How to Soften Old Beans with Baking Soda - Rill's Specialty Foods (2024)

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How to Soften Old Beans with Baking Soda - Rill's Specialty Foods? ›

We did several tests, but our favorite method was to use 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda per pound of old beans and to soak the beans for 4 hours. After the soaking stage, we rinsed the beans and added 1/4 teaspoon of fresh baking soda per cup of beans.

A little bit of baking soda goes a long way, but if you use too much, it can ruin the taste of your beans.

Beans cooked with a tiny amount of baking soda (about one teaspoon per cup of dry beans) added to the cooking water cook in about half the time as beans cooked without.

Cook Baked Beans Low and Slow

It is best to cook your baked beans for a long period of time, which allows the beans to fully soften and absorb flavors of the sauce. This also allows time for the sauce to thicken and become rich and golden.

To degas with baking soda, add a teaspoon of baking soda to 4 quarts of water. Stir in the dried beans and bring to a boil.

If you use a little baking soda, your old beans will look and taste better and have an improved texture! They will also take less time to cook!

You can velvet meat and make it melt-in-your-mouth tender by quickly tossing chunks of beef or chicken in about ¾ tsp of baking soda for about 15 minutes before your next stir fry, then rinse and pat the meat dry before putting in the pan.

Mix in something acidic

Baking soda is basically sodium bicarbonate, which is alkaline in nature. It is important to balance its overtly bitter taste lest it overpowers your dish. Use a small amount of an acidic condiment such as lemon juice or vinegar to neutralise the soda.

On the other side of the pH equation, the addition of an alkali such as baking soda will break down the cell structure of the beans. But use it sparingly—no more than1/8 teaspoon per pound of beans. Too much will destroy nutrients and result in mushy beans.

Heat to boiling; boil for 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and soak for up to 4 hours. Hot soaking is the preferred method since it reduces cooking time, helps dissolve some of the gas-causing substances in beans, and most consistently produces tender beans.

How to make beans soft quickly? ›

To quick-soak dried beans, simply bring a pot of beans and water to a boil and let them sit for an hour. It takes only about 5 minutes of your attention and works for any type of bean.

Modern cooking websites often say it doesn't matter. In a way, they're both right. Soaking beans can help improve the texture of the final product once the beans are cooked and reduce the gas produced when the food is being digested. But it isn't necessary to soak them.

2. You'll probably want to soak. Soaking beans helps to ensure tenderness and reduce the cook time. I'd recommend soaking your beans all day or overnight (you're aiming for 8-12 hours), covered, in cool water that covers them by 2 to 3 inches.

Using acidic ingredients when cooking beans

If you add acidic ingredients before the beans finish cooking, they will remain hard and tough. This is because the acid will prevent the pectin in the cell walls of the beans from dissolving (via Salt Sear Savor).

Quick Soak: This is the fastest method. In a large pot, add 6 cups of water for each pound (2 cups) of dry beans. Heat to boiling; boil for 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and soak for at least 1 hour.

Rinse and drain. Cover with an inch of lukewarm water and add baking soda and stir. Let the beans soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse before cooking.

The Dangers of Eating Undercooked Beans

The most toxic of all lectins are found in pulses like lentils or chickpeas. Symptoms usually start just a few hours after ingestion and can last four hours or more in extreme cases.