Comments on: How to Use Dry Beans in Recipes

By: Rachel Ira

Rachel Ira — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:47:07 +0000

I have a hard time with my beans too. I use RO water, soak over night and cook till soft. It's after I refrigerate them that they get hard. Should I cook them longer? I do live at altitude. I mostly want them for my 10 month old who needs to eat some protein. I'm going to try the bacon and salt. I know the burrito places do vegetarian BB that are soft and flavorful.

By: HeatherSolos

HeatherSolos — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:13:18 +0000

I wish I could tell you they would be fine, but there really isn't a magic fix. I'm sorry.

By: Chili haunt

Chili haunt — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:55:13 +0000

This was my first time using dried beans. I soaked them overnight, but hen added them to a pot with diced tomatoes to make a chili. I moved them to a crock pot last night and they are stil hard this morning. I'm guessing they are old from what I read, but I don't want o dump out an entire pot of chili I made for a party tonight. Is there any way of softening them and saving the pot?

By: Melissa E

Melissa E — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:53:37 +0000

I am on hour sixteen, and they still aren't tender. I gave up the stove top and moved them into a crockpot hours ago.(electricity to run the crockpot is far less expensive than the cost of the gas for the stove)They soaked for 2 days, not kidding. what am i doing wrong? I used bottled water. I am high altitude.

By: Veronica

Veronica — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:31:08 +0000

I get to live in Alaska. When I cook a pot of beans it only takes me about an hour and a half. I always clean the beans first and then I try to add some kind of pork meat to it. We love left over ham bones and some of the fat from the ham. It gives it a great flavor. I definitely add at least one onion cut up and lots of garlic. My men love it. I have two boys and my husband. Beans are so good for you and they are very cheap. Thank you, Veronica

By: ThatBobbieGirl

ThatBobbieGirl — Wed, 06 May 2009 12:48:57 +0000

I’ll have to try this with some kidney beans I have that I just have NOT been able to get soft. I know we do have pretty hard water, so perhaps that’s the problem. I’ll try some distilled water (since I already have several gallons on hand) Thanks!

By: Scratch Cooking: The Whys | Home Ec 101

Scratch Cooking: The Whys | Home Ec 101 — Wed, 06 May 2009 11:54:40 +0000

[...] for cooks to step outside their usual bounds and try new things, but there was a comment on How to Use Dry Beans in Recipes Bottled water for cooking? That’s pretty wasteful. Not to mention expensive. That would cancel [...]

By: Heather

Heather — Wed, 06 May 2009 11:06:21 +0000

Meg, bottled water comes in forms other than the 20oz convenience bottle. Many homes with very hard water are used to the issues that accompany that fact. Many have a cooler type system for drinking water. Using water from there would not be wasteful, the jugs are collected as part of the service agreement. Additionally water by the gallon at most stores is very cheap. Just recycle the jug as you would a gallon of milk.

By: Meg

Meg — Wed, 06 May 2009 02:38:20 +0000

Bottled water for cooking? That’s pretty wasteful. Not to mention expensive. That would cancel out the savings from using dried beans, and also be really bad for the planet.

By: How to Make Refried Beans | Home Ec 101

How to Make Refried Beans | Home Ec 101 — Tue, 05 May 2009 10:11:50 +0000

[...] want to know how these things should taste, not like Taco Bell tells me they ought to. Remember the pinto beans from last week? The leftovers became this week’s refried beans and the process was simpler [...]