Cooking Beans at Altitude: To soak or not to soak?

[skinakedest]

 I have recently returned to vegetarianism, and thus have increased my bean consumption significantly.  I have acquired an interest in cooking my own beans due to attempts to limit my BPA consumption (BPA is in the lining of cans in canned goods).  Of course I turned to my trusty crock pot...   I have read conflicting advice about whether or not to

Comments

[morgan_lowri]

Also, I live in Portland Oregon, which is at moderate altitude, and I've had very good luck with this recipe: http://community.livejournal.com/what_a_crock/794228.html

[wren_chan]

Hilo! I live just a little ways away in Boulder. I don't know if this works for any other beans, but I've simply rinsed a pound of white (great Northern) beans and put them in a crock with bacon and onions, then filled it with water to within an inch of the rim (I have a 4-quart pot). Within about 5 hours or so on high the beans are nice and edible, though I'd recommend checking them at about that time and seeing if they need another hour or so.

[forlornreverie]

I don't think this will help with the altitude question, but I found this thread on egullet to be very helpful with beans. Especially posts #55 and #59 by Russ Parsons.

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?/topic/36312-cooking-dried-beans/

Info about Mr. Parsons.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russ_Parsons

Hope that helps!

[kamomil]

Red kidney beans have to be properly cooked or they can become poisonous after being cooked at low temperatures (ie in a crockpot)... unless you already knew this, in which case don't mind me

[ithoughtsheknew]

I've picked up a quick trick...put your beans in a bowl...cover with water (about an inch over beans)...cook in microwave on high for 15 min. and you've "soaked" the beans. I haven't had any problems with this quick fix. It's worked like a charm for me.