Sheldon Martin wrote:
> 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.
>

Ahoy Popeye! Pipe me aboard so we can eat beans.