I finally got the hang of cooking dried beans on the stove

I always bought canned beans before, but they're pricey. So I soaked a bag of dried pinto beans overnight, then boiled them with a bit of salt and a bay leaf. They turned out really soft and flavorful, and it cost way less. Now I do this every time I need beans for recipes.

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3 Comments

keithramirez6mo ago

Wait you added salt while they were boiling? I always heard that makes beans tough, so I only add salt at the very end. Did yours really get soft anyway? The bay leaf is a good move though. Do you salt the soaking water too?

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hugo_ellis6mo ago

Actually, I read a food science blog that said salting early can help beans cook more evenly. They claimed the tough bean idea comes from old wives tales, not real testing. But if salt really messed them up, why do so many recipes call for it? I usually add some to the soak water and a bit more when boiling, and they always get soft.

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thead446mo ago

So you salt them from the start? I'm with @hugo_ellis on that, I've never had a problem. Do you find they taste better that way?

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