Tonight I'm trying, yet again, to make a bean soup/stew with white
beans. On two previous occasions I prepped the beans by putting them
in cold water, bringing to boil, boiling for 3 minutes, turn it off,
cover and leave it alone for 2-3 hours.

As I've done tonight.

Now added to a recipe that has me BTB, simmer for 1.5 hours (with lamb
and other stuff). In previous circumstances (and recipes) the beans
were still inedible. I had to keep it up for almost 2 hours before
putting it all in a pressure cooker. I've forgotten the other
stumble-bum conclusion--I think it may have just been another hour or
two of screaming boil or something.

This time--without question--the beans are a new bag. I just bought them.

Anybody else have similar issues with these damnable beans?

still have my fingers crossed for tonight, but sense doom.

"gtr" > wrote in message news:2015090117305945254-xxx@yyyzzz...
> Tonight I'm trying, yet again, to make a bean soup/stew with white beans.
> On two previous occasions I prepped the beans by putting them in cold
> water, bringing to boil, boiling for 3 minutes, turn it off, cover and
> leave it alone for 2-3 hours.

No need to leave for that long. Leave for an hour. Then discard the water,
add plenty of fresh water and bring to a boil again. Then simmer.
>
> As I've done tonight.
>
> Now added to a recipe that has me BTB, simmer for 1.5 hours (with lamb and
> other stuff). In previous circumstances (and recipes) the beans were
> still inedible. I had to keep it up for almost 2 hours before putting it
> all in a pressure cooker. I've forgotten the other stumble-bum
> conclusion--I think it may have just been another hour or two of screaming
> boil or something.

I'm a little confused. Did you add the benas to the other stuff? Was any
of the other stuff tomatoes or salt? If so, that could be the problem.
>
> This time--without question--the beans are a new bag. I just bought them.

You may have just bought them but how long were they in the store? Were
they bulk? Packaged? If packaged, then they should have a pull date on
them. If bulk, then try another store. I never buy bulk unless I know that
the store sells a lot of them.
>
> Anybody else have similar issues with these damnable beans?
>
> still have my fingers crossed for tonight, but sense doom.

I have not have that problem since the 70's. The beans I get these days
cook quickly.

On 2015-09-02 03:36:22 +0000, Julie Bove said:

> "gtr" > wrote in message news:2015090117305945254-xxx@yyyzzz...
>> Tonight I'm trying, yet again, to make a bean soup/stew with white
>> beans. On two previous occasions I prepped the beans by putting them in
>> cold water, bringing to boil, boiling for 3 minutes, turn it off, cover
>> and leave it alone for 2-3 hours.
>
> No need to leave for that long. Leave for an hour. Then discard the
> water, add plenty of fresh water and bring to a boil again. Then
> simmer.
>>
>> As I've done tonight.
>>
>> Now added to a recipe that has me BTB, simmer for 1.5 hours (with lamb
>> and other stuff). In previous circumstances (and recipes) the beans
>> were still inedible. I had to keep it up for almost 2 hours before
>> putting it all in a pressure cooker. I've forgotten the other
>> stumble-bum conclusion--I think it may have just been another hour or
>> two of screaming boil or something.
>
> I'm a little confused. Did you add the benas to the other stuff?

Yes.

> Was any of the other stuff tomatoes or salt? If so, that could be the problem.

Neither.

>> This time--without question--the beans are a new bag. I just bought them.
>
> You may have just bought them but how long were they in the store?
> Were they bulk? Packaged? If packaged, then they should have a pull
> date on them. If bulk, then try another store. I never buy bulk
> unless I know that the store sells a lot of them.
>>
>> Anybody else have similar issues with these damnable beans?
>>
>> still have my fingers crossed for tonight, but sense doom.
>
> I have not have that problem since the 70's. The beans I get these
> days cook quickly.

On Tuesday, September 1, 2015 at 7:31:02 PM UTC-5, gtr wrote:
>
> Tonight I'm trying, yet again, to make a bean soup/stew with white
> beans. On two previous occasions I prepped the beans by putting them
> in cold water, bringing to boil, boiling for 3 minutes, turn it off,
> cover and leave it alone for 2-3 hours.
>
> As I've done tonight.
>
> Now added to a recipe that has me BTB, simmer for 1.5 hours (with lamb
> and other stuff). In previous circumstances (and recipes) the beans
> were still inedible. I had to keep it up for almost 2 hours before
> putting it all in a pressure cooker. I've forgotten the other
> stumble-bum conclusion--I think it may have just been another hour or
> two of screaming boil or something.
>
> This time--without question--the beans are a new bag. I just bought them.
>
> Anybody else have similar issues with these damnable beans?
>
> still have my fingers crossed for tonight, but sense doom.
>
>I've never had trouble with cooking beans. I don't do
the soaking method either. Pick through beans for any
bad ones or stones. Rinse 2 or 3 times, cover with water,
bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 2
hours, stirring occasionally and checking if more water
needs to be added. After 2 hours check for doneness/
tenderness and if done add salt, stir and cook for a few
more minutes.

If I'm adding cubed ham that will be added after about
an hour when beans are becoming tender. Continue cooking
on a simmer for another 30 minutes or so. Check for doneness
and add salt.

On 2015-09-02 04:10:10 +0000, said:

> I've never had trouble with cooking beans. I don't do
> the soaking method either.

Okay. Do you cook white beans?

> Pick through beans for any bad ones or stones. Rinse 2 or 3 times,
> cover with water, bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook
> for 2 hours, stirring occasionally and checking if more water needs to
> be added.

Never even drain them and replace the water?

> After 2 hours check for doneness/ tenderness and if done add salt, stir
> and cook for a few more minutes.
>
> If I'm adding cubed ham that will be added after about
> an hour when beans are becoming tender. Continue cooking
> on a simmer for another 30 minutes or so. Check for doneness
> and add salt.

Okay, so that's approximately 2.5 hours.

On Wednesday, September 2, 2015 at 12:41:54 AM UTC-5, gtr wrote:
>
> On 2015-09-02 04:10:10 +0000, said:
>
> > I've never had trouble with cooking beans. I don't do
> > the soaking method either.
>
> Okay. Do you cook white beans?
>
Yes, I do. As a matter of fact I cooked a gigantic pot, with
cubed ham last week. Yum. I can't remember the last time I
cooked pinto beans. Got burned out on them as a kid.
>
> > Pick through beans for any bad ones or stones. Rinse 2 or 3 times,
> > cover with water, bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook
> > for 2 hours, stirring occasionally and checking if more water needs to
> > be added.
>
> Never even drain them and replace the water?
>
Why? What purpose does that serve besides adding cooking
time to your dish?
>
> > After 2 hours check for doneness/ tenderness and if done add salt, stir
> > and cook for a few more minutes.
> >
> > If I'm adding cubed ham that will be added after about
> > an hour when beans are becoming tender. Continue cooking
> > on a simmer for another 30 minutes or so. Check for doneness
> > and add salt.
>
> Okay, so that's approximately 2.5 hours.
>
Possibly. I do know that it takes no more, probably even
less, time to cook a pot of white beans.

On 2015-09-02 13:48:09 +0000, said:

>>> Pick through beans for any bad ones or stones. Rinse 2 or 3 times,
>>> cover with water, bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook
>>> for 2 hours, stirring occasionally and checking if more water needs to
>>> be added.
>>
>> Never even drain them and replace the water?
>>
> Why? What purpose does that serve besides adding cooking
> time to your dish?

I'll take that as a no. The soaking water leaches out some chemicals
that makes them more gassy.

>>> After 2 hours check for doneness/ tenderness and if done add salt, stir
>>> and cook for a few more minutes.
>>>
>>> If I'm adding cubed ham that will be added after about
>>> an hour when beans are becoming tender. Continue cooking
>>> on a simmer for another 30 minutes or so. Check for doneness
>>> and add salt.
>>
>> Okay, so that's approximately 2.5 hours.
>>
> Possibly. I do know that it takes no more, probably even
> less, time to cook a pot of white beans.

I wonder if there's any significant different between Great Northern
and cannellini beans. the GN's work fairly okay. I prepped them as
indicated upstream, then browned some onions, seared some lamb
shoulder, added garlic and some other noise, then the beans and
simmered, purportedly for 1.5 hours. I boiled them for an additional
30+ minutes because they were too hard.

My current approach will be to cook them for about an hour on their own
and add them to the other ingredients at that point. It's big pain in
the ass, but I can't predict what they'll do or when they'll do it.
Outside, of course, just making a large pot of white beans. I can see
how that would be a little more straight ahead.

On Wed, 2 Sep 2015 08:59:22 -0700, gtr > wrote:

> My current approach will be to cook them for about an hour on their own
> and add them to the other ingredients at that point. It's big pain in
> the ass, but I can't predict what they'll do or when they'll do it.
> Outside, of course, just making a large pot of white beans. I can see
> how that would be a little more straight ahead.

Suggestion: precook your beans to almost done. 1.5 hours sounds like
a reasonable amount of time for them to reach that stage. Store them
in the freezer until you're ready to use them in some dish where you
want to throw everything in at the same time. Problem solved.

--
Elitist Snob

On Wed, 2 Sep 2015 08:59:22 -0700, gtr > wrote:

snip
>
>I wonder if there's any significant different between Great Northern
>and cannellini beans.

little difference, see here
http://www.cookthink.com/reference/9...s_Navy_b eans
or
http://tinyurl.com/d7sz5q

Janet US

On Tue, 1 Sep 2015 22:41:50 -0700, gtr > wrote:

>On 2015-09-02 04:10:10 +0000, said:
>
>> I've never had trouble with cooking beans. I don't do
>> the soaking method either.
>
>Okay. Do you cook white beans?
>
>> Pick through beans for any bad ones or stones. Rinse 2 or 3 times,
>> cover with water, bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook
>> for 2 hours, stirring occasionally and checking if more water needs to
>> be added.
>
>Never even drain them and replace the water?
>
>> After 2 hours check for doneness/ tenderness and if done add salt, stir
>> and cook for a few more minutes.
>>
>> If I'm adding cubed ham that will be added after about
>> an hour when beans are becoming tender. Continue cooking
>> on a simmer for another 30 minutes or so. Check for doneness
>> and add salt.
>
>Okay, so that's approximately 2.5 hours.

Nowadays canned beans are inexpensive, saves all that cooking time and
are already properly cooked. I rarely cook dried beans anymore, I buy
the larger cans, they end up costing less than dried.... I can cook up
a huge pot of bean soup in under an hour, just needs time to cook the
ham bone and veggies, when the other ingredients are almost done add
the canned beans... fool proof bean cookery. With canned beans I can
make refried beans in ten minutes.... fry a mess of pork chops until
barely cooked through, remove to a plate, add a mess of canned beans
to the pork fond, liquid too, heat and mash to desired consistancy,
adjust seasoning, add back the chops, and cook til hot and serve.
Takes more time to fry the chops than to prepare the beans... I prefer
black beans for refried.

Thing is dried beans when properly stored don't actually go bad, over
time they lose some flavor but are still perfectly edible. Dried
beans are harvested when dry on the vine, then they are stored in huge
humidors that maintain an ideal temperature and humidity. Beans are
seeds, you can always test for wholesomeness by sprouting a few...
place like ten beans in a jar with wet blotting paper and leave in a
dark closet, they should begin to sprout in 4-5 days. If all sprout
they are perfectly good. If a couple don't sprout they are still
okay. If half don't sprout they are probably moldy and I'd toss them.
http://extension.usu.edu/foodstorage/htm/dry-beans
If your dry beans are not cooking properly then they were probably
stored improperly where you purchased them, shop elsewhere. Or you
may not be storing beans properly at home, if the humidity and
temperature is too high in your home due to no A/C then you probably
shouldn't be buying dried beans, or grains/flours/pasta, and such.
These dry foods also readily absorb odors, it's a good idea to store
in air tight containers.

On 9/2/2015 1:50 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
> Nowadays canned beans are inexpensive, saves all that cooking time and
> are already properly cooked. I rarely cook dried beans anymore, I buy
> the larger cans, they end up costing less than dried.... I can cook up
> a huge pot of bean soup in under an hour, just needs time to cook the
> ham bone and veggies, when the other ingredients are almost done add
> the canned beans... fool proof bean cookery.

That's true. Canned beans make for a very quick soup.

Every once in a while I get a wild hair and cook my dad's Navy Bean Soup
(just another - albeit smaller - white bean) which does call for dried
beans. It's an old recipe, one of the few things I remember him
cooking. I don't make it very often, though. It calls for a ham bone,
something I never have. Or ham hocks... haven't bought those in years.
It's delicious soup, though.

Jill

On Tue, 1 Sep 2015 17:30:59 -0700, gtr > wrote:

> Tonight I'm trying, yet again, to make a bean soup/stew with white
> beans. On two previous occasions I prepped the beans by putting them
> in cold water, bringing to boil, boiling for 3 minutes, turn it off,
> cover and leave it alone for 2-3 hours.
>
> As I've done tonight.
>
> Now added to a recipe that has me BTB, simmer for 1.5 hours (with lamb
> and other stuff). In previous circumstances (and recipes) the beans
> were still inedible. I had to keep it up for almost 2 hours before
> putting it all in a pressure cooker. I've forgotten the other
> stumble-bum conclusion--I think it may have just been another hour or
> two of screaming boil or something.
>
> This time--without question--the beans are a new bag. I just bought them.
>
> Anybody else have similar issues with these damnable beans?
>
> still have my fingers crossed for tonight, but sense doom.

Are you saying they're hard? I don't have any problem cooking beans,
but I figure they need a good two hours before they're anywhere near
ready.

--
Elitist Snob

On Wednesday, September 2, 2015 at 1:56:41 AM UTC-5, sf wrote:
>
> Are you saying they're hard? I don't have any problem cooking beans,
> but I figure they need a good two hours before they're anywhere near
> ready.
>
>
Yep.

On 2015-09-02 06:56:34 +0000, sf said:

> Are you saying they're hard?

Yes.

> I don't have any problem cooking beans, but I figure they need a good
> two hours before they're anywhere near ready.

After 3 minutes boiling, I soaked them for over 3 hours. Then I cooked
them for a little them for about 2.5 hours.

On Wed, 2 Sep 2015 09:00:32 -0700, gtr > wrote:

> On 2015-09-02 06:56:34 +0000, sf said:
>
> > Are you saying they're hard?
>
> Yes.
>
> > I don't have any problem cooking beans, but I figure they need a good
> > two hours before they're anywhere near ready.
>
> After 3 minutes boiling, I soaked them for over 3 hours. Then I cooked
> them for a little them for about 2.5 hours.
>

You didn't need to soak them that long. When I do the quick soak
method, I boil them for 10 minutes in salted water, soak for an hour.
Start over with fresh water, BTB, lower the heat and it's (usually)
another 2 hours of simmering to get them to the tender stage.
Sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less.

--
Elitist Snob

On Wednesday, September 2, 2015 at 1:23:45 PM UTC-4, sf wrote:

> You didn't need to soak them that long. When I do the quick soak
> method, I boil them for 10 minutes in salted water, soak for an hour.

In that same water? with lid on?


> Start over with fresh water, BTB, lower the heat and it's (usually)
> another 2 hours of simmering to get them to the tender stage.

With a tight lid on?

In article >,
Kalmia > wrote:

> On Wednesday, September 2, 2015 at 1:23:45 PM UTC-4, sf wrote:
>
> > You didn't need to soak them that long. When I do the quick soak
> > method, I boil them for 10 minutes in salted water, soak for an hour.
>
> In that same water? with lid on?

Yes. Yes.

> > Start over with fresh water, BTB, lower the heat and it's (usually)
> > another 2 hours of simmering to get them to the tender stage.
>
> With a tight lid on?

Yes.

On Thu, 3 Sep 2015 07:16:59 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:

> On Wednesday, September 2, 2015 at 1:23:45 PM UTC-4, sf wrote:
>
> > You didn't need to soak them that long. When I do the quick soak
> > method, I boil them for 10 minutes in salted water, soak for an hour.
>
> In that same water? with lid on?

Quick soak doesn't require a presoak. When I soak overnight, I soak
them in salted water, toss the soak water when I'm ready to go and
start with fresh.
>
>
> > Start over with fresh water, BTB, lower the heat and it's (usually)
> > another 2 hours of simmering to get them to the tender stage.
>
> With a tight lid on?

No. I don't use a lid most of the time.


--

sf

On 2015-09-02 00:30:59 +0000, gtr said:

> Tonight I'm trying, yet again, to make a bean soup/stew with white
> beans. On two previous occasions I prepped the beans by putting them
> in cold water, bringing to boil, boiling for 3 minutes, turn it off,
> cover and leave it alone for 2-3 hours.
>
> As I've done tonight.
>
> Now added to a recipe that has me BTB, simmer for 1.5 hours (with lamb
> and other stuff). In previous circumstances (and recipes) the beans
> were still inedible. I had to keep it up for almost 2 hours before
> putting it all in a pressure cooker. I've forgotten the other
> stumble-bum conclusion--I think it may have just been another hour or
> two of screaming boil or something.
>
> This time--without question--the beans are a new bag. I just bought them.
>
> Anybody else have similar issues with these damnable beans?
>
> still have my fingers crossed for tonight, but sense doom.

Not at all. I soak the beans in cold water overnight. Drain next day,
start with fresh water and commence to making soup.
--
--
Barb
www.barbschaller.com, last update April 2013

On Thu, 3 Sep 2015 09:50:18 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
> wrote:


snip
I soak the beans in cold water overnight. Drain next day,
>start with fresh water and commence to making soup.
>--
that's the way that I have always done it.
Janet US

In article >, Janet B
> wrote:

> On Thu, 3 Sep 2015 09:50:18 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
> > wrote:
>
>
> I soak the beans in cold water overnight. Drain next day,
> >start with fresh water and commence to making soup.
> >--
> that's the way that I have always done it.

Old school. I may have to try that approach. The wife claims it's
unnecessary. But my own personal reality seems to contradict.

gtr wrote:
> my own personal reality seems to contradict.


That's how we just got the Iran deal.

On Thu, 03 Sep 2015 09:49:51 -0700, gtr > wrote:

>In article >, Janet B
> wrote:
>
>> On Thu, 3 Sep 2015 09:50:18 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
>> > wrote:
>>
>>
>> I soak the beans in cold water overnight. Drain next day,
>> >start with fresh water and commence to making soup.
>> >--
>> that's the way that I have always done it.
>
>Old school. I may have to try that approach. The wife claims it's
>unnecessary. But my own personal reality seems to contradict.

to me it's less fuss to soak overnight than the boil and sit method.
Janet US

On Thu, 03 Sep 2015 13:29:46 -0600, Janet B >
wrote:

> On Thu, 03 Sep 2015 09:49:51 -0700, gtr > wrote:
>
> >In article >, Janet B
> > wrote:
> >
> >> On Thu, 3 Sep 2015 09:50:18 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
> >> > wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >> I soak the beans in cold water overnight. Drain next day,
> >> >start with fresh water and commence to making soup.
> >> >--
> >> that's the way that I have always done it.
> >
> >Old school. I may have to try that approach. The wife claims it's
> >unnecessary. But my own personal reality seems to contradict.
>
> to me it's less fuss to soak overnight than the boil and sit method.
> Janet US

I use the quick method when I don't have the night for a long soak.
That way I don't have to put until tomorrow what I want to cook today.

--

sf