week too! Kerry was soaking some and didn't tell me about it. They woke me up at 2:30am. I spent a good 5 minutes standing in the kitchen waiting for something to scurry out from under the stove until I figured out where the noise was coming from! Jeff – those things drove me crazy last week too! Kerry was soaking some and didn’t tell me about it. They woke me up at 2:30am. I spent a good 5 minutes standing in the kitchen waiting for something to scurry out from under the stove until I figured out where the noise was coming from!

]]> By: jeff http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/comment-page-1/#comment-18073 jeff Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:33:15 +0000 http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/#comment-18073 anybody else notice the chickpeas "pop" while soaking. i thought i had mice until i realized it was each individual bean bursting its skin or something. i live in a studio in nyc and it was unsettling sleeping with this the first time! anybody else notice the chickpeas “pop” while soaking. i thought i had mice until i realized it was each individual bean bursting its skin or something. i live in a studio in nyc and it was unsettling sleeping with this the first time!

]]> By: Fox http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/comment-page-1/#comment-17456 Fox Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:54:02 +0000 http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/#comment-17456 @Monica You're very welcome. I think many people have a pantry with some dried beans sitting around. :D Get soaking! @Monica You’re very welcome. I think many people have a pantry with some dried beans sitting around. :D Get soaking!

]]> By: Monica http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/comment-page-1/#comment-17455 Monica Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:48:14 +0000 http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/#comment-17455 Thanks so much for posting this. I like to make homemade refried beans and thought it may be cheaper to buy the dried beans than the cans. I just bought my first bag of pinto beans and it's been sitting in the pantry because I wasn't really sure what to do with it. Thanks for all the great info! Thanks so much for posting this. I like to make homemade refried beans and thought it may be cheaper to buy the dried beans than the cans. I just bought my first bag of pinto beans and it’s been sitting in the pantry because I wasn’t really sure what to do with it. Thanks for all the great info!

]]> By: Brooster http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/comment-page-1/#comment-17220 Brooster Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:28:42 +0000 http://www.squawkfox.com/2008/02/19/how-to-soak-and-cook-dried-beans/#comment-17220 I just discovered your site. I'll never be as musically inclined again! Looks like a really fun site. Sign me up. Brooster I just discovered your site. I’ll never be as musically inclined again! Looks like a really fun site. Sign me up.
Brooster

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