What is the trick to Bean Soup? (tomatoes, crockpot, preservative) - Food and Drink -cooking, cuisine, meat, vegetables, restaurants, diet, prices, allergies... - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

Fontucky · 01-07-2009, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cynwldkat

My dear MIL taught me a great trick that not only makes the color of the soup beautiful but adds a certain flavor that makes it a wonderful, special taste---a couple of tablespoons of Gebhardt Chili Powder.

Hey, that's my secret!

stacylee926 · 01-07-2009, 09:14 AM

Wow - I never knew beans went bad!! I plan to clean out the cupboards soon and I will throw them all away. Awesome advice!

Woof Woof Woof! · 01-07-2009, 09:16 AM

I think you need to cook them longer.

I've never heard of "old" beans. And you can put that ham bone in earlier. The fat softens them up.

Cook them until they are soft! Do a taste taste! If you still have them, put them back on the stove and cook them some more!

Fontucky · 01-07-2009, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woof Woof Woof!

I've never heard of "old" beans.

Neither had I, until some years ago when I tried to cook 3 pounds of pintos that I'd bought a year or so prior to cracking the bag open. I tried everything in my arsenal to get those things to absorb water... soaking overnight, then bringing them to a boil and letting them sit, then putting them on a slow rolling boil for 4 hours, then finally saying "what the hell" and adding them to the slow cooking chili and hoping for a miracle. Those things never softened up. No miracles for me that time.

So I did some research and asked some professionals what was up, and that was the answer I received every time: Old beans.

Woof Woof Woof! · 01-07-2009, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fontucky

Neither had I, until some years ago when I tried to cook 3 pounds of pintos that I'd bought a year or so prior to cracking the bag open. I tried everything in my arsenal to get those things to absorb water... soaking overnight, then bringing them to a boil and letting them sit, then putting them on a slow rolling boil for 4 hours, then finally saying "what the hell" and adding them to the slow cooking chili and hoping for a miracle. Those things never softened up. No miracles for me that time.

So I did some research and asked some professionals what was up, and that was the answer I received every time: Old beans.

Interesting. What do we tell the Survival Folks who are stocking up on hundreds of pounds of beans?

DontH8Me · 01-07-2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woof Woof Woof!

Interesting. What do we tell the Survival Folks who are stocking up on hundreds of pounds of beans?

If 'kingdom come' does happen, I'm sure tough beans will be the least of their concerns.

Huckleberry3911948 · 01-07-2009, 10:31 AM

this is very tough stuff. i have never hit it right.
thanks for such a good post.
simple things can be very difficult to do.

Fontucky · 01-07-2009, 10:31 AM

The smart ones are buying their beans and grains packed in a nitrogen filled environment.

As far as the others, tell 'em "Enjoy your hard beans, bub."

jlawrence01 · 01-07-2009, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clutternize

I have tried several times to make bean soup, from dried beans. Usually a pre-mixed bag, with different beans and spices added.

I soak them overnight before I cook them.
I cook them with the top off, in a large pot on the stovetop.

Do NOT presoak them and cook them low and slow in a crock pot.

The key to great bean soup is to use COUNTRY ham.

kelsie · 01-08-2009, 07:59 AM

I keep all of my dried beans in Food Saver air tight bags in the freezer, soak them overnight in chicken broth & I don't use salt. I found using chicken broth and 1 packet of Sazon ham seasoning & the ham bone is all the salt that is needed. I add chopped onion, 1 minced garlic clove, carrots, celery & bay leaf. My soups are delicious with lots of flavor using the chicken broth.