J. Clarke > wrote:

>There's no "acceptable minimum time". The longer they soak the less time
>they have to cook. If you're willing to cook them 2-4 hours then you
>don't need to soak them at all.

Yes, for me it's less hassle to pre-soak and then have a shorter
cooking time, since cooking them requires some ongoing attention and
soaking does not. Rarely do sea-level beans require more
than 45 minutes to cook if they've been soaked overnight.

Steve