Soaking white beans?

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flowersa

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Hi when I leave the beans in a bowl with some water in should I cover the bowl so no air goes into it? for how long is recommended to soak it?
 
Hi when I leave the beans in a bowl with some water in should I cover the bowl so no air goes into it? for how long is recommended to soak it?

When soaking dry beans it's usually overnight. If you want to cook dry beans without soaking, boil them for a few minutes then turn off the burner and let them sit in the hot water for a couple of hours. Either way, change the water for further cooking.
 
The beans go in the pot, add water, put the lid on and go to bed. In the a.m. I drain off the water, dump the beans back into the pot and go on with the bean cooking. Or I do the quick soak as Andy described. I don't use a bowl in the bean process except during the eating ceremony.
 
Thanks Andy I think I will just leave it in the bowl for 12 hours and then cook it another doubt should I leave it outside on the table and not in the Refrigerator? Once I read I should not leave it out

When soaking dry beans it's usually overnight. If you want to cook dry beans without soaking, boil them for a few minutes then turn off the burner and let them sit in the hot water for a couple of hours. Either way, change the water for further cooking.
 
Thanks Oldvine for matter of fact I go for the first method because I didn't manage to understand the quick method for soaking (Again English..._)

The beans go in the pot, add water, put the lid on and go to bed. In the a.m. I drain off the water, dump the beans back into the pot and go on with the bean cooking. Or I do the quick soak as Andy described. I don't use a bowl in the bean process except during the eating ceremony.
 
I don't cover my soaking beans, just leave them out in the pot. Since I rinse them in a colander, I don't think anything is going to contaminate them. I also like the quick soak.
 
Thanks Andy I think I will just leave it in the bowl for 12 hours and then cook it another doubt should I leave it outside on the table and not in the Refrigerator? Once I read I should not leave it out

I've been cooking for over 50 years and have soaked my share of all sorts of beans. To my recollection I never refrigerated them.

I suppose if one lived in the Sahara or the jungle or any similar torrid area, then the hot climate of those regions could be problematic to leaving the beans out to soak.
 
Hi I too don't find a reason to refrigerated it especially on night time thanks Katie

I've been cooking for over 50 years and have soaked my share of all sorts of beans. To my recollection I never refrigerated them.

I suppose if one lived in the Sahara or the jungle or any similar torrid area, then the hot climate of those regions could be problematic to leaving the beans out to soak.
 
Thanks Dawgluver, I'm not sure if for the quick soak you should boil it in the pot for some hours? or am I missing here something lol

I don't cover my soaking beans, just leave them out in the pot. Since I rinse them in a colander, I don't think anything is going to contaminate them. I also like the quick soak.
 
Thanks Dawgluver, I'm not sure if for the quick soak you should boil it in the pot for some hours? or am I missing here something lol

No, just boil for a few minutes, as Andy said, then turn off the heat and let the beans sit for awhile. It cuts the soaking overnight time down. Here, our bean packages have instructions for quick soak on the back of the bag.
 
Hi that is clearer to me now, another doubt, I have for now a plastic bowl is it ok to let it sit there in some cold water?

No, just boil for a few minutes, as Andy said, then turn off the heat and let the beans sit for awhile. It cuts the soaking overnight time down. Here, our bean packages have instructions for quick soak on the back of the bag.
 
Thanks Oldvine for matter of fact I go for the first method because I didn't manage to understand the quick method for soaking (Again English..._)
For the quick soak method =

1. Put beans in a sieve or colander and rinse under the tap/faucet (to remove any dust

2. Drain and put into pan. Add cold water to a couple of inches above the beans. Put pan on the hob, bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes.

3. Turn off heat and put lid on pan. leave to stand for 2 hours.

4. Drain beans and throw away the soaking water. Return beans to the pan cover with water and bring to the boil.

5. Boil fast for 10 minutes to remove any toxins which may be present in the beans (this applies to kidney beans or any of their relatives) then turn the heat down to a simmer and cook beans sufficiently cooked for your purposes.

Additional advice based on my experience:

I know some people on here don't agree with this but I stick with the old advice not to add salt at the beginning of cooking as I do find it toughens the beans. I add it when they are nearly done.

After the fast boil you can cook the beans in a pressure cooker for about 20 minutes although I find this tends to burst the beans a bit.

After the fast boil I put them in my slow cooker or in the slow oven in my range cooker and leave them on low for several hours.

Don't cook the beans in their soaking water as doing so is responsible for the unpleasant effect (ie flatulence) that the beans are blamed for.

If the kitchen is warm and I'm soaking overnight I put them in the 'fridge.
 
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I always soaked my beans in cold water in the fridge overnight.
My wife does not soak her beans at all.

Guess who makes the best beans?
 
I always soaked my beans in cold water in the fridge overnight.
My wife does not soak her beans at all.

Guess who makes the best beans?

Refrigeration is necessary when marinating meats, but not when soaking beans. Just a waste of energy.

We just had a pot of ham and white beans last week (had a nice ham bone from a Sunday roast ham). After cleaning and rinsing we soaked the beans overnight, uncovered on the counter. Drained the beans, then started the cooking process a little before noon the next day.
 
I have always found the best way to tell if your beans are done is to take a couple on a spoon. Blow on them. If the skins split, the beans are cooked and ready to eat. The don't need to go in the fridge when soaking. And it certainly won't hurt them if you feel you need to cover them while soaking. :angel:
 
I soak my beans overnight in a stainless bowl on the counter. Lately, I have found that the pressure cooker works the best for cooking them. I have an electric digital pressure cooker that turns off automatically and releases the pressure. I haven't used it for anything other than beans (yet), but really like this pressure cooker. It also is a rice cooker, etc.
 
I soak my beans overnight in a stainless bowl on the counter. Lately, I have found that the pressure cooker works the best for cooking them. I have an electric digital pressure cooker that turns off automatically and releases the pressure. I haven't used it for anything other than beans (yet), but really like this pressure cooker. It also is a rice cooker, etc.
I've wondered about those. Mine is the old-fashioned Prestige type with weights that spin when up to pressure. Not much fine-tuned control really so I don't use it for anything delicate.
 
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