Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will be
the first time for me.

Are great northern beans the best to use? Also some have told me to
soak them first. Others say not to since they will slow cook in the
pot. Your thoughts?

Anyone have any simple recipes you use for this which you might want
to share? I thought about going online and checking out the recipe for
The Senate Bean Soup. Anyone ever make that and if so, your thoughts
on it compared to other versions?

Thanks,
Anthony

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

Anthony Ferrante wrote:
> I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will be
> the first time for me.
>
> Are great northern beans the best to use?

No. There's no "best". You need to make soup with different beans
and see which ones you like. I love great northerns in soup, but
there are lots of other good ones.

> Also some have told me to
> soak them first. Others say not to since they will slow cook in the
> pot. Your thoughts?

Some people say that soaking (and then rinsing) removes some of the
chemicals that cause flatulence. I soak if I remember, not if I
don't. It means they take a bit longer, though, so if your recipe
calls for soaked beans, you won't get the timing you're looking for.

>
> Anyone have any simple recipes you use for this which you might want
> to share? I thought about going online and checking out the recipe for
> The Senate Bean Soup. Anyone ever make that and if so, your thoughts
> on it compared to other versions?

I haven't made it, but an easy bean soup that my family likes is
this: Cook 4 slices of bacon in a soup pot. Remove the bacon from
the pot and cook a chopped onion in the grease. Add white beans,
enough water to cover plus two inches, a sliced carrot, and a bay
leaf. Bring to a boil, simmer until the beans are good and soft,
adding water if necessary. Season to taste (black pepper and hot
sauce are good choices).

Serene

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

"Anthony Ferrante" > wrote in message
...
>I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will be
> the first time for me.
>
> Are great northern beans the best to use? Also some have told me to
> soak them first. Others say not to since they will slow cook in the
> pot. Your thoughts?
>
> Anyone have any simple recipes you use for this which you might want
> to share? I thought about going online and checking out the recipe for
> The Senate Bean Soup. Anyone ever make that and if so, your thoughts
> on it compared to other versions?
>

I like 15-bean soup blends. Dry beans. The different colors, flavors, and
textures are really good. I would not use a crockpot, though, it is not
necessary. If you do, don't add the carrots, onions, etc. until the last
hour.
Buy the beans in a bag, and soak them overnight, dumping the water and
replacing before bringing to a boil then covering and reducing to a simmer.

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

Serene > wrote in news:66vtprF2m9lu2U1
@mid.individual.net:

> Anthony Ferrante wrote:
>> I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will be
>> the first time for me.
>>
>> Are great northern beans the best to use?
>
> No. There's no "best". You need to make soup with different beans
> and see which ones you like. I love great northerns in soup, but
> there are lots of other good ones.
>
> > Also some have told me to
>> soak them first. Others say not to since they will slow cook in the
>> pot. Your thoughts?
>
> Some people say that soaking (and then rinsing) removes some of the
> chemicals that cause flatulence. I soak if I remember, not if I
> don't. It means they take a bit longer, though, so if your recipe
> calls for soaked beans, you won't get the timing you're looking for.
>
>>
>> Anyone have any simple recipes you use for this which you might want
>> to share? I thought about going online and checking out the recipe for
>> The Senate Bean Soup. Anyone ever make that and if so, your thoughts
>> on it compared to other versions?
>
> I haven't made it, but an easy bean soup that my family likes is
> this: Cook 4 slices of bacon in a soup pot. Remove the bacon from
> the pot and cook a chopped onion in the grease. Add white beans,
> enough water to cover plus two inches, a sliced carrot, and a bay
> leaf. Bring to a boil, simmer until the beans are good and soft,
> adding water if necessary. Season to taste (black pepper and hot
> sauce are good choices).
>
> Serene
>

That's a good basic recipe..but use 3 to 5 differing dried bean types
instead of just the great northerns and adding some sliced celery doesn't
hurt. After the beans soften a bit some chopped tomato wouldn't hurt.
Also consider taking out a portion of the soup and puree it then return
it to the pot to thicken it up a bit. then add the bacon you cooked after
crumbling it of course. Also using chicken stock instead of water works
too. I like to add more celery than carrot as I find the carrot sweetens
the soup more than I like...But whatever you do it will be edible and
varying the recipe about a bit make for sometimes a better personal taste
fit.

Using garlic sausage in a bean soup works well so does ham, bacon, hot
sauce and some lime juice (if you use black beans).

The above was just some thoughts to keep you busy and outa trouble.

--

The house of the burning beet-Alan

A man in line at the bank kept falling over...when he got to a teller he
asked for his balance.

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

On Sat, 19 Apr 2008 23:49:27 -0400, Anthony Ferrante
> wrote:

>I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will be
>the first time for me.

Beans in a crock pot is a very tricky thing to cook. The number one
rule of crock pot cooking is to leave the lid ON for the entire time
of cooking. Every time you remove the lid, you loose about 30
minuties of cooking time. It takes that long for the crockpot to
recover the heat loss. This leads to the problem.

Beans will adsorb this liquid and expand. Getting the correct amount
of water and beans for the pot size can be tricky. I have had the
beans swell and move the lid off...and I have had the beans adsorb all
the liquid and the pot cooks dry. Both scenarios are disaster.

On the bag of beans will be directions for "quick soak". This
method works very good. I would use this method and cook in a
"normal" stock pot twice the volume of the beans being cooked. Great
Northerns are my favorite.

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

On Apr 19, 8:49*pm, Anthony Ferrante >
wrote:
> I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will be
> the first time for me.
>
> Are great northern beans the best to use? Also some have told me to
> soak them first. Others say not to since they will slow cook in the
> pot. Your thoughts?
>
> Anyone have any simple recipes you use for this which you might want
> to share? I thought about going online and checking out the recipe for
> The Senate Bean Soup. Anyone ever make that and if so, your thoughts
> on it compared to other versions?
>
> Thanks,
> Anthony

Hi- Senate bean soup is a winner in my book. I used Great Northern
beans, and I did soak them for the first time last time I made this
soup. It may have cut the gas issue a little, but really not enough to
notice. It's the price you pay...I did it in the crockpot also, and it
was great!!

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

On Sat, 19 Apr 2008 23:49:27 -0400, Anthony Ferrante
> wrote:

>I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will be
>the first time for me.
>
>Are great northern beans the best to use? Also some have told me to
>soak them first. Others say not to since they will slow cook in the
>pot. Your thoughts?
>
>Anyone have any simple recipes you use for this which you might want
>to share? I thought about going online and checking out the recipe for
>The Senate Bean Soup. Anyone ever make that and if so, your thoughts
>on it compared to other versions?
>
>Thanks,
>Anthony

i soak my beans before cooking, but i use the stove top, not a
crockpot. most of the 'senate bean soups' i have seen seem rather
bland to me. i use less water, more ham, no carrots or celery. i
think my recipe could be adapted to a crockpot:

bean soup (adapted from 'the everything cookbook.' by betty wason)

1 cup dried great northern beans (or other)

8 oz. beer

4 cups water

1 bay leaf

1 tbls cider vinegar

1 tsp adobo spice (a mix from goya)

2-3 smoked ham hocks (or 6 oz. [?] package of country ham chips)

1 medium onion, sliced

1/4-1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns, ground in spice mill or mortar
and pestle

1/4-1/2 tsp rooster sauce (srichacha pepper paste) or 1 tsp bufalo
chipotle sauce

* * * * * *

rinse and pick over beans in colander. soak overnight according to
package directions. drain. put beer, beans and water in the pot, ham
hocks and sliced onion. put pepper on top. simmer, covered, about
three hours. if using, remove hocks and trim meat from fat as best
you can, and cut meat into small dice. return to pot. add rooster
sauce or bufalo and adobo. simmer covered another 1/2-1 hour.

* * * * * *

i like to add some ketchup to my bowl at serving time, to make it
kinda pink, but if you think that's gross, don't.

this is a thick soup, or as my dad refers to his version 'ham stew
with beans.' it's a main-course item.

your pal,
blake

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

"Anthony Ferrante" > wrote in message
...
>I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will be
> the first time for me.
>
> Are great northern beans the best to use? Also some have told me to
> soak them first. Others say not to since they will slow cook in the
> pot. Your thoughts?
>
> Anyone have any simple recipes you use for this which you might want
> to share? I thought about going online and checking out the recipe for
> The Senate Bean Soup. Anyone ever make that and if so, your thoughts
> on it compared to other versions?
>
> Thanks,
> Anthony
>
>
Cannelloni beans

Kent

Best "beans" for bean soup? (recipe for House of Representatives Bean Soup)
 

"Anthony Ferrante" > wrote in message
...
>I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will be
> the first time for me.
>
> Are great northern beans the best to use? Also some have told me to
> soak them first. Others say not to since they will slow cook in the
> pot. Your thoughts?
>
> Anyone have any simple recipes you use for this which you might want
> to share? I thought about going online and checking out the recipe for
> The Senate Bean Soup. Anyone ever make that and if so, your thoughts
> on it compared to other versions?
>
> Thanks,
> Anthony

I'm not familiar with Senate Bean soup, but I have the recipe for bean soup
that was served in the House of Representatives. I suspect they may be the
same. I was a congressional intern many years, and I got the recipe at that
time. I have made it -- it's very easy, and very good. Legend has it that
it was Sam Rayburn's favorite and he insisted that it be available every
day. At any rate, it is popular enough with tourists that it is still on
the daily menu (or was at that time).

Here's the recipe:

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BEAN SOUP


Cover 2 pounds of Number 1 white Michigan beans with cold water and soak
over night. Drain and re-cover with water. Add a smoked ham hock and
simmer slowly for about 4 hours until beans are tender. Add salt and pepper
to taste. Just before serving, bruise beans with large spoon or ladle,
enough to cloud. Recipe serves 6 persons.

--
MaryL

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

"Billy" <Hereiam@hotmaildotcom> wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 19 Apr 2008 23:49:27 -0400, Anthony Ferrante
> > wrote:
>
>>I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will be
>>the first time for me.
>
> Beans in a crock pot is a very tricky thing to cook.

The question is, why bother?

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

"Kent" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> "Anthony Ferrante" > wrote in message
> ...
>>I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will be
>> the first time for me.
>>
>> Are great northern beans the best to use? Also some have told me to
>> soak them first. Others say not to since they will slow cook in the
>> pot. Your thoughts?
>>
>> Anyone have any simple recipes you use for this which you might want
>> to share? I thought about going online and checking out the recipe for
>> The Senate Bean Soup. Anyone ever make that and if so, your thoughts
>> on it compared to other versions?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Anthony
>>
>>
> Cannelloni beans
>
If it has to be one-bean soup, I still like navy best. With real ham, not a
greasy ham hock, carrots and celery finely diced, salt and pepper, maybe a
bay leaf if you like it.

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

cybercat wrote:

> If it has to be one-bean soup, I still like navy best. With real ham, not a
> greasy ham hock, carrots and celery finely diced, salt and pepper, maybe a
> bay leaf if you like it.
>
>

No onions? How can a person make soup without an onion?

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

cybercat wrote:
> "Billy" <Hereiam@hotmaildotcom> wrote in message
> ...
>> On Sat, 19 Apr 2008 23:49:27 -0400, Anthony Ferrante
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will be
>>> the first time for me.
>> Beans in a crock pot is a very tricky thing to cook.
>
> The question is, why bother?
>
>
I make "baked beans" in the slow cooker. They are soaked overnight
then cooked on the range. The seasonings and fixins are cooked with the
beans for a little bit on the range then all is transfered to the
electric slow cooker (Crock Pot is a brand name and I don't use that
brand) for several hours at a very low temperature. This method works
much better to get that slow and low oven baked flavor that I can't
achieve on the range. YMMV

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

On Sun, 20 Apr 2008 10:05:14 -0700 (PDT), merryb >
wrote:

>On Apr 19, 8:49*pm, Anthony Ferrante >
>wrote:
>> I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will be
>> the first time for me.
>>
>> Are great northern beans the best to use? Also some have told me to
>> soak them first. Others say not to since they will slow cook in the
>> pot. Your thoughts?
>>
>> Anyone have any simple recipes you use for this which you might want
>> to share? I thought about going online and checking out the recipe for
>> The Senate Bean Soup. Anyone ever make that and if so, your thoughts
>> on it compared to other versions?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Anthony
>
>Hi- Senate bean soup is a winner in my book. I used Great Northern
>beans, and I did soak them for the first time last time I made this
>soup. It may have cut the gas issue a little, but really not enough to
>notice. It's the price you pay...I did it in the crockpot also, and it
>was great!!

The problem is with The Senate bean soup recipe is that there are so
many variations. Which recipe do you use?

Here is what appears to be the authentic and following that is the
page from Cooks.com. Funny that there are so many of the same recipe,
yet you may be hard-pressed to find two that are identical:

http://www.senate.gov/reference/refe.../bean_soup.htm

http://www.cooks.com/rec/search?q=senate+bean+soup (53 variations)

Anthony

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

"Janet Wilder" > wrote in message
...
> cybercat wrote:
>
>> If it has to be one-bean soup, I still like navy best. With real ham, not
>> a greasy ham hock, carrots and celery finely diced, salt and pepper,
>> maybe a bay leaf if you like it.
>
> No onions? How can a person make soup without an onion?
>

You're right! I forgot the onion. :) But I don't put onion in chicken soup.
In bean soup, I like to dice the onion and put it in raw, about an hour
before the beans are perfect. In lentil soup, I like to brown the onions, in
slightly larger chunks, until they are plump and sweet. Same with stew. I
add them at the end so they stay plump and sweet.

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

"Janet Wilder" > wrote
>> The question is, why bother?
> I make "baked beans" in the slow cooker. They are soaked overnight then
> cooked on the range. The seasonings and fixins are cooked with the beans
> for a little bit on the range then all is transfered to the electric slow
> cooker (Crock Pot is a brand name and I don't use that brand) for several
> hours at a very low temperature. This method works much better to get that
> slow and low oven baked flavor that I can't achieve on the range. YMMV
>

I can see baked, but not soup.

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

cybercat wrote:
> "Janet Wilder" > wrote
>>> The question is, why bother?
>> I make "baked beans" in the slow cooker. They are soaked overnight then
>> cooked on the range. The seasonings and fixins are cooked with the beans
>> for a little bit on the range then all is transfered to the electric slow
>> cooker (Crock Pot is a brand name and I don't use that brand) for several
>> hours at a very low temperature. This method works much better to get that
>> slow and low oven baked flavor that I can't achieve on the range. YMMV
>>
>
> I can see baked, but not soup.
>
>
You are right. Soup on the range is the only way.

Texas Janet

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

cybercat wrote:

> You're right! I forgot the onion. :) But I don't put onion in chicken soup.
> In bean soup, I like to dice the onion and put it in raw, about an hour
> before the beans are perfect. In lentil soup, I like to brown the onions, in
> slightly larger chunks, until they are plump and sweet. Same with stew. I
> add them at the end so they stay plump and sweet.
>
>

In my family you would be sent to Siberia for leaving the onions out of
chicken soup :-)

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

"kilikini" > wrote
>
> You don't put onion in chicken soup? Really? I use it to make the stock
> and then I strain the stock and add fresh into my soup. Maybe I do it
> that way because my parents always did, I don't know.

There are some things I like very simple. Chicken broth is one. And
chicken soup. I want to taste the chicken, carrots, celery, and fresh
cracked pepper, and the rice or noodles.

Sometimes I don't want onions in beef stew, and I rarely put them
in vegetable beef soup.

On the other hand, ever since someone here (might have been you) told
me about cutting up an onion and placing it in the cavity of a roasted
chicken, I have never done without that. It adds a flavor and moisture
to the meat that is just wonderful.

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

"Janet Wilder" > wrote
>
> In my family you would be sent to Siberia for leaving the onions out of
> chicken soup :-)
>

I would refuse to go until they at least tasted my soup!

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

In article > ,
"cybercat" > wrote:

> "Anthony Ferrante" > wrote in message
> ...
> >I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will be
> > the first time for me.
> >
> > Are great northern beans the best to use? Also some have told me to
> > soak them first. Others say not to since they will slow cook in the
> > pot. Your thoughts?
> >
> > Anyone have any simple recipes you use for this which you might want
> > to share? I thought about going online and checking out the recipe for
> > The Senate Bean Soup. Anyone ever make that and if so, your thoughts
> > on it compared to other versions?
> >
>
> I like 15-bean soup blends. Dry beans.

Why dry beans? Is there any disadvantage to canned beans for soup *other
than cost*?

Isaac

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

"Kent" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> "Anthony Ferrante" > wrote in message
> ...
>>I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will be
>> the first time for me.
>>
>> Are great northern beans the best to use? Also some have told me to
>> soak them first. Others say not to since they will slow cook in the
>> pot. Your thoughts?
>>
>> Anyone have any simple recipes you use for this which you might want
>> to share? I thought about going online and checking out the recipe for
>> The Senate Bean Soup. Anyone ever make that and if so, your thoughts
>> on it compared to other versions?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Anthony
>>
>>
> Cannelloni beans
>
> Kent


I much prefer the cannellini bean, Canneloni seems to get too soggy when
cooked in a soup for my taste. ;)

My wife's fav bean recipe: Tonno e fagioli

12-14 oz. cannellini beans (cheat on time and use rinsed canned beans
instead)
2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
6 oz. tuna in oil, drained. (fresh seared tuna is a nicer presentation but
@ 10-12$ a lb a bit spendy for an antipasti)
1- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice to taste
1 medium onion, finely sliced ( I prefer red) or 3-4 scallions as
preferred
1-2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
salt/(white)pepper to taste

Soak the beans overnight and then cook for 1 1/2 hours, starting with cold
water. Salt towards the end of cooking time to keep the beans from hardening
up. Drain and cool or save your self a lot of trouble and buy quality canned
Great Northerns or go to the international isle and pay 2x more for the same
kidney beans with an fancy label. Combine the beans, coarsely crumbled tuna
and the onion in a bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon. onions, parsley, a pinch
of pepper and salt to taste. Toss, serve.

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

In article >,
isw > wrote:

> Why dry beans? Is there any disadvantage to canned beans for soup *other
> than cost*?

Not in my experience. Canned beans that I've purchased have always been
tender and tasty. They require nothing to prepare other than dumping
them into whatever you want them in. I generally drain and rinse them
although I suspect that I'm losing flavor and nutrients by doing that.
On the other hand, as you have mentioned, dry beans cost a boatload less
in bulk and need preparation.
If I were to serve a giant pot of beans at a party, I'd start with dry.
For everyday cooking, I use canned.

leo

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

On Sun 20 Apr 2008 09:12:04p, Leonard Blaisdell told us...

> In article >,
> isw > wrote:
>
>> Why dry beans? Is there any disadvantage to canned beans for soup *other
>> than cost*?
>
> Not in my experience. Canned beans that I've purchased have always been
> tender and tasty. They require nothing to prepare other than dumping
> them into whatever you want them in. I generally drain and rinse them
> although I suspect that I'm losing flavor and nutrients by doing that.
> On the other hand, as you have mentioned, dry beans cost a boatload less
> in bulk and need preparation.
> If I were to serve a giant pot of beans at a party, I'd start with dry.
> For everyday cooking, I use canned.
>
> leo
>

Dry beans for bean soup because they will absorb the flavors of the cooking
liquid. Canned beans are already completely hydrated and will absorb much
less flavor. Canned beans on their own or in dishes where they are not the
dominant ingredient dependent on absorbing flavors are just fine.

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Sunday, 04(IV)/20(XX)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Countdown till Memorial Day
5wks 2hrs 45mins
-------------------------------------------
That does not compute.
-------------------------------------------

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

isw wrote:

> In article > ,
> "cybercat" > wrote:
>
> > "Anthony Ferrante" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will
> > > be the first time for me.
> > >
> > > Are great northern beans the best to use? Also some have told me
> > > to soak them first. Others say not to since they will slow cook
> > > in the pot. Your thoughts?
> > >
> > > Anyone have any simple recipes you use for this which you might
> > > want to share? I thought about going online and checking out the
> > > recipe for The Senate Bean Soup. Anyone ever make that and if so,
> > > your thoughts on it compared to other versions?
> > >
> >
> > I like 15-bean soup blends. Dry beans.
>
> Why dry beans? Is there any disadvantage to canned beans for soup
> *other than cost*?

They're more dangerous to my health. I'm supposed to avoid excess
salt, and canned beans almost always have globbers and sprads of salt.


--
Dan Goodman
"I have always depended on the kindness of stranglers."
Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Expire
Journal http://dsgood.livejournal.com
Futures http://clerkfuturist.wordpress.com
mirror 1: http://dsgood.insanejournal.com
mirror 2: http://dsgood.wordpress.com
Links http://del.icio.us/dsgood

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

"isw" wrote

> Why dry beans? Is there any disadvantage to canned beans for soup *other
> than cost*?

A small one. Depending on how you want the soup to taste, you can cook the
dry ones in with the broth and they will absorb more of the spicing and
broth flavors. Since I do such dishes commonly in a crockpot, the cost of
getting the beans cooked is nominal.

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

On 21 Apr 2008 05:33:53 GMT, "Dan Goodman" > wrote:

>isw wrote:
>
>> In article > ,
>> "cybercat" > wrote:
>>
>> > "Anthony Ferrante" > wrote in message
>> > ...
>> > > I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will
>> > > be the first time for me.
>> > >
>> > > Are great northern beans the best to use? Also some have told me
>> > > to soak them first. Others say not to since they will slow cook
>> > > in the pot. Your thoughts?
>> > >
>> > > Anyone have any simple recipes you use for this which you might
>> > > want to share? I thought about going online and checking out the
>> > > recipe for The Senate Bean Soup. Anyone ever make that and if so,
>> > > your thoughts on it compared to other versions?
>> > >
>> >
>> > I like 15-bean soup blends. Dry beans.
>>
>> Why dry beans? Is there any disadvantage to canned beans for soup
>> *other than cost*?
>
>They're more dangerous to my health. I'm supposed to avoid excess
>salt, and canned beans almost always have globbers and sprads of salt.

I like the multimix beans for soup too and I'm not avoiding salt.

--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smile first

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

On Apr 20, 11:22�pm, isw > wrote:
> In article > ,
>
>
>
>
>
> �"cybercat" > wrote:
> > "Anthony Ferrante" > wrote in message
> .. .
> > >I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will be
> > > the first time for me.
>
> > > Are great northern beans the best to use? Also some have told me to
> > > soak them first. Others say not to since they will slow cook in the
> > > pot. Your thoughts?
>
> > > Anyone have any simple recipes you use for this which you might want
> > > to share? I thought about going online and checking out the recipe for
> > > The Senate Bean Soup. Anyone ever make that and if so, your thoughts
> > > on it compared to other versions?
>
> > I like 15-bean soup blends. Dry beans.
>
> Why dry beans? Is there any disadvantage to canned beans for soup *other
> than cost*?

No disadvantage whatsoever... and dried beans ain't so cheap anymore
(typically over $1.25/lb in those one pound bags)... in fact canned
beans can cost less than dried when you buy the larger cans. Most
canned beans sold these days are 15 oz., no longer a full pound. But
if you look more carefully you'll find some varieties of the store
brand beans in 40 oz cans, which are equal to one pound of dried beans
cooked, and cost the same... saves the cooking time and guess work.
Unless I want a particular bean that is not available canned I almost
always use canned. And with many soups it's not smart to add dried
beans, the dried beans should be cooked separately and added at the
end, may as well use canned and save a lot of work. Beans are such an
inexpensive item anyway that it makes no sense to be concerned with
the few cents between canned and dried... and I don't know about yoose
but my day is worth a lot more than the two nickles I can possibly
save by using dried beans, which of course will be way more than used
up in energy with many hours of cooking. With the price of fuel
nowadays it's pretty dumb to cook a pound of dried beans when you can
buy the exact same product already cooked in a can.

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

On Apr 21, 12:18�am, Wayne Boatwright
> wrote:
> On Sun 20 Apr 2008 09:12:04p, Leonard Blaisdell told us...
>
>
>
>
>
> > In article >,
> > �isw > wrote:
>
> >> Why dry beans? Is there any disadvantage to canned beans for soup *other
> >> than cost*?
>
> > Not in my experience. Canned beans that I've purchased have always been
> > tender and tasty. They require nothing to prepare other than dumping
> > them into whatever you want them in. I generally drain and rinse them
> > although I suspect that I'm losing flavor and nutrients by doing that.
> > On the other hand, as you have mentioned, dry beans cost a boatload less
> > in bulk and need preparation.
> > If I were to serve a giant pot of beans at a party, I'd start with dry.
> > For everyday cooking, I use canned.
>
> > leo
>
> Dry beans for bean soup because they will absorb the flavors
> of the cooking liquid. �

Actually not, not unless over cooked and the seed coat (testa) is
ruptured... seeds absorb (osmosis) pure H2O only.
With properly cooked beans the flavor of the bean should not be
compromised, cook only until just tender, not so they rupture. That's
the only real problem with canned beans, they are typically over
cooked... because they are cooked in the can and can't be stirred so
in order to ensure all the beans are cooked many become over cooked.

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

On Apr 21, 11:03�am, "kilikini" > wrote:
> Sheldon wrote:
>
> > No disadvantage whatsoever... and dried beans ain't so cheap anymore
> > (typically over $1.25/lb in those one pound bags)... in fact canned
> > beans can cost less than dried when you buy the larger cans. � Most
> > canned beans sold these days are 15 oz., no longer a full pound. �But
> > if you look more carefully you'll find some varieties of the store
> > brand beans in 40 oz cans, which are equal to one pound of dried beans
> > cooked, and cost the same... saves the cooking time and guess work.
> > Unless I want a particular bean that is not available canned I almost
> > always use canned. �And with many soups it's not smart to add dried
> > beans, the dried beans should be cooked separately and added at the
> > end, may as well use canned and save a lot of work. �Beans are such an
> > inexpensive item anyway that it makes no sense to be concerned with
> > the few cents between canned and dried... and I don't know about yoose
> > but my day is worth a lot more than the two nickles I can possibly
> > save by using dried beans, which of course will be way more than used
> > up in energy with many hours of cooking. �With the price of fuel
> > nowadays it's pretty dumb to cook a pound of dried beans when you can
> > buy the exact same product already cooked in a can.
>
> My husband has been rather upset at the price of dried beans, lately.
> Didn't they used to be about $.69 a bag? �Now they're $1.25 to, in some
> stores, $1.79 and the selection is really limited. �Even in the Mexican
> market it's the same deal.
>
> You're absolutely correct about the canned beans. �Save yourself some money,
> time and energy and just buy those.
>
> Beans aren't poor folk food anymore.

Like any other crop beans have poor growing seasons too. Beans ripen
over a period of a few weeks so are harvested by hand, and labor costs
have been steadily increasing. It's also becoming increasingly
expensive to store dried beans, not only do the warehouses need to be
kept vermin proof, they are also actually giant humidors... like any
seeds dried beans must be kept darn close to a 6pct moisture
content... more and they are prone to mold, less and they shrivel and
crack... it costs money to maintain a climate controled warehouse.

But even at twice the price beans are still an excellent source of
economical quality nutrition.

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

"isw" > wrote
>>
>> I like 15-bean soup blends. Dry beans.
>
> Why dry beans? Is there any disadvantage to canned beans for soup *other
> than cost*?
>

No, I just have never seen the 15-bean blend other than dried in bags.

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

"cybercat" wrote:
> "isw" wrote
>
> >> I like 15-bean soup blends. Dry beans.
>
> > Why dry beans? Is there any disadvantage to canned beans for soup *other
> > than cost*?
>
> No, I just have never seen the 15-bean blend other than dried in bags.

Well, DUH... you're supposed to buy 15 cans, one of each variety.
There are many kinds of freeze dried beans available too

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

isw wrote:
> In article > ,
> "cybercat" > wrote:
>

>> I like 15-bean soup blends. Dry beans.
>
> Why dry beans? Is there any disadvantage to canned beans for soup *other
> than cost*?

Salt levels. Preservatives. Texture (I prefer the texture of
home-cooked beans to canned, most of the time).

Serene

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

"Serene" > wrote in message
...
> isw wrote:
>> In article > ,
>> "cybercat" > wrote:
>>
>
>>> I like 15-bean soup blends. Dry beans.
>>
>> Why dry beans? Is there any disadvantage to canned beans for soup *other
>> than cost*?
>
> Salt levels.

That's a good point. I actually like using dried beans because they store so
well, and produce less waste. (Meaning the can.) But now that you speak of
it, they are also more pure. I use so much garlic in my black beans that I
don't think I have ever added salt. Pepper, for sure, and a bit of vinegar,
but not salt.

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

In article
>,
Sheldon > wrote:

> On Apr 20, 11:22?pm, isw > wrote:
> > In article > ,
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ?"cybercat" > wrote:
> > > "Anthony Ferrante" > wrote in message
> > .. .
> > > >I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will be
> > > > the first time for me.
> >
> > > > Are great northern beans the best to use? Also some have told me to
> > > > soak them first. Others say not to since they will slow cook in the
> > > > pot. Your thoughts?
> >
> > > > Anyone have any simple recipes you use for this which you might want
> > > > to share? I thought about going online and checking out the recipe for
> > > > The Senate Bean Soup. Anyone ever make that and if so, your thoughts
> > > > on it compared to other versions?
> >
> > > I like 15-bean soup blends. Dry beans.
> >
> > Why dry beans? Is there any disadvantage to canned beans for soup *other
> > than cost*?
>
> No disadvantage whatsoever... and dried beans ain't so cheap anymore
> (typically over $1.25/lb in those one pound bags)... in fact canned
> beans can cost less than dried when you buy the larger cans. Most
> canned beans sold these days are 15 oz., no longer a full pound. But
> if you look more carefully you'll find some varieties of the store
> brand beans in 40 oz cans, which are equal to one pound of dried beans
> cooked, and cost the same... saves the cooking time and guess work.

Except as you said in another post, some canned beans are overcooked.
If you want control over what goes into your food (salt levels,
preservatives etc) and the tenderness of the beans, you're better off
going with dried.

Miche

--
Electricians do it in three phases

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

On Apr 21, 4:24�pm, Serene > wrote:
> isw wrote:
> > In article > ,
> > �"cybercat" > wrote:
>
> >> I like 15-bean soup blends. Dry beans.
>
> > Why dry beans? Is there any disadvantage to canned beans for soup *other
> > than cost*?
>
> Salt levels. Preservatives. Texture (I prefer the texture of
> home-cooked beans to canned, most of the time).

There is very little added salt in canned beans, virtually all of
which can be removed by rinsing. And there are no preservatives
except with some darker beans some disodiumsomething to preserve
color, again will be removed with rinsing, the canning process is
preservative aplenty
... there are far more preservatives and salts added when including
bacon/any cured meats. As to texture, there is far less chance of
achieving consistant/even texture when cooking multiple kinds of beans
together than with using individually canned beans. And typically
those packages of multiple kinds of beans for soup are overly
expensive. A pot of soup using 15 cans of different beans (15 ounces
each) isn't really a lot, and bean soup freezes well. Personally I
don't see the point in using more than one, maybe two kinds of beans
in any soup.

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

Serene wrote:
> isw wrote:
>> In article > ,
>> "cybercat" > wrote:
>>
>
>>> I like 15-bean soup blends. Dry beans.
>>
>> Why dry beans? Is there any disadvantage to canned beans for soup
>> *other than cost*?
>
> Salt levels. Preservatives. Texture (I prefer the texture of home-cooked
> beans to canned, most of the time).
>
> Serene

I agree about the texture. Canned beans do not have the same texture as
prepared dried beans.

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

"Janet Wilder" > wrote
>
> I agree about the texture. Canned beans do not have the same texture as
> prepared dried beans.
>

I made black bean soup ( a very thick soup) with canned black beans
twice last month, and they were wonderful. I did think the texture was
more velvety than when I make them from dry beans, and none of them
were split open, they were whole. I love these with tons of fresh garlic
and a bit of cumin or chili powder (muddles in warm olive oil before
adding to the soup), and pepper. No salt needed in the canned beans
especially. A sprinkle of cheddar and some white corn chips, mmm.
A dollop of sour cream and some chives are also good on top instead
of cheese.

The very best thing about canned black beans: instant gratification.
These things take forever to get soft from dry.

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

Anthony Ferrante wrote:
> On Sun, 20 Apr 2008 10:05:14 -0700 (PDT), merryb >
> wrote:
>
>> On Apr 19, 8:49 pm, Anthony Ferrante >
>> wrote:
>>> I am going to make some bean soup in my crockpot soon. This will be
>>> the first time for me.
>>>
>>> Are great northern beans the best to use? Also some have told me to
>>> soak them first. Others say not to since they will slow cook in the
>>> pot. Your thoughts?
>>>
>>> Anyone have any simple recipes you use for this which you might want
>>> to share? I thought about going online and checking out the recipe
>>> for The Senate Bean Soup. Anyone ever make that and if so, your
>>> thoughts on it compared to other versions?
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Anthony
>>
>> Hi- Senate bean soup is a winner in my book. I used Great Northern
>> beans, and I did soak them for the first time last time I made this
>> soup. It may have cut the gas issue a little, but really not enough
>> to notice. It's the price you pay...I did it in the crockpot also,
>> and it was great!!
>
> The problem is with The Senate bean soup recipe is that there are so
> many variations. Which recipe do you use?
>
> Here is what appears to be the authentic and following that is the
> page from Cooks.com. Funny that there are so many of the same recipe,
> yet you may be hard-pressed to find two that are identical:
>
> http://www.senate.gov/reference/refe.../bean_soup.htm
>
> http://www.cooks.com/rec/search?q=senate+bean+soup (53 variations)
>
> Anthony
>
I'd certainly use the one from the U.S. Senate site rather than cooks.com.
But as with any bean soup recipe, of course there are a gazillion
variations.

Jill

Best "beans" for bean soup?
 

Sheldon wrote:

> "cybercat" wrote:
> > "isw" wrote
>
> > >> I like 15-bean soup blends. Dry beans.
>
> > > Why dry beans? Is there any disadvantage to canned beans for soup *other
> > > than cost*?
>
> > No, I just have never seen the 15-bean blend other than dried in bags.
>
> Well, DUH... you're supposed to buy 15 cans, one of each variety.


Welp, it figgers that the cyberWITCH is a WRETCH at conjuring up even
something so basic as a bean soup...as punishment the goblins should
steal her rusty 'ole cauldron...!!!

--
Best
Greg