Julia Altshuler wrote:

> Erica wrote:
>
>> Hey,
>>
>> 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?
>>
>> Thanks for any help.
>
> In another life, I ran a macrobiotic catering business. I cooked beans
> several times a week for years. I tried every method there is. I never
> found a significant difference in the final result EXCEPT for starting
> with fresher beans and the cooking liquid.

In my restaurants, we did test after test and came to essentially the
same conclusions. We bought beans from wholesalers all of whom had
dated packages. Makes it easier tom keep track of freshness.

> Use plain unsalted water, not vegetable stock, not tomato juice, not
> with lots of vegetables in it, not vinegar, absolutely no salt or tamari
> or other flavors. All that can be added later after the beans are
> cooked to the desired tenderness.

I don't agree. I find that I can create a better flavor profile if
some seasoned liquid is absorbed by the beans. Salt and acids will
affect texture and cooking times, but virtually anything else will add
to the finished flavor of the beans. I'll also say I like the beans to
be firm which means a shorter cook time. Means that flavors added at
the end don't penetrate as much. Personal tastes.

> Shop for beans from a store that has a good turnover on them. For me,
> that meant the big supermarket, not the small, specialty, health food
> store. Older beans can still be used, but they take longer to cook by
> several hours.

Agreed. The rehydration rates of beans seems to vary directly with age.

> With those 2 caveats, the boiling method is up to you and what you find
> most convenient. Pre-soaking will shorten the cooking time but lengthen
> the planning time. I decided I preferred not pre-soaking. Pressure
> cookers shorten the cooking time too, but they took fussing with lids
> and special equipment and needed to be kept a closer eye on. I decided
> I liked a regular pot with a lid which I could stir every time I walked by.

Mostly, I agree with this. The difference is that if I have to cook a
lot of beans, the pressure cooker makes batches easier and you can put
any flavorings in there you want including salt and acids and it'll work.

> You can bring the beans and water to a boil, then turn off the heat or
> bring them to a boil and lower to a simmer, or bring to a boil and cook
> them at a fairly fast boil. The only important point is to keep
> stirring them enough so they don't burn and stick to the bottom of the
> pot. My preference is for the boil-then-simmer method, but that means I
> had heat I could adjust. If you've got a stove with 2 settings of high
> and off, you can do well with bring to a boil, then turn off until it
> cools a little, then boil again, etc.
>
>
> As for desired tenderness, I like them cooked until splitting, the
> texture for soups or dip. If you watch them carefully, you can see when
> they're just about to split and get them off the heat then. That's
> right for bean salads.

That splitting criterion is what I learned in a chef training seminar.
The test the instructor advocated was to pick up a few beans in a
spoon, drain them and blow on them. If the skins split open, they're
done. Works for me. Can't don it in a pressure cooker, so it has to be
by time. If they're not completely done, it's just a matter of
bringing them back to a simmer and finishing it that way. Still cuts
hours off the cook time.

Pastorio