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BIG BEAN EPIPHANY
Last week I wrote about how beans cooked in salted water or broth will never soften but now, thanks to America’s Test Kitchen I’m singing a slightly different tune!
On a recent show on America’s Test Kitchen I was shocked to learn that they marinate the beans in salted water. Instead of simmering them on the cook top, they bake them in the oven and claim that the skin is more tender, the beans stay whole and yet are exceptionally creamy inside. Somewhat skeptically, I tried it and to my delight found that it really works!
As I thought about it I realized that soaking the beans in the room temperature salt water would have a different effect from heating them in salt water, which causes the outer skin to harden, and prevent water absorption. Apparently the room temperature salt water serves to help the beans absorb water the way marinating poultry or seafood does.
It is important that the water not be over-salted as too much salt which affect the osmotic process and draw moisture away from the beans.
I suspect that simmering the beans on the stove top will keep them whole as long as they are at a low simmer. This is the way I’ve been doing it for years and I also cover the pan which I find produces more creaminess but in the oven this is unnecessary.
Here’s the basic technique:
227 grams/8 ounces/1 cup cannelini or other beans
28 grams/1 ounce//1 ½ tablespoons salt
2 quarts cold water
Dissolve the salt in the water and soak the beans at room temp for 8 to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.
Heat the oven to 250°F. Bring the beans to a simmer, set them in the oven, and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour until tender.
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2 kilos of beans, 30 days of trying, one tiny kitchen... this water/salt soaking method works. Enjoy this version: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=55134&l=de5cda7438&id=100000084691742 pork and beans -parmiggiano rinds instead of pork: slow simmering beans with salted pork belly is one traditional way.... pork and beans. what you see here is the 'vegetarian version' where i used parmiggiano rinds instead of pork belly. FANTASTIC... i hope i haven't broken any Italian laws ok? the parmiggiano rinds were worth saving in my freezer over the 6 years that I have known Luca. during the long simmering of the beans, the rinds turned into soft and yummy things to chew at. pictured: peruvian canelli beans (frejoles canarios), beans pre-soaked with the water/salt osmosis method. during the cooking, my kitchen didn't smell like pork, but it smelled like feet instead, yikes!!!!!!!! it is time to setup a little induction hotplate on my apartment windows facing windward!
Reply to this Posted by: hector | August 14, 2009 9:24 PM #
i have just finished 2 runs of beans with this fantastic salt-soak method, it has worked as written! i like to point that it isn't recommended not necessary to keep the soaking beans in the fridge, even with my warm tropical weather, keep them at room temp... as the salt in the water slows down or prevents fermentation.... yes! one less thing to keep in the fridge, specially a big bowl of beans!
i followed the instructions exactly (very important to measure the water and salt accurately during soaking), too salty or less salty water will affect the osmosis process (where beans hydrate).
but my twist is that i have been using my rice cooker to do the cooking! i have an inexpensive original panasonic rice cooker, the ones with a mechanical on/off level switch. takes about 1 hour or so. the rice cooker 'never' burns anything, but at times the bottom of the pot gets brown 'caramelized' and you all rice cooker fans know that this is like finding a treasure on the bottom of the pot! the newer electronic fuzzy logic rice cookers don't do this! i remember when i was a child and my mom would make arroz con pollo in the rice cooker, i was always the last child of 5 to get my serving for the better chances to dig the bottom!
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | July 3, 2009 3:34 PM #
I cooked beans for the first time a couple of weeks ago and I wasn't at all impressed with the end product. This tip might very well have answered the question of what I did wrong.
I plan on trying this out real soon.
Reply to this Posted by: Marlene Rogers | May 31, 2009 5:45 PM #
fran, i also learned the baking soda trick from meera freeman when i was in melbourne, australia. and i often use a 300 oven to simmer various things--so much more even than a cooktop and no need to stir! thanks for sharing this important information.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | May 24, 2009 12:09 PM #
i've found that coarse sea salt is almost identical in weight to fine--if anything it's ever so slightly heavier. i would have thought it would be lighter because of the air-spaces resulting from the coarseness. (see why i prefer weight!) of course if you use certain brands of kosher salt that are flaked they weigh much less. so use fine or coarse sea salt and you'll be fine!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | May 20, 2009 7:24 PM #
Thanks, but the issue is that using fine salt would mean using twice as much salt as coarse. Since the amount seems so important then using fine or coarse becomes very important.
Which has been tried?
Thanks very much
Reply to this Posted by: sasha | May 20, 2009 12:33 PM #
Sasha, the salt is dissolved in water, so either will do.
Reply to this Posted by: Julie | May 20, 2009 12:18 PM #
Should that be fine or coarse salt?
Reply to this Posted by: sasha | May 20, 2009 6:17 AM #
Rose, I was also a bit mystified by this brining technique when I saw it, and like you, I just had to try it out for myself. Hey, it worked! Learn something new everyday, right?
Reply to this Posted by: Yet another Anna | May 17, 2009 6:50 PM #
I love dried beans. Whenever I plan to use them, 24 to 48 hours before, I rinse them in cold tap water and check them for small stones. Then I place them in a rubbermaid style container adding 1/4 to 1/2 tspn of baking soda and then cover with water. Baking soda softens the water and allows for better absorption. I refrigerate over night at the very least. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Rinse beans. In a LeCruset style pot add a few whole garlic cloves and a sprig of fresh sage. Drizzle some olive oil then cover beans with cold water to cover by an inch. On stove top heat beans until just below simmering point. Then cover and place in oven and bake for an hour. Depending on age of beans you might need to bake in 15 minute extra increments. When done add salt to taste. Very delicious.
Reply to this Posted by: Fran in Virginia Beach, Va. | May 16, 2009 11:58 PM #
Just a needed to share that in Peru we make the best bean side dish, with a base of smoked pork, onions, tomatoes, and garlic. We use canarios beans which is a relative of canellis. Great bean science, now I know why my imported canarios beans don't soften because of either been too old or using too much salt!
Reply to this Posted by: hector | May 16, 2009 10:29 PM #
Love all these bean tips, and cannelini are my favorites. These food science articles are the best, thanks Rose!
Reply to this Posted by: Julie | May 16, 2009 9:42 PM #
I cooked dried beans in my Crock-Pot for the first time this week and they were very tender. I wonder if it's from the same slow heat - keeping the skin from getting too hard. I'll try the Test Kitchen's method, too, to find out which I like best!
Reply to this Posted by: Anonymous | May 16, 2009 8:23 PM #
I love food science! Great article. Thanks. I can't wait to try this.
Reply to this Posted by: Tammy Bartley | May 16, 2009 5:25 PM #