FoodBanter.com - View Single Post

On 28 Sep 2003 15:40:43 -0700, (dr owl)
wrote:

>We made a large pot of chili con carne (Gazzaniga's low salt, lowest
>sodium cookbook) Soaked red kidney beans overnight. Cooked 1 and a
>half hrs per package instructions. Added to ingredients and simmered
>1/2 hr per cookbook. The beans are not cooked well and are crunchy. Is
>there anything we can do at this point to rescue the beans and save
>this?
>
>dr owl<---- clearly not a wise owl :<)

Keep cooking them. If the beans weren't old they'll eventually soften
up. Putting in an acid ingredient before they were soft will slow the
process way, way down but if you're patient they'll eventually be
good.

Now if the beans were old and developed hardshell you'll cook them
until Hell freezes over and they still won't soften. Some problems
just cannot be cured. Don't throw it away though. Strain out the
beans, give them a whirl in the blender or food processor until
they're broken up nicely then put them back into the pot and cook
until it tastes done. May as well cook it down thick and use it for
hot dog chili.

Put whatever beans you like in your chili, or don't put in any at all.
Only thing that matters is whether you like the end result.

Personally, I do use beans, but no tomato products in mine, but that's
just me.

......Alan.

Post no bills