Skin falls off black beans

[MarketStEl]

There may be an answer to this question on this board already; if there is, please forgive my raising the subject again, but I'm curious as I've not cooked dried black beans before.

I soaked the beans all day today while I was at work, covering them in about twice as much water as beans by volume.

When I got home, the beans had absorbed most of the water, and some of them had split their skins. A few had split, period. And some looked like the skins were ready to fall off.

Is this something to be concerned about? Can I go ahead and cook them? Should I eliminate them from my final dish (a mixed veggie and black bean salad)?

[dockhl]

There may be an answer to this question on this board already; if there is, please forgive my raising the subject again, but I'm curious as I've not cooked dried black beans before.

I soaked the beans all day today while I was at work, covering them in about twice as much water as beans by volume.

When I got home, the beans had absorbed most of the water, and some of them had split their skins.  A few had split, period.  And some looked like the skins were ready to fall off.

Is this something to be concerned about?  Can I go ahead and cook them?  Should I eliminate them from my final dish (a mixed veggie and black bean salad)?

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Sandy~

I'd just wash them well before cooking and rinse off the skins (for the most part)..........I think it is more a cosmetic problem that anything else. I am sure they are fine !

K

[mizducky]

Hmmmm ... I too think they'll be fine to eat. My one concern is that the skinless (or soon-to-be-skinless) ones might be prone to falling apart a bit during the cooking process, without the skins to keep them intact. But IIRC you'll be cooking them in a crockpot--that's a really gentle cooking process, so they should be okay. Just try not to let them overcook, so they'll still be firm enough to hold up to being mixed into a salad.

[MarketStEl]

I would imagine that 6 hours on Auto-Shift (the first two hours are on High, the rest on Low) should be okay...

[jsolomon]

Sandy, this is indicative of 2 things. The first is that they got oversoaked. I believe 6 hours is generally the norm for black beans. The second is that they are not elderly beans. If the beans get very old, it is virtually impossible to soak them to that point.

[MarketStEl]

Sandy, this is indicative of 2 things.  The first is that they got oversoaked. I believe 6 hours is generally the norm for black beans.  The second is that they are not elderly beans.  If the beans get very old, it is virtually impossible to soak them to that point.

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I'll buy that first one, as I started soaking them just before I left for work at 6:45 this morning and returned to find the conditions I described at 7:15 this evening.

[dockhl]

I would imagine that 6 hours on Auto-Shift (the first two hours are on High, the rest on Low) should be okay...

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All things considered, I wonder if two hours on high might be a little too much? Maybe it should all be low so as not to have too much mush ?

[mrsadm]

I never soak black beans. Rinse/wash off, stick in pot of water, bring to a boil, cook on med/low for about two hours. I think cooking on high will make them tough but I have never tried it.

[MarketStEl]

Turned off the Crock-Pot after about 6 hours, and let everything sit until this morning.

The beans don't seem to be too mushy--in fact, they're still pretty firm, most of them. More when I go through them for the salad.

[scubadoo97]

I never soak black beans.  Rinse/wash off, stick in pot of water, bring to a boil, cook on med/low for about two hours.  I think cooking on high will make them tough but I have never tried it.

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I don't soak black beans either. A couple hours simmering on the stove does the trick. I like to add some aromatics at the onset of cooking. Onions, bell peppers, olive oil and bay leaves. This is cooked down to nothing so a sofrito can be added near the end for added flavor and texture. I am also starting to add salt in the beginning of cooking and have not found it keeps the beans hard but does improve overall flavor.

[mrsadm]

I never soak black beans.  Rinse/wash off, stick in pot of water, bring to a boil, cook on med/low for about two hours.  I think cooking on high will make them tough but I have never tried it.

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I don't soak black beans either. A couple hours simmering on the stove does the trick. I like to add some aromatics at the onset of cooking. Onions, bell peppers, olive oil and bay leaves. This is cooked down to nothing so a sofrito can be added near the end for added flavor and texture. I am also starting to add salt in the beginning of cooking and have not found it keeps the beans hard but does improve overall flavor.

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I agree on adding aromatics at the beginning of cooking, it improves the flavor. I generally add salt and pepper, and pinches of cumin seeds and mexican oregano.

[Pontormo]

I agree on adding aromatics at the beginning of cooking, it improves the flavor.  I generally add salt and pepper, and pinches of cumin seeds and mexican oregano.

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Sounds like a perfect combination, but many, many cookbooks caution against adding salt at the beginning since they claim it toughens the beans and prolongs cooking time considerably. It's recommended to wait until the beans have softened noticeably, after around 45 minutes.

(I've never had much luck with not soaking the beans, but I've tried that only twice.)

* * *

I can't recall having your problem with black beans, Sandy, though they break down considerably when I make soup or black bean chili (i.e. when I deliberately cook the dickens out of them).

I have some very old cannellini, that is, they were old upon purchase, ones that require four entire hours of cooking JUST to begin to lose their grainy uncooked interiors. With this much time on the burner, some of the more compliant ones begin to disintegrate while the reluctant ones are still softening.

In this kind of scenario, it's best to put the beans in a casserole that can you can move from stovetop to oven. Bring them to boil, skim off the foam, then pop them in a slow, preheated oven--around 300 F. Just check every so often to make sure there's enough water. The beans have a smoother ride there and tend to remain intact.

I have NEVER heard of over-soaking beans and confess I am skeptical. I've soaked beans forever when I just don't feel like cooking them, leaving them soaking in the refrigerator (recommended for hot weather) for days on end without noticing damaging consequences.

Try sending Rancho Gordo a PM and have an expert weigh in on the situation.

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After letting the soaked beans come to a boil and skimming off the foam, I like to add a bay leaf, a small quartered onion and/or clove of garlic, a sprig or two of parsley, and epazote. The latter took me a while to find several years ago, although now even local supermarkets are catering more to our diverse Latino population. Its smell while cooking is described as unpleasant by some, though it never bothers me. It lends a very decided, if not overwhelming taste which I find addictive.

Edited June 17, 2006 by Pontormo (log)

[UnConundrum]

There was a very good discussion of cooking beans, which you can find HERE. One of the members did some testing and the conclusion was, don't soak, and salt right away with about a teaspoon of salt per pound of beans. I reluctantly tried the method, and won't turn back. Much easier than worrying about soaking, and the beans are better as the salt has time to penetrate the bean, not just coat the skin.

[MarketStEl]

Well, I should have added aromatics to the liquid when I fired up the Crock-Pot, but as these are being used in a mixed salad (other ingredients: broccoli, corn, diced candy onions from Lancaster County, chopped Lancaster County tomatoes, chopped cilantro and a picante-sauce cider vinaigrette), I think these will be OK.

As for the ton and a half of beans still left: I guess it's time to learn how to make black bean dip.

[BarbaraY]

As for the ton and a half of beans still left: I guess it's time to learn how to make black bean dip.

Or you could even make a lovely Black Bean soup.

The only time I soak beans is if they are very old. I lived in a Mexican neighborhood as I kid and don't remember anyone soaking beans.