Pro tip: don't try to make your own dried beans from scratch without a pressure cooker

I figured soaking and boiling a bag of cheap pinto beans would be simple and save cash. I started at 4 PM on a Sunday. After soaking overnight, boiling for what felt like forever, and still getting hard beans, I finally gave up and ordered pizza at 10 PM. The whole mess took over 6 hours and I still didn't have dinner. Has anyone else found a good way to cook dried beans fast without spending on a new appliance?

3 comments

3 Comments

luna_shah1mo ago

Did you add any salt or acidic ingredients like tomatoes while cooking? I've heard that can make beans stay hard no matter how long you boil them.

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davis.ben1mo ago

Yeah, the salt and acid thing is real. I always soak my beans overnight, then cook them in plain water with just a bay leaf until they're almost tender. Only then do I add any salt or tomatoes. It's a pain to wait, but it works every time.

carter.laura1mo ago

Totally agree, it makes a huge difference. Ruined a whole pot of chili once by adding tomatoes way too early and the beans were like little rocks, lol. Now I wait until they're fully soft before even thinking about salt or acid. Feels like it takes forever but you're right, it's worth the wait.