Forgot to soak my dried black eyed beans overnight yesterday . I wondering
what would be a minimum time to soak them today, to be able to cook them
this evening? Thanks for advice

"john hamilton" > wrote in message
...
> Forgot to soak my dried black eyed beans overnight yesterday . I
> wondering what would be a minimum time to soak them today, to be able to
> cook them this evening? Thanks for advice
Bring them to the boil in plenty of water (*no salt*) and after a couple of
minutes, take them off the heat and cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid.
After about an hour, they will be ready but I would leave them until you
need to cook them in your recipe.
I always soak beans this way as it is much more reliable than the
traditional cold soak.
Graham

On 2010-05-29, john hamilton > wrote:

> what would be a minimum time to soak them today, to be able to cook them
> this evening? Thanks for advice

Soaking dried beans is a waste of time. It's totally unnecessary and
physically changes the relative texture between the bean skin and the
inner pulp. Unless you actually like a soft pulp in a tough skin,
just boil the damn things and be done with it.

nb

On May 29, 5:17*am, notbob > wrote:
> On 2010-05-29, john hamilton > wrote:
>
> > what would be a minimum time to soak them today, to be able to cook them
> > this evening? * *Thanks for advice
>
> Soaking dried beans is a waste of time. *It's totally unnecessary and
> physically changes the relative texture between the bean skin and the
> inner pulp. *Unless you actually like a soft pulp in a tough skin,
> just boil the damn things and be done with it.

How do you soak and cook black beans?
>
> nb

notbob > wrote:

>On 2010-05-29, john hamilton > wrote:

>> what would be a minimum time to soak them today, to be able to cook them
>> this evening? Thanks for advice

>Soaking dried beans is a waste of time. It's totally unnecessary and
>physically changes the relative texture between the bean skin and the
>inner pulp. Unless you actually like a soft pulp in a tough skin,
>just boil the damn things and be done with it.

Not my experience. For beans to cook to tenderness without too
many of them falling apart, they must usually be pre-soaked.
This effect is most marked (in my experience) with garbanzos,
which are a perfect texture if soaked overnight, then boiled
about 18 minutes at sea level. If you want completely intact,
but tender, garbanzos, say for use in a salad.

But there are many things that affect bean cooking, including
obviously elevation and pH of the water, as well as whether
and when they are salted, that I'm sure people have different
experiences with pre-soaking.

Stevw

Manda Ruby > wrote:

>On May 29, 5:17*am, notbob > wrote:

>> Soaking dried beans is a waste of time. *It's totally unnecessary and
>> physically changes the relative texture between the bean skin and the
>> inner pulp. *Unless you actually like a soft pulp in a tough skin,
>> just boil the damn things and be done with it.

>How do you soak and cook black beans?

Black beans are among the least necessary to pre-soak, but
one can go either way with them. What you truly don't
want to pre-soak is lentils -- green, brown, or orange.


Steve

J. Clarke > wrote:

>There's no "acceptable minimum time". The longer they soak the less time
>they have to cook. If you're willing to cook them 2-4 hours then you
>don't need to soak them at all.

Yes, for me it's less hassle to pre-soak and then have a shorter
cooking time, since cooking them requires some ongoing attention and
soaking does not. Rarely do sea-level beans require more
than 45 minutes to cook if they've been soaked overnight.

Steve

Steve wrote on Sat, 29 May 2010 13:55:23 +0000 (UTC):

>> On 2010-05-29, john hamilton > wrote:

>>> what would be a minimum time to soak them today, to be able
>>> to cook them this evening? Thanks for advice

>> Soaking dried beans is a waste of time. It's totally
>> unnecessary and physically changes the relative texture
>> between the bean skin and the inner pulp. Unless you
>> actually like a soft pulp in a tough skin, just boil the damn
>> things and be done with it.

> Not my experience. For beans to cook to tenderness without
> too many of them falling apart, they must usually be
> pre-soaked. This effect is most marked (in my experience) with
> garbanzos, which are a perfect texture if soaked overnight,
> then boiled about 18 minutes at sea level. If you want
> completely intact, but tender, garbanzos, say for use in a
> salad.

What's wrong with using "intact, tender", canned garbanzos (chickpeas,
chana etc.) in a salad? They make pretty good hummus too and are really
quite cheap, especially store brands.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

James Silverton > wrote:

> Steve wrote on Sat, 29 May 2010 13:55:23 +0000 (UTC):

>> Not my experience. For beans to cook to tenderness without
>> too many of them falling apart, they must usually be
>> pre-soaked. This effect is most marked (in my experience) with
>> garbanzos, which are a perfect texture if soaked overnight,
>> then boiled about 18 minutes at sea level. If you want
>> completely intact, but tender, garbanzos, say for use in a
>> salad.

>What's wrong with using "intact, tender", canned garbanzos (chickpeas,
>chana etc.) in a salad? They make pretty good hummus too and are really
>quite cheap, especially store brands.

Nothing at all. I like TJ's organic garbanzos in cans, and
it took me some amount of trial and error before I could cook
garbanzos at home that consistently have as good or better texture.

One reason to cook them at home is to get lower sodium. Another
is cost, but that's somewhat marginal, depending on your budget.

Steve

Steve wrote on Sat, 29 May 2010 14:30:52 +0000 (UTC):

>> Steve wrote on Sat, 29 May 2010 13:55:23 +0000 (UTC):

>>> Not my experience. For beans to cook to tenderness without
>>> too many of them falling apart, they must usually be
>>> pre-soaked. This effect is most marked (in my experience)
>>> with garbanzos, which are a perfect texture if soaked
>>> overnight, then boiled about 18 minutes at sea level. If
>>> you want completely intact, but tender, garbanzos, say for
>>> use in a salad.

>> What's wrong with using "intact, tender", canned garbanzos
>> (chickpeas, chana etc.) in a salad? They make pretty good
>> hummus too and are really quite cheap, especially store
>> brands.

> Nothing at all. I like TJ's organic garbanzos in cans, and
> it took me some amount of trial and error before I could cook
> garbanzos at home that consistently have as good or better
> texture.

> One reason to cook them at home is to get lower sodium.
> Another is cost, but that's somewhat marginal, depending on
> your budget.

I don't think canned garbanzos include a lot of sodium after rinsing
once or twice but I've no statistics on that except that I know the
liquid in the can is quite salty.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

In article >,
(Steve Pope) wrote:

> J. Clarke > wrote:
>
> >There's no "acceptable minimum time". The longer they soak the less time
> >they have to cook. If you're willing to cook them 2-4 hours then you
> >don't need to soak them at all.
>
> Yes, for me it's less hassle to pre-soak and then have a shorter
> cooking time, since cooking them requires some ongoing attention and
> soaking does not. Rarely do sea-level beans require more
> than 45 minutes to cook if they've been soaked overnight.
>
> Steve

I just use a pressure cooker for 20 minutes. No soaking required...
--
Peace! Om

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
*Only Irish *coffee provides in a single glass all four *essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar *and fat. --Alex Levine

James Silverton > wrote:

> Steve wrote on Sat, 29 May 2010 14:30:52 +0000 (UTC):
>
>I don't think canned garbanzos include a lot of sodium after rinsing
>once or twice but I've no statistics on that except that I know the
>liquid in the can is quite salty.

Depends on what you're doing with them. I like to eat low sodium,
and some recipes I make from garbanzos have significant sodium from
other ingredients like preserve lemon, or harissa; in these recipes
I want completely unsalted garbanzos.

For just putting them on a salad, low-salt or even standard-salt
canned garbanzos are fine.


Steve

Omelet > wrote:

> (Steve Pope) wrote:

>> Yes, for me it's less hassle to pre-soak and then have a shorter
>> cooking time, since cooking them requires some ongoing attention and
>> soaking does not. Rarely do sea-level beans require more
>> than 45 minutes to cook if they've been soaked overnight.

>I just use a pressure cooker for 20 minutes. No soaking required...

That certainly seems reasonable.

I don't own, and never have used, a pressure cooker, and
don't necessarily have space for an additional item of that
size... so I'm unlikely to ever explore using one.

Tangentially I do want to add that using a heavy pot does seem to
improve bean cooking results -- it least to more even cooking.

Steve

On May 29, 10:46*am, (Steve Pope) wrote:
> James Silverton > wrote:
> > Steve *wrote *on Sat, 29 May 2010 14:30:52 +0000 (UTC):
>
> >I don't think canned garbanzos include a lot of sodium after rinsing
> >once or twice but I've no statistics on that except that I know the
> >liquid in the can is quite salty.
>
> Depends on what you're doing with them. *I like to eat low sodium,
> and some recipes I make from garbanzos have significant sodium from
> other ingredients like preserve lemon, or harissa; in these recipes
> I want completely unsalted garbanzos.
>
> For just putting them on a salad, low-salt or even standard-salt
> canned garbanzos are fine.
>
> Steve

if canned garbanzo beans with salt what about rinsing them? will that
remove some/most/all salt?

john hamilton wrote:
> Forgot to soak my dried black eyed beans overnight yesterday . I wondering
> what would be a minimum time to soak them today, to be able to cook them
> this evening? Thanks for advice
>
>


I think with BEP's you can get by without soaking them at all. Just
start out cooking them very slowly, turn the fire up after they have
expanded.

I would start them soaking in warm water this morning and then just
go for it when I was ready to cook them, and not worry about it.

Bob

A Moose In Love > wrote:

>if canned garbanzo beans with salt what about rinsing them? will that
>remove some/most/all salt?

I believe the sodium value listed on the can is for drained beans.
Maybe rinsing or soaking would remove some of that. I always
rinse canned beans. (Well, not refried beans. )

There is 1.3 grams of sodium in a can of TJ's gabanzos; I bet
even after rinsing there is 0.5 gram in a half-can serving.
That's pretty significant if you're trying to keep daily sodium to
2 grams a day or less.

Steve

Steve wrote on Sat, 29 May 2010 15:07:58 +0000 (UTC):

>> if canned garbanzo beans with salt what about rinsing them?
>> will that remove some/most/all salt?

> I believe the sodium value listed on the can is for drained
> beans. Maybe rinsing or soaking would remove some of that. I
> always rinse canned beans. (Well, not refried beans. )

> There is 1.3 grams of sodium in a can of TJ's gabanzos; I bet
> even after rinsing there is 0.5 gram in a half-can serving.
> That's pretty significant if you're trying to keep daily
> sodium to 2 grams a day or less.

I don't dispute that the garbanzos will retain some salt after rinsing
but does anyone have any real numbers? All I can say is that they don't
taste very salty and hummus made without using any of the canning
liquid seems to require salt to me.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

James Silverton > wrote:

> Steve wrote on Sat, 29 May 2010 15:07:58 +0000 (UTC):

>> There is 1.3 grams of sodium in a can of TJ's gabanzos; I bet
>> even after rinsing there is 0.5 gram in a half-can serving.
>> That's pretty significant if you're trying to keep daily
>> sodium to 2 grams a day or less.

>I don't dispute that the garbanzos will retain some salt after rinsing
>but does anyone have any real numbers?

No, which is why I don't trust them not to have most of their
stated sodium even after rinsing. The number on the can is the
only number I have to work with.

Steve

On 2010-05-29 08:14:20 -0700, James Silverton said:

> Steve wrote on Sat, 29 May 2010 15:07:58 +0000 (UTC):
>
>>> if canned garbanzo beans with salt what about rinsing them?
>>> will that remove some/most/all salt?
>
>> I believe the sodium value listed on the can is for drained
>> beans. Maybe rinsing or soaking would remove some of that. I
>> always rinse canned beans. (Well, not refried beans. )
>
>> There is 1.3 grams of sodium in a can of TJ's gabanzos; I bet
>> even after rinsing there is 0.5 gram in a half-can serving.
>> That's pretty significant if you're trying to keep daily
>> sodium to 2 grams a day or less.
>
> I don't dispute that the garbanzos will retain some salt after rinsing
> but does anyone have any real numbers? All I can say is that they don't
> taste very salty and hummus made without using any of the canning
> liquid seems to require salt to me.

I don't have the info, but I assume you can contact one of the larger
suppliers and they can provide exact info.
--
If God didn't want us to eat animals, why did he make them out of meat?

Manda Ruby > wrote:

>How old is considered old.

In my estimate if the beans have been in the grocery store
(or in your pantry) more than a few months, they have gotten
old to the point where they do not cook as quickly, nor
as successfully.

A good bet is to go to a natural foods store where lots
of veggies/hippies are buying lots of dried beans all
the time so that their turnover is high. Mexican stores also.


Steve

gtr wrote:
> On 2010-05-29 08:14:20 -0700, James Silverton said:
>
>> Steve wrote on Sat, 29 May 2010 15:07:58 +0000 (UTC):
>>
>>>> if canned garbanzo beans with salt what about rinsing them?
>>>> will that remove some/most/all salt?
>>
>>> I believe the sodium value listed on the can is for drained
>>> beans. Maybe rinsing or soaking would remove some of that. I
>>> always rinse canned beans. (Well, not refried beans. )
>>
>>> There is 1.3 grams of sodium in a can of TJ's gabanzos; I bet
>>> even after rinsing there is 0.5 gram in a half-can serving.
>>> That's pretty significant if you're trying to keep daily
>>> sodium to 2 grams a day or less.
>>
>> I don't dispute that the garbanzos will retain some salt after rinsing
>> but does anyone have any real numbers? All I can say is that they
>> don't taste very salty and hummus made without using any of the
>> canning liquid seems to require salt to me.
>
> I don't have the info, but I assume you can contact one of the larger
> suppliers and they can provide exact info.


Assume the salt is evenly distributed in the can.

Weigh the unopened can. Weight the drained and rinsed beans.
Weight the empty can (don't forget the lid) to get the tare weight
and subtract that from the unopened can weight to get the total
weight of the contents. The amount of sodium in the rinsed beans is
approximately 1.3 grams x (rinsed weight / total weight)

The real amount should be less than the calculated value because the
sodium is more soluble in the juice than in the solid beans, so the
margin of error works in your favor. HTH

Bob

On Sat, 29 May 2010 12:43:12 -0500, zxcvbob >
wrote:

>gtr wrote:
>> On 2010-05-29 08:14:20 -0700, James Silverton said:
>>
>>> Steve wrote on Sat, 29 May 2010 15:07:58 +0000 (UTC):
>>>
>>>>> if canned garbanzo beans with salt what about rinsing them?
>>>>> will that remove some/most/all salt?
>>>
>>>> I believe the sodium value listed on the can is for drained
>>>> beans. Maybe rinsing or soaking would remove some of that. I
>>>> always rinse canned beans. (Well, not refried beans. )
>>>
>>>> There is 1.3 grams of sodium in a can of TJ's gabanzos; I bet
>>>> even after rinsing there is 0.5 gram in a half-can serving.
>>>> That's pretty significant if you're trying to keep daily
>>>> sodium to 2 grams a day or less.
>>>
>>> I don't dispute that the garbanzos will retain some salt after rinsing
>>> but does anyone have any real numbers? All I can say is that they
>>> don't taste very salty and hummus made without using any of the
>>> canning liquid seems to require salt to me.
>>
>> I don't have the info, but I assume you can contact one of the larger
>> suppliers and they can provide exact info.
>
>
>Assume the salt is evenly distributed in the can.
>
>Weigh the unopened can. Weight the drained and rinsed beans.
>Weight the empty can (don't forget the lid) to get the tare weight
>and subtract that from the unopened can weight to get the total
>weight of the contents. The amount of sodium in the rinsed beans is
>approximately 1.3 grams x (rinsed weight / total weight)
>
>The real amount should be less than the calculated value because the
>sodium is more soluble in the juice than in the solid beans, so the
>margin of error works in your favor. HTH
>
>Bob


And there wouldn't be cooking salt inside the whole beans, the bean
skins prevent the salt migrating internally by reverse osmossis...
like all other plant seeds beans permit only pure water to enter.
There would be some small quantity of salt (and other minerals) inside
the beans that entered while it was growing, all food contains salt.

In article >,
(Steve Pope) wrote:

> Omelet > wrote:
>
> > (Steve Pope) wrote:
>
> >> Yes, for me it's less hassle to pre-soak and then have a shorter
> >> cooking time, since cooking them requires some ongoing attention and
> >> soaking does not. Rarely do sea-level beans require more
> >> than 45 minutes to cook if they've been soaked overnight.
>
> >I just use a pressure cooker for 20 minutes. No soaking required...
>
> That certainly seems reasonable.
>
> I don't own, and never have used, a pressure cooker, and
> don't necessarily have space for an additional item of that
> size... so I'm unlikely to ever explore using one.
>
> Tangentially I do want to add that using a heavy pot does seem to
> improve bean cooking results -- it least to more even cooking.
>
> Steve

Then there are always crockpots.

Walk-away ease. :-)

I do recommend pressure cookers (as I have so many times in the past).
They have many uses. But, I did grow up with mom using one a lot.
Especially at high altitudes. She even took one camping with us and used
it for canning wild blackberries over a campfire more than once. <g>

I'm glad I learned how to use one from her.
They are an awesome time saver.
--
Peace! Om

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
*Only Irish *coffee provides in a single glass all four *essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar *and fat. --Alex Levine

On May 29, 9:25*am, (Steve Pope) wrote:
> Manda Ruby > wrote:
>
> >How old is considered old.
>
> In my estimate if the beans have been in the grocery store
> (or in your pantry) more than a few months, they have gotten
> old to the point where they do not cook as quickly, nor
> as successfully.
>
> A good bet is to go to a natural foods store where lots
> of veggies/hippies are buying lots of dried beans all
> the time so that their turnover is high. *Mexican stores also.

I see. There is a Mexican store not too far. I was there the other
day; bought a little bit of menudo - I only wanted 1/4 lb but the guy
put 3/4lb and goat meat.
>
> Steve

In article >,
(Steve Pope) wrote:

> Omelet > wrote:
>
> > (Steve Pope) wrote:
>
> >> Yes, for me it's less hassle to pre-soak and then have a shorter
> >> cooking time, since cooking them requires some ongoing attention and
> >> soaking does not. Rarely do sea-level beans require more
> >> than 45 minutes to cook if they've been soaked overnight.
>
> >I just use a pressure cooker for 20 minutes. No soaking required...
>
> That certainly seems reasonable.
>
> I don't own, and never have used, a pressure cooker, and
> don't necessarily have space for an additional item of that
> size... so I'm unlikely to ever explore using one.
>
> Tangentially I do want to add that using a heavy pot does seem to
> improve bean cooking results -- it least to more even cooking.
>
> Steve

Ps, I use mostly a standard stainless steel 5qt. PC.
They don't take up a lot of space! :-)
--
Peace! Om

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
*Only Irish *coffee provides in a single glass all four *essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar *and fat. --Alex Levine

Ranée at Arabian Knits wrote:

> In article >,
> "john hamilton" > wrote:
>
> > Forgot to soak my dried black eyed beans overnight yesterday . I
> > wondering what would be a minimum time to soak them today, to be
> > able to cook them this evening? Thanks for advice
>
> If the beans/peas are relatively fresh, you can do it for two to
> three hours. If they are old, it can take up to eight hours.

Back when misc.survivalism was actually about survivalism, one poster
found some dried beans which were a decade or so past their pull date.

He was able to use them; but they took a looong time to cook....

--
Dan Goodman
"I have always depended on the kindness of stranglers."
Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Expire
Journal dsgood.dreamwidth.org (livejournal.com, insanejournal.com)

Omelet > wrote:

> (Steve Pope) wrote:

>> Omelet > wrote:

>>>I just use a pressure cooker for 20 minutes. No soaking required...

>> That certainly seems reasonable.

>> I don't own, and never have used, a pressure cooker, and
>> don't necessarily have space for an additional item of that
>> size... so I'm unlikely to ever explore using one.

>> Tangentially I do want to add that using a heavy pot does seem to
>> improve bean cooking results -- it least to more even cooking.

>Then there are always crockpots.
>
>Walk-away ease. :-)

I also don't own, and have never used a crockpot.

I'm gadget adverse. But I do realise these apparati are useful.

Steve

On May 29, 7:17*am, notbob > wrote:
> On 2010-05-29, john hamilton > wrote:
>
> > what would be a minimum time to soak them today, to be able to cook them
> > this evening? * *Thanks for advice
>
> Soaking dried beans is a waste of time. *It's totally unnecessary and
> physically changes the relative texture between the bean skin and the
> inner pulp. *Unless you actually like a soft pulp in a tough skin,
> just boil the damn things and be done with it.
>
> nb

>
>
AMEN, AMEN, AMEN.

In article >,
(Steve Pope) wrote:

> Omelet > wrote:
>
> > (Steve Pope) wrote:
>
> >> Omelet > wrote:
>
> >>>I just use a pressure cooker for 20 minutes. No soaking required...
>
> >> That certainly seems reasonable.
>
> >> I don't own, and never have used, a pressure cooker, and
> >> don't necessarily have space for an additional item of that
> >> size... so I'm unlikely to ever explore using one.
>
> >> Tangentially I do want to add that using a heavy pot does seem to
> >> improve bean cooking results -- it least to more even cooking.
>
> >Then there are always crockpots.
> >
> >Walk-away ease. :-)
>
> I also don't own, and have never used a crockpot.
>
> I'm gadget adverse. But I do realise these apparati are useful.
>
> Steve

So expand your horizons... <g>
--
Peace! Om

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
*Only Irish *coffee provides in a single glass all four *essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar *and fat. --Alex Levine

On Sat, 29 May 2010 21:16:50 -0500, "Dan Goodman" >
wrote:

>Ranée at Arabian Knits wrote:
>
>> In article >,
>> "john hamilton" > wrote:
>>
>> > Forgot to soak my dried black eyed beans overnight yesterday . I
>> > wondering what would be a minimum time to soak them today, to be
>> > able to cook them this evening? Thanks for advice
>>
>> If the beans/peas are relatively fresh, you can do it for two to
>> three hours. If they are old, it can take up to eight hours.
>
>Back when misc.survivalism was actually about survivalism, one poster
>found some dried beans which were a decade or so past their pull date.
>
>He was able to use them; but they took a looong time to cook.

The age of dry beans has not a whit to do with cooking time... beans
are seeds, if they'll sprout they're not too old to cook (thousand
year old beans discovered in Mayan ruins sprouted). Bean growers
store beans in giant humidors with controlled temperature and
humidity, typically beans are maintained with an optimum 6%-8%
moisture content. There is no telling the age of beans at your
market... if not damaged during storage beans cook exactly the same
whether 1 year old or 1,000 years old. If your beans are not cooking
properly it's you, not the beans. What does affect bean cooking time
is altitude and especially water hardness. Beans should never be
boiled, cook at a bare simmer. Contrary to what many think canned
beans are not cooked in the can nor are they pressure processed, they
are slow cooked in giant vats, the cans are heated only enough to
ensure a proper seal.