# Bean Cooking Method Comparison



## Steve Kroll (Jan 11, 2015)

The subject of cooking beans has come up numerous times here. Some say to soak overnight; others say you shouldn't. The decision on whether or not to salt the cooking liquid also seems to be controversial. 

I stumbled across this article in the LA Times. The author took the time to experiment with different bean cooking methods. It's a few months old now, but I thought I'd post a link for those who are interested.

Don&apos;t soak your dried beans! Now even the cool kids agree - LA Times

FWIW, I made up a pot of beans every week for almost 20 years. I always soaked, and I always used salt. Soaking seems to make for softer beans, and I liked my beans to be somewhat mushy. I could see where some might prefer them a little more _al dente_, though.


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## Mad Cook (Jan 11, 2015)

Steve Kroll said:


> The subject of cooking beans has come up numerous times here. Some say to soak overnight; others say you shouldn't. The decision on whether or not to salt the cooking liquid also seems to be controversial.
> 
> I stumbled across this article in the LA Times. The author took the time to experiment with different bean cooking methods. It's a few months old now, but I thought I'd post a link for those who are interested.
> 
> ...


First question - Who are the "cool kids"?

Second question - Do we care?

What commercial canners of beans do is somewhat irrelevant to the rest of us home cooks.

I soak for economy. Putting beans in cold water the night before I need them is no great effort, doesn't cast anything and I don't have to stand and watch them soak so they don't impinge on my time - I'm sleeping! Soaking cuts down the cooking time and if you've ever looked at the disc on your meter (if you have one) when the stove is lit you'll do about anything to cut down what you have to pay the gas or electricity company.

Still, it's up to you. Do what you like, I do.


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## Mad Cook (Jan 11, 2015)

Incidentally, the way to avoid flatulence is to throw away the soaking water and to cook the beans in fresh.


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## Zhizara (Jan 11, 2015)

I never soak my beans, but I'm retired and have plenty of time to enjoy letting them cook as long as it takes with regular checks to stir and evaluate their progress.

I've found that waiting until they are done to salt them means they will be more tender.  I like them mushy.  

i do, however, soak large lima beans (butterbeans) overnight so that I can remove the hard shells.  This results in a cream of butterbean soup which is my favorite.


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## GotGarlic (Jan 11, 2015)

Mad Cook said:


> I soak for economy. Putting beans in cold water the night before I need them is no great effort, doesn't cast anything and I don't have to stand and watch them soak so they don't impinge on my time - I'm sleeping! Soaking cuts down the cooking time and if you've ever looked at the disc on your meter (if you have one) when the stove is lit you'll do about anything to cut down what you have to pay the gas or electricity company.



It's interesting that several members from the UK  in the last few months have specifically mentioned being concerned about cooking times, asking how long certain methods take or what long oven roasting or braising would cost. Here in the U.S., I doubt anyone who can afford Internet access gives it a thought at all.


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## salt and pepper (Jan 11, 2015)

I put them in a pressure cooker, then prepare.


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## Mad Cook (Jan 11, 2015)

GotGarlic said:


> It's interesting that several members from the UK in the last few months have specifically mentioned being concerned about cooking times, asking how long certain methods take or what long oven roasting or braising would cost. Here in the U.S., I doubt anyone who can afford Internet access gives it a thought at all.


Lucky you. You don't have our gas and electricity prices!

Anyway, what's wrong with practising practical home economy? I, and many of my compatriots who post here, were brought up in the aftermath of the privations of the second world war (and food rationing didn't end in the UK until 1954) by parents who had learned the hard way not to waste resources and to make do and mend. 

The world is going to hell in a handcart because of what the human race is wasting today.


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## GotGarlic (Jan 11, 2015)

I didn't say there was anything wrong with it. Just that I thought it interesting that it was brought up several times by UK members. We are indeed lucky in that regard. There are always tradeoffs.


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## Dawgluver (Jan 11, 2015)

I've done beans in the CP, rinsed, no soaking, and they turned out great.

Regarding electricity charges, I know in Mexico and some parts of the Caribbean where we've been, rent may be cheap, but the electricity charges can more than double the cost.  Crazy.


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## Whiskadoodle (Jan 11, 2015)

Mad Cook et al, I remember watching old British movies and sometimes a person  needed to put a schilling in the gas meter for heat or cooking; noted  because sometimes they needed to borrow that shilling  Also, after WW2, the UK continued to ration until 1952, which is a long time.  

--  

I use the quick soaking method, bring to a boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat and cover and let sit one hour.  Change water and proceed. 

I do this because Mostly I don't plan ahead to soak overnight.  Works fine.  

I do not add salt (if any) until  near the end of cooking, esp if using a ham bone or ham hocks.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 11, 2015)

Mad Cook said:


> Incidentally, the way to avoid flatulence is to throw away the soaking water and to cook the beans in fresh.



But then you are throwing away the fun of having beans...


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## Zhizara (Jan 11, 2015)

Oh, Princess, you crack me up!!!


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## Cooking4to (Jan 12, 2015)

I used to make a pot of beans every single weekend, and I had the ritual down, soak {used salt} them, then hours and hours of heating, and then sometimes I would dowse them in honey and maple sugar, line bacon through them and bake them low and slow for hours and hours.....  They were sooooooo  gooooood...

Then I went to a clam bake/frish fry and watched them make beans in NOT hours and hours, in a pressure cooker on a propane outdoor burner, then I tasted them, and they were soooooo gooooood too....  So now I cook my beans in a pressure cooker....  and bake bread for hours and hours and hours...


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## Mad Cook (Jan 12, 2015)

Whiskadoodle said:


> Mad Cook et al, I remember watching old British movies and sometimes a person needed to put a schilling in the gas meter for heat or cooking; noted because sometimes they needed to borrow that shilling Also, after WW2, the UK continued to ration until 1952, which is a long time.
> 
> --
> 
> ...


Pre-payment gas and electricity meters where you inserted coins or these days a plastic card that you charge up at the post office, have usually been used by the poor or people who are in debt to the gas or electricity company or sometimes if they rent their house. It must be a pain in the neck if you aren't organised enough to remember to charge up your meter and then you run out of fuel.


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## Mad Cook (Jan 12, 2015)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> But then you are throwing away the fun of having beans...


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## Mad Cook (Jan 12, 2015)

Whiskadoodle said:


> Mad Cook et al, I remember watching old British movies and sometimes a person needed to put a schilling in the gas meter for heat or cooking; noted because sometimes they needed to borrow that shilling Also, after WW2, the UK continued to ration until 1952, which is a long time.
> 
> --
> 
> ...


 
One of the reasons that rationing continued so long after WW2 (to 1954, not '52) was that we owed so much to so many countries (American Lend Lease, etc.,) that we had to concentrate on building up our post war industrial infrastructure to make goods that we could sell to raise the necessary capital, for example new cars were in short supply in Britain because most of the production was being exported. In addition, many food processing plants and storage facilities had been converted to war production (and a lot of it destroyed in bombing raids) and we were short of the means to convert raw materials into foodstuffs, particularly what might be considered "luxury" foods.

Crumbs, you can take the woman out of history teaching but you can't take history teaching out of the woman


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## Roll_Bones (Jan 12, 2015)

My wife will feel vindicated when I send her the link to the story.
She does not soak, but I do and always tell her she should soak.  She uses no soaking method at all.  Just dumps them in the pot, adds water and cooks the heck out of them.
Time to shut up I guess.


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## zfranca (Jul 13, 2015)

Soaking the beans will only reduce the cooking time by 15 minutes more or less. So if you decide to have beans and no time to soak them, just go ahead.....


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## jennyema (Jul 14, 2015)

Sometimes I soak in salted water, sometimes I don't.

I haven't noticed a difference so now I usually just throw them in the pot and go.


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## Addie (Jul 14, 2015)

When the kids were small and growing up, every Saturday night was bean night. After cleaning the kitchen on Friday night after supper, the first thing I did was sort and remove any stones, then put a small bag of Navy Beans in a large bowl to soak. I kept an eye on them and would add water if needed. I gave them the last check just before I headed off to bed. They soak up a lot of water when soaking. The next morning the beans were drained off and cooked on the stove until the skin would split when blown on. Time to put them in the bean pot. I saved the water that I boiled them with. That went into the pot with the beans. For the next seven to eight hours, they baked in a slow oven. 

I once tried to make them without soaking them. I found that they didn't cook to the degree of softness I liked. Even the kids noticed the difference. They had that little nib of undoneness in the very center. Sure it was more work with the soaking. But not enough work that would bring on a heart attack. I learned to cook beans from my mother when she was still cooking on a wood burning stove. So I stuck with that recipe all my life. 

I am a New England cook. I stay with what I learned as a child from my mother. For me, I soak. I get a better product in the end.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jul 14, 2015)

Put beans into the pressure cooker to fill half full.  cover with water until the pot is 3/4 full.  Add salt.  Cover, bring up to temp. where the hat starts wiggling.  Turn down heat and let cook for 45 mintues.  Remove beans to another pot and add flavorings to make you beans.  Remember, sugar will cause beans to firm up and dry a bit.  So if you are adding sweet things, like mollases, brown sugar, maple syrup, make sure the beans are very soft.

If making a savory pot of beans, flavor, simmer for another hour to let the flavors soak into the beans, and serve.  

Always make sure there is a little sauce in the beans to keep them from scorching, or drying out too much.

If adding meat, be it a ham bone, ham, pork hock, ground beef, or whatever, the meat will absorb some of the flavors from the other things you put into your beans.  Remember, if you cook the meat too long, even in liquid, it will dry out and become leather.

Meats should be added at the same time as onions, and flavorings, and the whole pot covered and simmered over very love heat, or baked in a slow oven of 2oo degrees or so, or cooking in a slow cooker at low cooking temp.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North.


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## zfranca (Jul 17, 2015)

When soaking the beans overnight, (especially in summer) it is recommended to keep it in the refrigerator. If the water is too warm they might ferment and have an unpleasant smell.


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## Addie (Jul 17, 2015)

zfranca said:


> When soaking the beans overnight, (especially in summer) it is recommended to keep it in the refrigerator. If the water is too warm they might ferment and have an unpleasant smell.



This so true. But since I was always baking mine, I never made them in the summer like my mother and ancestors did. Saturday night beans was and to some degree here in New England, still is in force. And now that I live alone, I never make them anymore.


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## zfranca (Jul 17, 2015)

I bought some fresh pinto bean, and I was disappointed to notice that still it required one hour to cook them, and no difference in the taste either. I boil them with fresh sage and fresh garlic cloves.
Since the subject of home economy has come up, here a good tip: boil a large pot of beans. let them cool off, use what you need and freeze the rest in individual bags. They defrost quickly under cold water. Excellent for a bean salad...


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## jennyema (Jul 17, 2015)

Addie said:


> This so true. But since I was always baking mine, I never made them in the summer like my mother and ancestors did. Saturday night beans was and to some degree here in New England, still is in force. And now that I live alone, I never make them anymore.



Have you posted a recipe for your Saturday night New England beans?  If you did I missed it.

Would love to get it!!

I'm eating beans a lot these days.  Cold bean-based salads in the summer.


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## Addie (Jul 17, 2015)

jennyema said:


> Have you posted a recipe for your Saturday night New England beans?  If you did I missed it.
> 
> Would love to get it!!
> 
> I'm eating beans a lot these days.  Cold bean-based salads in the summer.



No I haven't. But I will be happy to do it tomorrow. Right now I am going to be headed to bed. I had a huge supper at Belle Isle Diner of Fried Clams with a pile of onion rings. I don't like FF. So they gave me extra rings. And for taking home is a huge Lobster Roll sitting in my fridge for my lunch tomorrow.


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## Dawgluver (Jul 17, 2015)

jennyema said:


> Have you posted a recipe for your Saturday night New England beans?  If you did I missed it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I'd love Addie's Boston baked bean recipe too.


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## Cheryl J (Jul 17, 2015)

+2, I'd love Addie's recipe, too.


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## Addie (Jul 18, 2015)

Thank you to all of you who have shown an interest in my Boston Baked Beans recipe. I promise I will definitely post it tomorrow. Tonight I am just too tired. 

I have never had anyone interested in my cooking like this. But them I live in an area of the country where we all were raised on the same foods. I feel very honored for so much interest in my beans. 

Good night. See you all tomorrow.


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## Addie (Jul 18, 2015)

Okay, the recipe is over in the grains, beans, etc. forum. Any questions, I will gladly answer. I have never had a written recipe. So it is all from memory of watching my mother and doing it myself.


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## jennyema (Jul 18, 2015)

Addie said:


> No I haven't. But I will be happy to do it tomorrow. Right now I am going to be headed to bed. I had a huge supper at Belle Isle Diner of Fried Clams with a pile of onion rings. I don't like FF. So they gave me extra rings. And for taking home is a huge Lobster Roll sitting in my fridge for my lunch tomorrow.




Mmmmm

Belle Isle rocks!!


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## Addie (Jul 18, 2015)

jennyema said:


> Mmmmm
> 
> Belle Isle rocks!!



That is where all the chefs of Boston go for their seafood. And to think I can get there when I have the money on my scooter. About five minutes from my door. My daughter spent over $100 for just the three of us last night. Well worth every cent. Everyone should have a Belle Isle in their life. They were really crowded last night. While we stood in line to give our order, Deech went into the dining room, saw a table with two folks just sitting there enjoying the last of their drink and stared them down into leaving. We were going to sit out on the deck. Two cold and windy. And it was overcast. No sunset to see. And then there is the bakery next door. 

On one side of the bridge is Winthrop Harbor and the other side are two mating swans that return every year.


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