What if the beans are not cooked?

The duration of cooking red and white beans is usually about an hour, and this is after a long soaking – only then the cooking rules are followed and the beans reach readiness. What to do if an hour or more has passed, and the beans are in no hurry to become soft?

First you need to figure out the reasons. Beans may not be cooked well if:

• beans have not been soaked for enough time (less than 6 hours);
• the beans turned out to be old and dry – such a product is difficult to cook;
• broth with beans is salted at the beginning of cooking. It is recommended to put salt only when the beans have already been cooked.

Fortunately, there are secrets that will help you save the situation. You can add a pinch or two of baking soda to the pot of beans – the alkaline environment will speed up the boiling of the beans. Another way is to add ice water to the broth several times until the beans are cooked. An extreme solution is to replace ordinary canned beans, if the recipe allows.

/ /