Why can't I cook beans

[Jane Gillett]

Tried - AGAIN - making soup with dried beans recently. Mediocre result ie
after long soaking and long cooking there were STILL hard bits in it. Will
somebody please tell me what I'm doing wrong.

Strted with dried beans from a packet.
Soaked beans in cold water overnight (plenty of water).
Drained beans, added fresh water and simmered for - oh - about 2 hours ish.
Added root veg, leek, onion, celery and simmered a further 1-2 hours or so.
Added capsicum, tomato, cabbage, spinach, beef stock, parsley and salt & pepper (none
added up to now - some in stock) and
cooked until latest veg cooked.

STILL some hard bits.

What did I do wrong - OR - better - what should I do to get it right? Asking for
your skill and experience please.

TIA
Jane

[graham]

Post by Jane Gillett
Tried - AGAIN - making soup with dried beans recently. Mediocre result ie
after long soaking and long cooking there were STILL hard bits in it. Will
somebody please tell me what I'm doing wrong.
Strted with dried beans from a packet.
Soaked beans in cold water overnight (plenty of water).
Drained beans, added fresh water and simmered for - oh - about 2 hours ish.
Added root veg, leek, onion, celery and simmered a further 1-2 hours or so.
Added capsicum, tomato, cabbage, spinach, beef stock, parsley and salt & pepper (none
added up to now - some in stock) and
cooked until latest veg cooked.
STILL some hard bits.
What did I do wrong - OR - better - what should I do to get it right? Asking for
your skill and experience please.

Assuming that the beans were not too old.
I do the fast soak method with an overnight soak. Bring them to boil in
plenty of water and cook for a couple of minutes. Turn off the heat, cover
and leave overnight. I have found this to be much more reliable than a cold
overnight soak.
Graham

[Brian Reay]

Post by Jane Gillett
Tried - AGAIN - making soup with dried beans recently. Mediocre result ie
after long soaking and long cooking there were STILL hard bits in it. Will
somebody please tell me what I'm doing wrong.
Strted with dried beans from a packet.
Soaked beans in cold water overnight (plenty of water).
Drained beans, added fresh water and simmered for - oh - about 2 hours ish.
Added root veg, leek, onion, celery and simmered a further 1-2 hours or so.
Added capsicum, tomato, cabbage, spinach, beef stock, parsley and salt & pepper (none
added up to now - some in stock) and
cooked until latest veg cooked.
STILL some hard bits.
What did I do wrong - OR - better - what should I do to get it right? Asking for
your skill and experience please.
TIA
Jane

So, as a minimum the beans had 3 hours simmering? I would thing that
would do it, even compensation for not boiling first- which I normally
do before simmering.

I normally rinse etc. as you do, bring to the boil, then simmer for the
recommended time (as I recall 90mins). I tend to ensure the simmer is
"vigourous" and give a stir. I also check the beans are tender by
eating a couple. I use mine in soup so add other pulses about half way
through and use stock + water, and other things. I remove some of the
beans after cooking, liquidise the rest, then return the beans, add any
precooked meat, heat, cool, freeze.

[Mike.. . . .]

Following a post by Jane Gillett

Post by Jane Gillett
STILL some hard bits.

bring to boil at start of soaking period.

[Jane Gillett]

Post by Mike.. . . .
Following a post by Jane Gillett

Post by Jane Gillett
STILL some hard bits.

bring to boil at start of soaking period.

So it's bring to the boil before the overnight soak. I'll do that and let
you know the outcome.
Thanks to all,
Cheers
jane