# Bean soup question



## pdswife (Jun 12, 2006)

Paul wants bean soup for dinner...

Can I just soak the beans for a few hours and then
cook it for a longer time?  Do the beans really have to soak
for hours and hours??

Thanks, T

( I have them soaking now... but, I'd like to get the soup
started.)


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## Shunka (Jun 12, 2006)

You can shorten the soaking time, it will just need a longer cooking time afterwards. If the beans are old, they do need more soaking time though.


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## CharlieD (Jun 12, 2006)

I'd then start with beans and let them cook first, and when beens are done or close to be done put everything else. Well, depends on soup of course.


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## pdswife (Jun 12, 2006)

Thank you Shunka.
Paul's tummy will thank you too!


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## vyapti (Jun 12, 2006)

when I make bean soup, I start with dry beans--I don't have the patience or forsight to soak them overnight. Here's the directions I cut from my recipe:

Rinse the beans, sorting out any broken or discolored ones. In a large pot over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt and the beans and remove from heat. Let beans sit in the hot water for at least 60 minutes.

After the 60 minutes of soaking, return the pot to high heat and place the ham bone, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, mustard and bay leaves in the pot. Stir well, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 60 more minutes.

Remove ham bone and discard. Stir in the chopped ham and simmer for 30 more minutes. Season with ground black pepper to taste.


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## pdswife (Jun 12, 2006)

Charlie and vyapti, thank you!!

I'm going to do as you suggested charlie and cook the beans until they are almost soft and then add the veggies.  

Next time I'll try doing the beans your way vyapti.
sure sounds faster than soaking for hours!

THANK YOU


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jun 14, 2006)

I found the ultimate shortcut.  Place the beans into a pressure cooker and cover with water until the water is 3 inches above the beans.  Place the cover on and set the pressure for 15lbs/square inch.  Bring up temperature and cook for 45 minutes.  Remove from heat nd follow directions for releasing the pressure.  When safe to do so, remove the lid and add water as required for you soup.  Season with salt, onion, pork, liquid smoke, milk, etc. as your recipe calls for.

I don't use a recipe.  I just add enough water to make it into soup and start adding seasonings, diced carrots, and a touch of milk or cream.  I also lightly brown cubes of pork and add to the soup, along with coarse-grind black pepper.

The secret to any bean dish is to make sure that the beans are fully cooked before adding any acidic ingredients.  If the beans aren't full cooked, the acid will halt the cooking process and you will have tough, hard beans.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## pdswife (Jun 14, 2006)

"The secret to any bean dish is to make sure that the beans are fully cooked before adding any acidic ingredients. If the beans aren't full cooked, the acid will halt the cooking process and you will have tough, hard beans."


I didn't know that.   Thanks for the info.

The soup turned out perfectly btw!
Paul took it to work to share with his friend and they
both loved it!  Thanks for all your advice.


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## Constance (Jun 15, 2006)

I've heard the same thing about adding salt. Do you know anything about that, Weed?
I always use a hambone and some ham pieces in with my beans, so I don't salt them until they're cooked anyway, as you never know how much salt is going to come out of the ham.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jun 18, 2006)

Constance said:
			
		

> I've heard the same thing about adding salt. Do you know anything about that, Weed?
> I always use a hambone and some ham pieces in with my beans, so I don't salt them until they're cooked anyway, as you never know how much salt is going to come out of the ham.


Yup. Sure do. Someone told me that adding salt before the beans were fully cooked will stop the beans from softening up. Someone else told me that acid was the bad ingredient. So, you know me, I had to experiment. The results were unmistakable. Adding salt to the beans, right from the start did not affect the bean quality, and in fact, helped flavor the beans. In the other batch, using beans from the same package, adding acid, imediately halted the cooking process and the beans were hard, dry, and tough.

My hypothesis is that the protiens reacted to the acid and formed a barrier, inhibiting the absorption of water into the bean. I was able to save that bad pot of beans, but only by overnight refrigeration, and susequent baking for several hours.

But the facts ma'm, and nothing but the facts, is that adding salt, or salty meat to the beans did nothing to make them hard.

I'm not sure how acidic onions are, but I don't add them to any bean pot until the beans are very soft. I know that ketchup and tomato products can't be added.  And if the beans are almost soft, when acidity is added, the beans become hard and dry. They have to be completely soft, fully cooked.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## jennyema (Jun 19, 2006)

Salt=good

Acid and Hard Water=bad


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## skilletlicker (Jun 19, 2006)

*I'm half convinced*



			
				Constance said:
			
		

> I've heard the same thing about adding salt. Do you know anything about that, Weed?
> I always use a hambone and some ham pieces in with my beans, so I don't salt them until they're cooked anyway, as you never know how much salt is going to come out of the ham.


 
Constance & Weed,

I've always heard the same thing about postponing the addition of salt to beans, but I've also heard that it should be added right away to flavor the whole bean. I don't recall anyone objecting to adding a ham bone, ham hock, or salt pork up front.



			
				Goodweed of the North said:
			
		

> ...I had to experiment. The results were unmistakable. Adding salt to the beans, right from the start did not affect the bean quality, and in fact, helped flavor the beans.


For myself, In the future I think I'll add a *little* salt up front and correct the seasoning after the beans are almost tender.

Wasn't there an old TV show called Constance & Weed?


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## mudbug (Jun 19, 2006)

skilletlicker said:
			
		

> Wasn't there an old TV show called Constance & Weed?


 
if there wasn't, there should have been!  I always enjoy the banter between these two.


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