beans!

[sage]

Dear cooks who know more than me,

I've been cooking with dry beans for the last some-odd months to save money and reduce exposure to harmful toxins and such. The cookbooks say:

1. soak beans 8 hrs or overnight.
2. parboil soaked (rinsed, drained) beans at a rolling boil for 10-12 minutes.
3. rinse and cover with fresh water and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour or more, depending on the kind of bean.

Got it. The thing is, after I parboil? I simmer for 25 minutes and the beans are done!

I'm generally cooking one cup of any of these varieties: black, pinto, lima, rattlesnake, kidney, or small red. Chickpeas and chana dal take longer -- much closer to what directions indicate.

Why are my beans done so fast? If I look away for like, a minute, they get mushy and/or burn to the bottom of the pot.

Also, I'm at practically sea level, whatever San Antonio is at, if that matters.

I am so confused. I mean, they taste okay, but I keep thinking I must be doing something wrong! Help?

Thank you!

Comments

[sage]

oh, that's so reassuring! Thank you!

[serene]

Sure. Also, occasionally, you'll get an old batch of beans (either because you held onto them for too long, or because they didn't have quick enough turnover in the store) and no matter what you do, they won't get soft. When that happens to me, I just get them as soft as they'll get, then blend the heck out of them with some of the cooking water, and make soup. :-)