Thread: Old Beans

"JonquilJan" <[email protected]> ha scritto nel messaggio
>I stress rotation in food storage - but don;t always do what I say <no
> surprise>. Came across a quantity of beans that I have stored for years
> (since 1999) and trying to cook them up to see if they are still good.
> Soaked them overnight (they swelled and took up the water quite well) then
> drained them, added fresh water and started simmering. 3 hours the first
> day, 5 hours yesterday and they are on the stove again. Only softened up
> a
> bit. Still not something I would serve - or even eat. Drained and fresh
> water added after the first day and more water added when they cook down.
> Beans allowed to soak (covered pot) overnight in the cooking liquid.
>
> Is there something I'm missing (other than just they're too old and dump
> them)?
>
> Would appreciate any hints/tips about cooking up old beans.
>
> They are kidney and pinto beans - organic.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> JonquilJan

Pressure cooker, I think. I rermember a few years ago they found some in a
tomb several thousand years old and found them edible, so although it would
take guts, I guess you can always cook them.
Next batch parboil and then soak. It usually helps my chick peas.

JonquilJan wrote:

> I stress rotation in food storage - but don;t always do what I say <no
> surprise>. Came across a quantity of beans that I have stored for years
> (since 1999) and trying to cook them up to see if they are still good.
> Soaked them overnight (they swelled and took up the water quite well) then
> drained them, added fresh water and started simmering. 3 hours the first
> day, 5 hours yesterday and they are on the stove again. Only softened up a
> bit. Still not something I would serve - or even eat. Drained and fresh
> water added after the first day and more water added when they cook down.
> Beans allowed to soak (covered pot) overnight in the cooking liquid.
>
> Is there something I'm missing (other than just they're too old and dump
> them)?
>
> Would appreciate any hints/tips about cooking up old beans.
>
> They are kidney and pinto beans - organic.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> JonquilJan
>
> Learn something new every day
> As long as you are learning, you are living
> When you stop learning, you start dying


Living where I live (St. Peters, Missouri) and weighing the cost of
beans against the cost of natural gas (gas stove), and electricity
(A/C), I'd have chucked the old beans into the trash without a second
thought.

On Oct 14, 11:46*am, "JonquilJan" <war...@imcnet.net> wrote:
> ....*Came across a quantity of beans that I have stored for years
> (since 1999) and trying to cook them up to see if they are still good. .....

> Is there something I'm missing (other than just they're too old and dump
> them)?

Tragic as it sounds, take your 45 cents loss, toss them, and invest
another dollar or two in a fresher batch. Science experiments are
fun, but you've already exhausted the entertainment value. -aem

Giusi wrote:
>
> Pressure cooker, I think. I rermember a few years ago they found
> some in a tomb several thousand years old and found them edible,
> so although it would take guts, I guess you can always cook them.
> Next batch parboil and then soak. It usually helps my chick peas.

No mention of anybody eating the original beans.
However, people have eaten beans from plants
alleged to have been propagated from the beans.

http://features.csmonitor.com/garden...ds-of-history/

http://www.livingdharma.org/Memorabl...FromEgypt.html

JonquilJan wrote:

> Is there something I'm missing (other than just they're too old and dump
> them)?

I think you're missing the fact that you're spending $3 in energy to try
and cook something that only cost $.50/lb - knowing that it probably
won't work anyway.

-sw

Thanks for all the comments. I am going to dump the beans that have been
cooking for 3 days (and are still hard). The rest I am going to keep at
least until next summer and plant a row or two in the garden to see if I can
get at least some plants - and beans.

Have ordered some more from the food co-op. Price sure has gone up!

JonquilJan

Learn something new every day
As long as you are learning, you are living
When you stop learning, you start dying

"aem" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Tragic as it sounds, take your 45 cents loss, toss them, and invest
>another dollar or two in a fresher batch. Science experiments are
>fun, but you've already exhausted the entertainment value. -aem

Uh huh!

JonquilJan wrote:
> Thanks for all the comments. I am going to dump the beans that have been
> cooking for 3 days (and are still hard). The rest I am going to keep at
> least until next summer and plant a row or two in the garden to see if I can
> get at least some plants - and beans.
>
I've had good luck pre-sprouting beans for the garden; the germination
rate has been considerably higher in my experience.
>
> Have ordered some more from the food co-op. Price sure has gone up!
>
> JonquilJan
>
> Learn something new every day
> As long as you are learning, you are living
> When you stop learning, you start dying
>
>

In article <48f4ea1a$0$23276$[email protected]>,
"JonquilJan" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Is there something I'm missing (other than just they're too old and dump
> them)?
>
> Would appreciate any hints/tips about cooking up old beans.

Try some in a pressure cooker. If that doesn't do it, I think you're
SOL.
>
> They are kidney and pinto beans - organic.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> JonquilJan

You've answered your own question. You get high marks for persistence,
though. :-)
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller, Thelma and Louise
On the Road Again - It is Finished

On Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:46:37 -0400, JonquilJan wrote:

> I stress rotation in food storage - but don;t always do what I say <no
> surprise>. Came across a quantity of beans that I have stored for years
> (since 1999) and trying to cook them up to see if they are still good.
> Soaked them overnight (they swelled and took up the water quite well) then
> drained them, added fresh water and started simmering. 3 hours the first
> day, 5 hours yesterday and they are on the stove again. Only softened up a
> bit. Still not something I would serve - or even eat. Drained and fresh
> water added after the first day and more water added when they cook down.
> Beans allowed to soak (covered pot) overnight in the cooking liquid.
>
> Is there something I'm missing (other than just they're too old and dump
> them)?
>
> Would appreciate any hints/tips about cooking up old beans.
>
> They are kidney and pinto beans - organic.
>

there's your problem - organic. they haven't had their fiber and purity of
essence weakened by modern chemicals.

your pal,
jack d.

"blake murphy" <[email protected]> wrote
> there's your problem - organic. they haven't had their fiber and purity
> of
> essence weakened by modern chemicals.
>

But I have.

blake murphy <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1mjo3hwol115o.1fc8q1p7jmlqs$.[email protected]. .
> On Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:46:37 -0400, JonquilJan wrote:
>
> > I stress rotation in food storage - but don;t always do what I say <no
> > surprise>. Came across a quantity of beans that I have stored for years
> > (since 1999) and trying to cook them up to see if they are still good.
> > Soaked them overnight (they swelled and took up the water quite well)
then
> > drained them, added fresh water and started simmering. 3 hours the
first
> > day, 5 hours yesterday and they are on the stove again. Only softened
up a
> > bit. Still not something I would serve - or even eat. Drained and
fresh
> > water added after the first day and more water added when they cook
down.
> > Beans allowed to soak (covered pot) overnight in the cooking liquid.
> >
> > Is there something I'm missing (other than just they're too old and dump
> > them)?
> >
> > Would appreciate any hints/tips about cooking up old beans.
> >
> > They are kidney and pinto beans - organic.
> >
>
> there's your problem - organic. they haven't had their fiber and purity
of
> essence weakened by modern chemicals.
>
> your pal,
> jack d.

Better have old beans that don't cook than having my fiber anbd purity of
essence weakened. No wait - might have to rephrase some of that <grin>.

Seriously - as I grow older, having an increasingly difficult time with
chemicals and food additves of many kinds. I go with organic as much as
possible. I order in bulk from a food buying co-operative.

JonquilJan

Learn something new every day
As long as you are learning, you are living
When you stop learning, you start dying

On Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:57:12 -0400, cybercat wrote:

> "blake murphy" <[email protected]> wrote
>> there's your problem - organic. they haven't had their fiber and purity
>> of
>> essence weakened by modern chemicals.
>>
>
> But I have.

well, thank god for that.

your pal,
blake

huh. I wouldnt think dried beans could get "too old", but it sure
sounds that way.

I love dried beans and since they have no cholesterol, I try to eat them
two, even three times a week. Instead of soaking overnight, I bring the
dried beans to a boil, turn off the heat, cover and let stand til the
water is room temp.. Then I drain off the water and use a couple of
cups of chicken or better yet, beef broth, salt to taste and lots of
cracked black pepper. I saute an onion in olive oil and add the onion
to the beans. An hour to an hour and a half is all the cooking time
they need when you do it this way.

Or, sometimes I put them in my crock-pot for four hours AFTER Ive done
the bring-to-a-boil-and let-cool thing.

Fabulous! My friend Jake adds onions, yellow or red peppers,
sausage....to me, that just gilds the lily---plus adds cholesterol from
the sausage.

Give me a bowl of MY beans and a piece of cornbread...Im a happy camper.

Lass Chance

Lass Chance_2 <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> huh. I wouldnt think dried beans could get "too old", but it sure
> sounds that way.
>
> I love dried beans and since they have no cholesterol, I try to eat them
> two, even three times a week. Instead of soaking overnight, I bring the
> dried beans to a boil, turn off the heat, cover and let stand til the
> water is room temp.. Then I drain off the water and use a couple of
> cups of chicken or better yet, beef broth, salt to taste and lots of
> cracked black pepper. I saute an onion in olive oil and add the onion
> to the beans. An hour to an hour and a half is all the cooking time
> they need when you do it this way.
>
> Or, sometimes I put them in my crock-pot for four hours AFTER Ive done
> the bring-to-a-boil-and let-cool thing.
>
> Fabulous! My friend Jake adds onions, yellow or red peppers,
> sausage....to me, that just gilds the lily---plus adds cholesterol from
> the sausage.
>
> Give me a bowl of MY beans and a piece of cornbread...Im a happy camper.
>
> Lass Chance
>
Sounds marvelous! Keeping this post for use when my replacement beans
arrive.

JonquilJan

Learn something new every day
As long as you are learning, you are living
When you stop learning, you start dying