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

FAQs

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.

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.

As it turns out, baking soda significantly decreases the levels of raffinose, the gas-causing sugar present in beans. When should you add baking soda to beans? It works best with just a pinch (about 1/16 of a teaspoon) sprinkled into dried beans while they soak in water before cooking.

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.

Baking soda creates an alkaline environment which reduces soaking and cooking time and preserves the beans' skin. As a result, the old bean's color comes to life, keeping them vibrant instead of dull. Compared to the grainy texture offered by old beans, baking soda beans can yield a creamy and smooth texture.

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.

If it's the whole pot, start over with fresh beans or buckle in for a looooong, slow cook—and add a pinch of baking soda: The baking soda increases the pH of the liquid (the opposite effect of adding acid to the mix!), naturally making the beans more tender.

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.

Overnight Soaking

To soak beans the traditional way, cover them with water by 2 inches, add 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt (or 1 tablespoon fine salt) per pound of beans, and let them soak for at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours.

Adding baking soda also may affect the texture, making the cooked beans mushy instead of tender. If you do add baking soda, the amount your friend suggested is too large. Usually, you only use 1/4 teaspoon baking soda to a pound of beans.

Why add apple cider vinegar to soaking beans? ›

The apple cider vinegar breaks down indigestible sugars to help digestion and also brightens the flavor of the beans without the need for excess salt.

You may wonder about bicarbonate of soda vs. baking soda, but they are simply alternate terms for the same ingredient. If your recipe calls for bicarbonate of soda, it is simply referring to baking soda. Baking soda is a quick-acting leavening agent.

Cold Water Soak: Cover your cleaned dry beans with abundant water (3 or 4 cups of water per cup of beans). Allow them to soak for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight, then drain and rinse them before cooking.

Baking Soda – This will actually help soften the beans as they cook so they are just the right (not crunchy, but not mushy) texture. Bacon – Adding a couple slices of bacon brings a nice smokey flavor and a little texture to this recipe.

Soaking beans overnight with a cup of reserved liquid from a previous bean soaking will help start a slight fermentation that causes the beans to become more digestible and helps eliminate some of the enzymes which can cause gas.

When beans have been stored in regular food grade bags they are good for one year or to the expiration date. After this time, it is not that the beans are bad to eat, but they lose their oil and become so dry they are not able to rehydrate correctly.

When baking soda is added to the cooking liquid for green beans, their pectin rapidly disintegrates, turning the legumes silky soft in minutes.