>"Peter Aitken"
>
>>"Erica" wrote
>>
>> As I was soaking a pot of pinto beans, I wondered...is this really
>> necessary? Is there any real reason to soak beans before cooking them?
>
>Nope - all it does is shorten the cooking time. If you boil dry beans
>briefly and let sit in the hot water for a while it is supposed to lessen
>the gas-generating effects.

Um, yoose gots to drain the soaking water (it will contain a goodly portion of
the fart fairies) and cook in fresh water.

>See my kitchen myths page at
>http://www.pgacon.com/KitchenMyths.htm for this and other myths.

Yeah, right... essentially plagerized BULLSHIT.

For the real deal, all you need to know about beans...

http://www.americanbean.org

Cooking Dry-Packaged Beans

"Hot soaking helps dissolve some of the gas-causing substances, making the
beans easier to digest. Drain soaking water and rinse beans; cook in fresh
water. In general, beans take 30 minutes to 2 hours to cook depending on
variety. Check bean packaging for specific cooking times and instructions.
Spice up beans while they cook. Seasonings such as garlic, onion, oregano,
parsley or thyme can be added to the pot while beans are cooking. Add acidic
ingredients, such as tomatoes, vinegar, wine or citrus juices, only at end of
cooking, when the beans are tender.
Add salt only after beans are cooked to tender. If added before, salt may cause
bean skins to become impermeable, halting the tenderizing process.
To test for doneness, bite-taste a few beans. They should be tender, but not
overcooked. When cooling, keep beans in cooking liquid to prevent them from
drying out."
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