On 2020 Nov 6, , Gary wrote:
>
> Are they soaking in salted water, John?
> Americas Test Kitchen did a show recently and they told the
> science of why dry beans should be soaked in salt water.
>
> It's a chemical breakdown of the bean skins. Softens them
> and they won't split during cooking. Also lightly salts
> your beans before cooking.
>
> It was an informative show. I'll use salted water from
> now on.

You got it ass backwards. Beans allow water to pass through the pores
in their skins by osmossis. Salt clogs those pores and that's why
beans end up after cooking with skins like toenail clippings.
Salt beans after cooking. In fact beans cook best in soft water. I've
cooked dry beans literally by the ton, the US Navy serves beans every
day, often twice a day, and always from dry beans, never canned...
there's no room aboard ship to store much canned foods. Dry beans
arrive on board in ten pound paper sacks, six to a large paper sack...
salt, rice, flour, coffee and other dry goods the same. About the only
canned foods I remember were meats; hams, tuna, sardines, and some
frozen foods like gallon cans of frozen eggs... usually rectangular
tins to conserve space.