Dried Beans Question

[SDMomChef]

The thread on dried beans vs. canned beans and bobmark's link to Rancho Gordo beans inspired me to purchase some black valentine beans, which arrived yesterday and look gorgeous. So, I decided to make black bean soup in the slow cooker for supper today. Last night I put the beans in water to soak overnight, and this morning, all the water was absorbed by the beans and some of the beans had split. I don't remember this happening before - is this normal??

I'm all paranoid now that the lovely black bean soup I was looking forward to having for supper tonight will be more like bean mash ... although if that is the case, maybe I could somehow do some sort of a burrito with them.

[Robyn1007]

If I recall correctly that if you ordered these from Rancho Gordo they were fresh enough to cook in just 90 minutes so I imagine an overnight soaking and then all day in a crockpot could be too much. BUT I'm far from a bean expert (never cooked dried beans before this past weekend) and my order of 4 different types of beans from Rancho Gordo arrives tomorrow.

[kim21]

I'm no bean expert either, yet, I agree with Robyn. I made a cajun bean soup in the crock pot yesterday. I simply rinsed the beans and assembled the soup in a stock pot, brought it to a boil, simmered for just a few minutes and and then transferred everything to the crock pot on low for the rest of the day. While some of the beans had split after cooking for the day, the soup was certainly not bean mash.

I probably could have assembled everything right in the crock pot and skipped the boil/simmer step but I pulled out the crock pot as an after thought...


Good luck!

[heavy hedonist]

I doubt your bean soup will be a bean mash anyhow. you may need to add extra broth or wine to thin it if necessary. if you're really worried it will be too thick and mushy (some people LOVE thick beans soups) or if you just really want some firm textured beans in there, get thee to a store and buy a can of black beans, (preferably not Progresso, they overcook some kinds) wash in cold water and drain, and add it to your soup, keeping back some of your pre-soaked ones. add the canned ones just at the end, and heat through, to preserve texture. My own black bean soup calls for mashing or blending some of the beans! use the rest to make bean burgers.
it always pays to read the directions on the beans you buy.

[SDMomChef]

Drat! Lesson learned....the back of the package did not have instructions.

I don't have time today to run home to try to "fix" it or add more liquid. At least I have Plan B!

[Canice]

Just to clarify, it was the regular black turtle beans I was buying when the producer told me not to pre-soak them -- may be a different story with the larger variety. But I'm willing to bet a quick phone call to them would get your answer. 707-259-1935.
Good luck!

[bobmark226]

Just to clarify, it was the regular black turtle beans I was buying when the producer told me not to pre-soak them -- may be a different story with the larger variety. But I'm willing to bet a quick phone call to them would get your answer. 707-259-1935.
Good luck!

Reading the website since I posted on them, the Black Valentines aren't in the turtle bean family at all (and supposedly should taste different -- who knew? ), but related to the kidney. Definitely a call to get an answer, but I'd also e-mail a complaint about lack of instructions given what happened, in hopes of getting a freebie, of course. I really did expect more along those lines, along with recipes, with the shipment, and had to go to the web site and make notes of my own.

But there's definitely something odd there worth checking with them...and blaming, if need be.

Sorry for the bad experience, Sherri!

Bob

[SDMomChef]

Reading the website since I posted on them, the Black Valentines aren't in the turtle bean family at all (and supposedly should taste different -- who knew? ), but related to the kidney. Definitely a call to get an answer, but I'd also e-mail a complaint about lack of instructions given what happened, in hopes of getting a freebie, of course. I really did expect more along those lines, along with recipes, with the shipment, and had to go to the web site and make notes of my own.

But there's definitely something odd there worth checking with them...and blaming, if need be.

Sorry for the bad experience, Sherri!

Bob

Nothing to be sorry about! I still have 4 other bags of beautiful beans - chalk this one up to experience! And, who knows, maybe the soup won't be that bad when I get home tonight.

[SDMomChef]

Woohoo!! The beans were not too mushy and the soup turned out just fine! All the worrying for no reason!

[wallycat]

I am not familiar with that particular variety, but I would have guessed that if soaking were called for and you followed directions that yes, the beans were younger and newer. The older a bean gets the harder it is to get it soft.

If you get near mushy beans you can do two things...
drain and use in refried beans or if they are just partially breaking up, add an acid to the recipe (tomatoes, lemon juice, etc.) which tends to harden/stiffen the cell walls of beans.

[Robyn1007]

Just wanted to post an update as my beans arrived this morning and I thought I'd post directions since it appears that at least some boxes went out without them. Although, I'm slightly disappointed because I have no reason to cook them until next week since I'll be out of town all weekend. But, there is a postcard in the box, the front of which just looks like a general ad postcard with a picture of beans but the back has directions. It says you can soak but don't have to but if you do they estimate 4-6 hours. Cooking time is estimated at 1-3 hours and says slow and low is the best.