1. green beans are hard to cook right - there's a narrow tolerance for
doneness

2. don't salt ground beef for hamburgers - salt the patties on each side
rightbefore cooking - that's all you need

3. it's easy to put too much garlic or salt in guacamole

4. there is definitely such a thing as too much rub

On 9/2/2014 2:30 AM, tert in seattle wrote:
> 1. green beans are hard to cook right - there's a narrow tolerance for
> doneness
>
> 2. don't salt ground beef for hamburgers - salt the patties on each side
> rightbefore cooking - that's all you need
>
> 3. it's easy to put too much garlic or salt in guacamole
>
> 4. there is definitely such a thing as too much rub
>

I will defer to you on 1 through 3, but for 4 I would have to know who
is doing the rubbing.

"JohnJohn" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 2 Sep 2014 06:30:14 +0000 (UTC), tert in seattle
> > wrote:
>
>>1. green beans are hard to cook right - there's a narrow tolerance for
>>doneness
>>
>>2. don't salt ground beef for hamburgers - salt the patties on each side
>>rightbefore cooking - that's all you need
>>
>>3. it's easy to put too much garlic or salt in guacamole
>>
>>4. there is definitely such a thing as too much rub
>
> In spite of many attempts, I have never succeeded in putting too much
> garlic in something.
>
> --
> JohnJohn

You are just not trying hard enough!

--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

On Tuesday, September 2, 2014 2:30:14 AM UTC-4, tert in seattle wrote:
> 1. green beans are hard to cook right - there's a narrow tolerance for
> doneness
>
Green beans are very easy. First boil them in water
until nearly done. Then immediately remove the beans and
shock them in a bowl of ice water. This stops the
cooking and the "overdoneness". The beans will also
maintain their bright green color. When you want to
serve, just finish them off by reheating.

Reheating can be done either for 10 seconds in boiling
water or in a fry pan with your favorite additional flavorings.

Most vegetables can be cooked in a similar way.

http://www.richardfisher.com

"JohnJohn" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 2 Sep 2014 12:19:03 +0100, "Ophelia"
> > wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>"JohnJohn" > wrote in message
. ..
>>> On Tue, 2 Sep 2014 06:30:14 +0000 (UTC), tert in seattle
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>>1. green beans are hard to cook right - there's a narrow tolerance for
>>>>doneness
>>>>
>>>>2. don't salt ground beef for hamburgers - salt the patties on each side
>>>>rightbefore cooking - that's all you need
>>>>
>>>>3. it's easy to put too much garlic or salt in guacamole
>>>>
>>>>4. there is definitely such a thing as too much rub
>>>
>>> In spite of many attempts, I have never succeeded in putting too much
>>> garlic in something.
>>>
>>You are just not trying hard enough!
>
> I don't know. I always have elevators all to myself!

Hmmm I suppose that could be a good indication ... I prefer not to speculate
about any other reasons for that!



http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

On Tue, 02 Sep 2014 22:03:31 +1000, JohnJohn >
wrote:



>>You are just not trying hard enough!
>
>I don't know. I always have elevators all to myself!

I have a friend in Texas that won't get into an elevator if he smells
garlic breath on someone in it.

tert in seattle wrote:

>1. green beans are hard to cook right - there's a narrow tolerance for
>doneness

Green beans are easy cook precisely to whatever level of doneness you
prefer when stir fried.

>2. don't salt ground beef for hamburgers - salt the patties on each side
>rightbefore cooking - that's all you need

Salt burgers after cooking and most times added condiments add enough
salt... no one needs to add salt to ketchup and/or cheese... I like to
top burgers with smothered onions, and those are salted while cooking.

>3. it's easy to put too much garlic or salt in guacamole

It's even easier not to add too much, simply pay attention.

>4. there is definitely such a thing as too much rub

Depends who you're rubbing.

On Tue, 2 Sep 2014 05:12:45 -0700 (PDT), Helpful person
> wrote:

>On Tuesday, September 2, 2014 2:30:14 AM UTC-4, tert in seattle wrote:
>> 1. green beans are hard to cook right - there's a narrow tolerance for
>> doneness
>>
>Green beans are very easy. First boil them in water
>until nearly done.

That's the problem, back to square one, what's nearly done?

>Then immediately remove the beans and
>shock them in a bowl of ice water. This stops the
>cooking and the "overdoneness". The beans will also
>maintain their bright green color. When you want to
>serve, just finish them off by reheating.
>
>Reheating can be done either for 10 seconds in boiling
>water or in a fry pan with your favorite additional flavorings.

Much less complicated and far tastier: http://tinyurl.com/2csf9e2
http://chinesefood.about.com/od/vege...greenbeans.htm

"Ed Pawlowski" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 02 Sep 2014 22:03:31 +1000, JohnJohn >
> wrote:
>
>
>
>>>You are just not trying hard enough!
>>
>>I don't know. I always have elevators all to myself!
>
> I have a friend in Texas that won't get into an elevator if he smells
> garlic breath on someone in it.

is that because he becomes sexually aroused and fears a lawsuit?

On Tuesday, September 2, 2014 9:03:18 AM UTC-4, Brooklyn1 wrote:
> On Tue, 2 Sep 2014 05:12:45 -0700 (PDT), Helpful person
>
>
> >Green beans are very easy. First boil them in water
> >until nearly done.
>
> That's the problem, back to square one, what's nearly done?
>
No, the problem is not determining what's nearly done. The problem is the
beans continue to cook after they are removed from the pot. Shocking in
cold water prevents this and fixes the color.

http://www.richardfisher.com

On 2014-09-02 9:13 AM, JohnJohn wrote:
> On Tue, 2 Sep 2014 06:06:58 -0700, "Pico Rico" >
> wrote:
>
>>>
>>>>> You are just not trying hard enough!
>>>>
>>>> I don't know. I always have elevators all to myself!
>>>
>>> I have a friend in Texas that won't get into an elevator if he smells
>>> garlic breath on someone in it.
>>
>> is that because he becomes sexually aroused and fears a lawsuit?
>
>

Maybe the question is if he really has a friend like that or if it was
something he heard someone say on television.

Barbie, I agree with you. It's because I grew up eating home-canned beans most of the year, from
our farm truck garden. When they were available fresh from the garden, they were different
when cooked, of course, but I still prefer them what most people would say overdone. It is
all a matter of personal taste, like all foods.

N.

"Nancy2" > wrote in message
...
>
> Barbie, I agree with you. It's because I grew up eating home-canned beans
> most of the year, from
> our farm truck garden. When they were available fresh from the garden,
> they were different
> when cooked, of course, but I still prefer them what most people would say
> overdone. It is
> all a matter of personal taste, like all foods.
>
> N.

yep. squeaky veggies are a no go with me. poor flavor.

On Tue, 2 Sep 2014 06:30:14 +0000 (UTC), tert in seattle
> wrote:

> 1. green beans are hard to cook right - there's a narrow tolerance for
> doneness

Thank you! That is one vegetable that I'd rather buy frozen because
when *I* cook them from fresh they are either so undercooked they
squeak on my teeth or they are overcooked and too mushy. I feel like
I rarely hit the stopped squeaking, but not mushy sweet spot.
>
> 2. don't salt ground beef for hamburgers - salt the patties on each side
> rightbefore cooking - that's all you need

Are you saying you season the meat and mix it in before forming the
patties? That's meatloaf, not hamburger patties.
>
> 3. it's easy to put too much garlic or salt in guacamole

Better yet, don't use them at all. Salt, maybe a pinch - but garlic?
Lime (or lemon) is a must.
>
> 4. there is definitely such a thing as too much rub

I've decided even a light rub of any kind that contains brown sugar
and powdered chile is too much because I hate that flavor profile.


--
Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them.

On Tue, 02 Sep 2014 08:41:29 -0400, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:

> On Tue, 02 Sep 2014 22:03:31 +1000, JohnJohn >
> wrote:
>
>
>
> >>You are just not trying hard enough!
> >
> >I don't know. I always have elevators all to myself!
>
> I have a friend in Texas that won't get into an elevator if he smells
> garlic breath on someone in it.

I've been told that it comes out your pores if you eat enough of it.
Sounds like a great way to get an express elevator ride to your floor
if it really works.


--
Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them.

On Tue, 2 Sep 2014 06:36:28 -0700 (PDT), Nancy2
> wrote:

>
> Barbie, I agree with you. It's because I grew up eating home-canned beans most of the year, from
> our farm truck garden. When they were available fresh from the garden, they were different
> when cooked, of course, but I still prefer them what most people would say overdone. It is
> all a matter of personal taste, like all foods.
>
I think it also has to do with what kind of bean they are. Green
beans of my childhood were the kind you had to cook to death just to
chew them. Green beans of today are much more tender - Blue Lake,
haricot verts. They're easier to cook, but they're easier to over
cook too.



--
Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them.

On Tue, 02 Sep 2014 07:03:10 -0700, sf > wrote:

>On Tue, 2 Sep 2014 06:30:14 +0000 (UTC), tert in seattle
> wrote:
>
>> 1. green beans are hard to cook right - there's a narrow tolerance for
>> doneness
>
>Thank you! That is one vegetable that I'd rather buy frozen because
>when *I* cook them from fresh they are either so undercooked they
>squeak on my teeth or they are overcooked and too mushy. I feel like
>I rarely hit the stopped squeaking, but not mushy sweet spot.
>>
snip
Why don't you just sample one from the cooking pot to see how done
they are? That's what I do.
Janet US

"Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 02 Sep 2014 07:03:10 -0700, sf > wrote:
>
>>On Tue, 2 Sep 2014 06:30:14 +0000 (UTC), tert in seattle
> wrote:
>>
>>> 1. green beans are hard to cook right - there's a narrow tolerance for
>>> doneness
>>
>>Thank you! That is one vegetable that I'd rather buy frozen because
>>when *I* cook them from fresh they are either so undercooked they
>>squeak on my teeth or they are overcooked and too mushy. I feel like
>>I rarely hit the stopped squeaking, but not mushy sweet spot.
>>>
> snip
> Why don't you just sample one from the cooking pot to see how done
> they are? That's what I do.

one time she burned her fingers that way, so never again!

On 9/2/2014 2:30 AM, tert in seattle wrote:
> 1. green beans are hard to cook right - there's a narrow tolerance for
> doneness
>
Wow. You really have outdone yourself.

I have never found it difficult to cook green beans. When they're
cooked to your desired texture - that is, tender crisp, tender or cooked
to mush - take them off the heat. It doesn't matter if you boil them,
steam them or stir-fry them. If you know how to cook you know when
they're done.

> 2. don't salt ground beef for hamburgers - salt the patties on each side
> rightbefore cooking - that's all you need
>
Are you talking about salting a pound or more of ground beef before you
form it into patties?! I never heard of anyone doing that. I don't
even sprinkle salt on hamburger patties after I've formed them.

> 3. it's easy to put too much garlic or salt in guacamole
>
Dunno about garlic and guacamole. But obviously it's easy to over-salt
anything.

> 4. there is definitely such a thing as too much rub
>
Rub as for spareribs? Depends on what you use in the rub mixture.

Jill

On 9/2/2014 9:19 AM, barbie gee wrote:
>
>
> On Tue, 2 Sep 2014, Helpful person wrote:
>
>> On Tuesday, September 2, 2014 2:30:14 AM UTC-4, tert in seattle wrote:
>>> 1. green beans are hard to cook right - there's a narrow tolerance for
>>> doneness
>>>
>> Green beans are very easy. First boil them in water
>> until nearly done. Then immediately remove the beans and
>> shock them in a bowl of ice water. This stops the
>> cooking and the "overdoneness". The beans will also
>> maintain their bright green color. When you want to
>> serve, just finish them off by reheating.
>>
>> Reheating can be done either for 10 seconds in boiling
>> water or in a fry pan with your favorite additional flavorings.
>>
>> Most vegetables can be cooked in a similar way.
>
> I can't tell you how many times I've had green beans at a restaurant and
> they were way UNDER done. tert's right, there's a narrow window where
> they're "just right", but I'd rather have them Over cooked by a minute
> than under cooked, any day.
>
I tend to avoid ordering green beans in some restaurants because they
assume I want tender-crisp, always leaning more towards the crisp side.
If I wanted crisp green beans I'd eat them raw.

Jill

On Tue, 2 Sep 2014 08:19:08 -0500, barbie gee >
wrote:

>
>
>On Tue, 2 Sep 2014, Helpful person wrote:
>
>> On Tuesday, September 2, 2014 2:30:14 AM UTC-4, tert in seattle wrote:
>>> 1. green beans are hard to cook right - there's a narrow tolerance for
>>> doneness
>>>
>> Green beans are very easy. First boil them in water
>> until nearly done. Then immediately remove the beans and
>> shock them in a bowl of ice water. This stops the
>> cooking and the "overdoneness". The beans will also
>> maintain their bright green color. When you want to
>> serve, just finish them off by reheating.
>>
>> Reheating can be done either for 10 seconds in boiling
>> water or in a fry pan with your favorite additional flavorings.
>>
>> Most vegetables can be cooked in a similar way.
>
>I can't tell you how many times I've had green beans at a restaurant and
>they were way UNDER done. tert's right, there's a narrow window where
>they're "just right", but I'd rather have them Over cooked by a minute
>than under cooked, any day.

And I'd rather undercooked. When green beans are picked young they
don't need to be cooked.

Janet Bostwick wrote:

>On Tue, 02 Sep 2014 07:03:10 -0700, sf > wrote:
>
>>On Tue, 2 Sep 2014 06:30:14 +0000 (UTC), tert in seattle
> wrote:
>>
>>> 1. green beans are hard to cook right - there's a narrow tolerance for
>>> doneness
>>
>>Thank you! That is one vegetable that I'd rather buy frozen because
>>when *I* cook them from fresh they are either so undercooked they
>>squeak on my teeth or they are overcooked and too mushy. I feel like
>>I rarely hit the stopped squeaking, but not mushy sweet spot.
>>>
>snip
>Why don't you just sample one from the cooking pot to see how done
>they are? That's what I do.
>Janet US

That's what all normal people do with most everything they cook...
there is no way to tell if vegetables are cooked to one's liking
simply by looking and/or timing.

On Tue, 02 Sep 2014 08:11:07 -0600, Janet Bostwick
> wrote:

> On Tue, 02 Sep 2014 07:03:10 -0700, sf > wrote:
>
> >On Tue, 2 Sep 2014 06:30:14 +0000 (UTC), tert in seattle
> > wrote:
> >
> >> 1. green beans are hard to cook right - there's a narrow tolerance for
> >> doneness
> >
> >Thank you! That is one vegetable that I'd rather buy frozen because
> >when *I* cook them from fresh they are either so undercooked they
> >squeak on my teeth or they are overcooked and too mushy. I feel like
> >I rarely hit the stopped squeaking, but not mushy sweet spot.
> >>
> snip
> Why don't you just sample one from the cooking pot to see how done
> they are? That's what I do.

I have bad green bean mojo.


--
Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them.

On 2014-09-02 10:08 AM, sf wrote:

> I think it also has to do with what kind of bean they are. Green
> beans of my childhood were the kind you had to cook to death just to
> chew them. Green beans of today are much more tender - Blue Lake,
> haricot verts. They're easier to cook, but they're easier to over
> cook too.
>

The green beans of my childhood were mostly fresh out of our garden...
during the summer. A lot of them were blanched and frozen. They were
always nice and tender and there was no need to cook them until they
mushy.

On Tue, 02 Sep 2014 10:19:11 -0400, jmcquown >
wrote:

>On 9/2/2014 2:30 AM, tert in seattle wrote:

>> 2. don't salt ground beef for hamburgers - salt the patties on each side
>> rightbefore cooking - that's all you need
>>
>Are you talking about salting a pound or more of ground beef before you
>form it into patties?! I never heard of anyone doing that. I don't
>even sprinkle salt on hamburger patties after I've formed them.

I always season the ground beef before making hamburger patties. I
just googled, and about half the recipes for hamburger patties call
for salt to be added first.

I guess it's what you're used to.

Doris

On Tue, 02 Sep 2014 11:11:20 -0400, Dave Smith
> wrote:

> On 2014-09-02 10:08 AM, sf wrote:
>
> > I think it also has to do with what kind of bean they are. Green
> > beans of my childhood were the kind you had to cook to death just to
> > chew them. Green beans of today are much more tender - Blue Lake,
> > haricot verts. They're easier to cook, but they're easier to over
> > cook too.
> >
>
> The green beans of my childhood were mostly fresh out of our garden...
> during the summer. A lot of them were blanched and frozen. They were
> always nice and tender and there was no need to cook them until they
> mushy.

It's a certain kind of bean. Don't ask me what they were, some kind
of runner bean. My grandfather had a garden, my mother shopped at the
grocery store - but the beans were the same and they were anything but
tender. Southerners still grow and like them. I've seen it mentioned
here from time to time.

In any case, my window of what's the right is probably a lot more
narrow than yours because I have trouble hitting the sweet spot with
the newer and more tender varieties too. I'd rather eat gray mush
than have them squeak against my teeth. I don't mind tender-crisp,
but I absolutely hate the squeak. They have to be cooked past that.


--
Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them.

On 2014-09-02 12:13 PM, Doris Night wrote:

> I always season the ground beef before making hamburger patties. I
> just googled, and about half the recipes for hamburger patties call
> for salt to be added first.
>
> I guess it's what you're used to.

me too.

On Tue, 2 Sep 2014 07:13:28 -0700, "Pico Rico" >
wrote:

>
>"Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
.. .
>> On Tue, 02 Sep 2014 07:03:10 -0700, sf > wrote:
>>
>>>On Tue, 2 Sep 2014 06:30:14 +0000 (UTC), tert in seattle
> wrote:
>>>
>>>> 1. green beans are hard to cook right - there's a narrow tolerance for
>>>> doneness
>>>
>>>Thank you! That is one vegetable that I'd rather buy frozen because
>>>when *I* cook them from fresh they are either so undercooked they
>>>squeak on my teeth or they are overcooked and too mushy. I feel like
>>>I rarely hit the stopped squeaking, but not mushy sweet spot.
>>>>
>> snip
>> Why don't you just sample one from the cooking pot to see how done
>> they are? That's what I do.
>
>one time she burned her fingers that way, so never again!
>
Use a fork or something to fish a piece out
Janet US

In article >,
says...
>
> On Tue, 02 Sep 2014 22:03:31 +1000, JohnJohn >
> wrote:
>
>
>
> >>You are just not trying hard enough!
> >
> >I don't know. I always have elevators all to myself!
>
> I have a friend in Texas that won't get into an elevator if he smells
> garlic breath on someone in it.

I saw you on TV. You were dressed as a Dutch woman and U heeft
gesproken over een man in een lift


Janet UK

On 9/2/2014 6:41 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> On Tue, 02 Sep 2014 22:03:31 +1000, JohnJohn >
> wrote:
>
>
>
>>> You are just not trying hard enough!
>>
>> I don't know. I always have elevators all to myself!
>
> I have a friend in Texas that won't get into an elevator if he smells
> garlic breath on someone in it.
>
Must be a superior sniffer to detect that before stepping in...

Ride the underground in Paris, and you will know how much garlic the natives enjoy.
LOL.

N.

On Tue, 2 Sep 2014 10:30:27 -0700 (PDT), Nancy2
> wrote:

>
> Ride the underground in Paris, and you will know how much garlic the natives enjoy.
> LOL.
>
I have, more than once.... in Rome too. I've seen pickpockets, but
smelled no garlic. Must be immune to it.



--
Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them.

On 9/2/2014 11:11 AM, Dave Smith wrote:

> The green beans of my childhood were mostly fresh out of our garden...
> during the summer. A lot of them were blanched and frozen. They were
> always nice and tender and there was no need to cook them until they mushy.

I bet I have a lot of beans ready to pick in my garden today.
I just love them. I like them cooked to where they still have
texture, then shocked. Stir in minced garlic and I can't keep
my hands off them, I will pick all day til the whole big bowl
is gone.

There is a BBQ place near me that does them to perfection and
they serve you a huge pile of them. Almost distracts me from
my brisket. Almost. They serve them with a spicy shake of some
sort. Cayenne, pepper, garlic powder maybe.

Speaking of overdoing vegetables, last week I grabbed a basket
of fresh limas. I love them cooked and then sauteed in some
butter. They are a bear to get out of the pods.

First recipe Ron looked up said to boil them for an hour.
What?! The biggest ones are maybe an inch across, how long
can it take? Next recipe, boil them for a half hour.

Any fresh lima bean cookers out there? Is cooking limas
to mush the traditional way or something?

nancy

On 9/3/2014 8:28 AM, wrote:
> On Wed, 03 Sep 2014 07:54:59 -0400, Nancy Young
> > wrote:

>> Speaking of overdoing vegetables, last week I grabbed a basket
>> of fresh limas. I love them cooked and then sauteed in some
>> butter. They are a bear to get out of the pods.
>>
>> First recipe Ron looked up said to boil them for an hour.
>> What?! The biggest ones are maybe an inch across, how long
>> can it take? Next recipe, boil them for a half hour.
>>
>> Any fresh lima bean cookers out there? Is cooking limas
>> to mush the traditional way or something?

> It seems not many people like limas, I love them but have never seen
> them fresh here. I buy a bag of frozen ones, Green Giant the only
> ones, and they are quite nice.

I like lima beans.

I really don't see them fresh, hardly ever, then mostly at
the farmer's market or stand. When I see them, I grab them.
Like anything else, it's somewhat different from the ones you
buy frozen, being fresh from the field.

> Cook an hour ????

Right? I laughed out loud. Then he said OK, two more recipes
say a half hour. I said Are they cooking them in the pod? I
didn't get it.

So, he surprised me later with beans he only cooked for 25
minutes since I objected to even a half hour. A rare fail for
him, these poor beans were falling apart mushy. I thought maybe
people traditionally like them cooked to death, the way they
sometimes cook those poor green beans?

nancy

On Wed, 03 Sep 2014 09:13:42 -0400, Nancy Young
> wrote:

>On 9/3/2014 8:28 AM, wrote:
>> On Wed, 03 Sep 2014 07:54:59 -0400, Nancy Young
>> > wrote:
>
>>> Speaking of overdoing vegetables, last week I grabbed a basket
>>> of fresh limas. I love them cooked and then sauteed in some
>>> butter. They are a bear to get out of the pods.
>>>
>>> First recipe Ron looked up said to boil them for an hour.
>>> What?! The biggest ones are maybe an inch across, how long
>>> can it take? Next recipe, boil them for a half hour.
>>>
>>> Any fresh lima bean cookers out there? Is cooking limas
>>> to mush the traditional way or something?
>
>> It seems not many people like limas, I love them but have never seen
>> them fresh here. I buy a bag of frozen ones, Green Giant the only
>> ones, and they are quite nice.
>
>I like lima beans.
>
>I really don't see them fresh, hardly ever, then mostly at
>the farmer's market or stand. When I see them, I grab them.
>Like anything else, it's somewhat different from the ones you
>buy frozen, being fresh from the field.
>
> > Cook an hour ????
>
>Right? I laughed out loud. Then he said OK, two more recipes
>say a half hour. I said Are they cooking them in the pod? I
>didn't get it.
>
>So, he surprised me later with beans he only cooked for 25
>minutes since I objected to even a half hour. A rare fail for
>him, these poor beans were falling apart mushy. I thought maybe
>people traditionally like them cooked to death, the way they
>sometimes cook those poor green beans?
>
>nancy

the recipes were probably referring to limas left on the vine to dry
for dried beans -- maybe?
Janet US

On 9/3/2014 9:40 AM, Janet Bostwick wrote:
> On Wed, 03 Sep 2014 09:13:42 -0400, Nancy Young
> > wrote:

>> Right? I laughed out loud. Then he said OK, two more recipes
>> say a half hour. I said Are they cooking them in the pod? I
>> didn't get it.

> the recipes were probably referring to limas left on the vine to dry
> for dried beans -- maybe?

That makes sense! I didn't see the recipes, myself, but
yeah, maybe they were referring to dried limas.

Mystery solved, I believe. Thanks!

nancy

On 9/2/14, 10:11 AM, Janet Bostwick wrote:

>> Thank you! That is one vegetable that I'd rather buy frozen because
>> when *I* cook them from fresh they are either so undercooked they
>> squeak on my teeth or they are overcooked and too mushy. I feel like
>> I rarely hit the stopped squeaking, but not mushy sweet spot.

> Why don't you just sample one from the cooking pot to see how done
> they are? That's what I do.

Exactly. Or saute them, and the occasional quick stab will tell you when
they're done.

-- Larry

On Wed, 03 Sep 2014 09:13:42 -0400, Nancy Young
> wrote:

> On 9/3/2014 8:28 AM, wrote:
> > On Wed, 03 Sep 2014 07:54:59 -0400, Nancy Young
> > > wrote:
>
> >> Speaking of overdoing vegetables, last week I grabbed a basket
> >> of fresh limas. I love them cooked and then sauteed in some
> >> butter. They are a bear to get out of the pods.
> >>
> >> First recipe Ron looked up said to boil them for an hour.
> >> What?! The biggest ones are maybe an inch across, how long
> >> can it take? Next recipe, boil them for a half hour.
> >>
> >> Any fresh lima bean cookers out there? Is cooking limas
> >> to mush the traditional way or something?
>
> > It seems not many people like limas, I love them but have never seen
> > them fresh here. I buy a bag of frozen ones, Green Giant the only
> > ones, and they are quite nice.
>
> I like lima beans.
>
> I really don't see them fresh, hardly ever, then mostly at
> the farmer's market or stand. When I see them, I grab them.
> Like anything else, it's somewhat different from the ones you
> buy frozen, being fresh from the field.
>
> > Cook an hour ????
>
> Right? I laughed out loud. Then he said OK, two more recipes
> say a half hour. I said Are they cooking them in the pod? I
> didn't get it.
>
> So, he surprised me later with beans he only cooked for 25
> minutes since I objected to even a half hour. A rare fail for
> him, these poor beans were falling apart mushy. I thought maybe
> people traditionally like them cooked to death, the way they
> sometimes cook those poor green beans?
>
I have a feeling those long cooking recipes begin with dried lima
beans, not fresh. If you have more beans to experiment with, I'd
start by steaming them for a few minutes and adding time if necessary.

This recipe has you boil them 5-8 minutes, but I don't see why
steaming them for the same amount of time wouldn't work.
http://wegottaeat.com/wegottaeat/rec...ans-with-thyme

This one says 20 minutes, but succotash is supposed to be mushy
http://southernfood.about.com/od/lim.../r/blbb431.htm

Martha Stewart says to blanch them for her salad, so you've got an
entire range of cooking times to work with for fresh lima beans.
http://www.marthastewart.com/317446/...p.gvldPPIpPtXC


--
Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them.

On Wednesday, September 3, 2014 12:32:06 PM UTC-4, wrote:
>
> I tend to like my veggies a bit al dente but it would ruin limas to
> cook like that, well really any veggie overcooked is awful, probably
> brussel sprouts being the worst

No, the worst is cabbage, the way the British used to cook it. Boil for
a minimum of 1 hour, strain, serve the cabbage while throwing away all
the good stuff left in the liquid.

http://www.richardfisher.com

On Wed, 3 Sep 2014 09:40:38 -0700 (PDT), Helpful person
> wrote:

> On Wednesday, September 3, 2014 12:32:06 PM UTC-4, wrote:
> >
> > I tend to like my veggies a bit al dente but it would ruin limas to
> > cook like that, well really any veggie overcooked is awful, probably
> > brussel sprouts being the worst
>
> No, the worst is cabbage, the way the British used to cook it. Boil for
> a minimum of 1 hour, strain, serve the cabbage while throwing away all
> the good stuff left in the liquid.
>
Boiled vegetables are vile. People talk about brussels sprouts being
awful. I think they buy the wrong size. I buy small brussels sprouts
that are around 1 inch wide and they are fine. I've even over cooked
them when roasting and they were still delicious.


--
Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them.