I covered some pinto beans with water last night. I put them on the stove at 7 a.m. (instructions say simmer for 1-2 hours) and came back home at 10 a.m. and they were still hard. How long do pinto beans need to simmer typically?

Headed back home now to check on them.

Still not soft five hours later. Maybe i put too many beans in the pot. I put the whole package- 2 lbs

rlb28 said:

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Still not soft five hours later. Maybe i put too many beans in the pot. I put the whole package- 2 lbs

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For that many beans, you'll need at least 12 cups of water.

put some lard in there while they are boiling and that will help. my neighbor from mexico that has a restaurant told me that trick

I put 9 or 10. Thanks

Maybe your simmer temp was too low. What was your stove set on? Did you leave the lid on? Was it bubbling and steamy?

Maybe you used too little water when soaking. When you soaked the beans, was the water all absorbed in the morning? Were the beans full looking?

Maybe you did not bring to a boil before reducing to a simmer. If you put a big pot of cold water on the stove, left the heat low, and didn't put a lid on it may never get hot enough to cook.

Did you salt the water first? There's a side that says it doesn't affect them and a side that says it keeps them hard ........quien sabes

Ogre09 said:

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Maybe your simmer temp was too low. PROBABLY

What was your stove set on? Did you leave the lid on? LID WAS ON, BUT TITLED, NOT COMPLETELY TIGHT.

Was it bubbling and steamy?

Maybe you used too little water when soaking. When you soaked the beans, was the water all absorbed in the morning? NO

Were the beans full looking? NOT SURE

Maybe you did not bring to a boil before reducing to a simmer. If you put a big pot of cold water on the stove, left the heat low, and didn't put a lid on it may never get hot enough to cook. IT WAS BOILING

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I just went home and the beans are cooking perfectly. However, it took 7 hours. I'm doing something wrong, but not sure what. I will cook another pot and listen to all comments from Texags. Thanks

Rattler12 said:

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Did you salt the water first? There's a side that says it doesn't affect them and a side that says it keeps them hard ........quien sabes

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Yes, but very little

Mine usually 2-3 hours. Cracked lid Steady boil

I had black eyed peas that did this one time. No matter how much I cooked them they never softened.

rlb28 said:

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Rattler12 said:

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Did you salt the water first? There's a side that says it doesn't affect them and a side that says it keeps them hard ........quien sabes

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Yes, but very little

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Hard water in your area or soft? May make a difference ...........maybe you should put some chili in your beans ?

I cook a pot of beans almost every week and this is what I do for a basic pot.

1. I don't soak the beans. I don't notice any difference in taste or cooking time with soaked vs non soaked. Some say it helps with digestion, and maybe it does, but the best way to help with digestion is to eat more beans.

2. Add 8 cups of water and any aromatics like onion, garlic, chile, and any herbs, but no salt or acids like tomatoes and vinegar. I'll also add a couple tbsp of lard or oil if I'm not adding any bacon later.

3. Bring to a full boil, lower heat to med-low and cook partially covered until beans are tender. This usually takes about 2 hours. Check water level every now and then and if it gets low, add a 1/2 cup.

4. When tender, add salt and anything else and cook for another 15 minutes or so.

Hard hard water

rlb28 said:

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Hard hard water

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Methinks that's the problem

I always fry up the bacon, then add the onion, garlic, dry spices and beans and saute them in the bacon grease for a few minutes. Then add the tomatoes and stir around for a few minutes more before adding the liquid. Bring to a full boil for about 3 minutes, then reduce to simmer.

It's either one of two things: too much acid in the water (tomatoes would be a likely culprit) or old beans. Next time, add some baking soda to the water when you soak the beans. They'll cook faster and be softer.

HTownAg98 said:

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It's either one of two things: too much acid in the water (tomatoes would be a likely culprit) or old beans. Next time, add some baking soda to the water when you soak the beans. They'll cook faster and be softer.

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I added tomatoes at the end.

Could be old beans.

I would suggest it could be the water, as in calcium. In the canning industry, calcium chloride is routinely added to beans as it's a 'firming agent.' It keeps the beans from turning to mush.

The Wife is a bean pro. Her secret is her abuelita's clay pot. She never soaks beforehand. It's just beans, water, salt pork (NEVER bacon), and a sprinkle of salt. That's it. It comes to a boil for 30-45 minutes, she turns them down to a very low boil, lightly covers, and they're done in 3 hours.

It's the pot……

Anybody got a good recipe for spicy borachos? I usually throw in bacon, tomato paste, jalapeños, onions, brown sugar, and seasoning.

https://texags.com/forums/34/topics/1394477

Try these and make them as spicy as you want to with the peppers.

Hwy30East said:

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https://texags.com/forums/34/topics/1394477

Try these and make them as spicy as you want to with the peppers.

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I've never tried that but I'm going to now seeing all the blue stars

I soak beans in water overnight before I cook them

Fresh beans always help but I just started throwing them in the crock pot and damn it was easy. I put them in when I leave for work and come home and they are perfect. Season just like I did in my dutch oven and add my salt, bacon etc. at the end.