[Sca-cooks] Dried Beans that WON'T COOK!!!

[Pixel, Goddess and Queen]

I've had black beans, white beans, pinto beans, and northern beans (all at
different times) that were too old and never got past the crunchy stage.
If you've been cooking them that long, and they are as old as you say they
are, throw them out and start over.

Margaret

On Mon, 29 Dec 2003, Christine Seelye-King wrote:

> Ok, I started a pot of black-eyed peas yesterday.  I started with dried peas
> that have admittedly been sitting on the shelf for a couple of years.  I did
> a quick boil, turned the heat off and let them sit and soak for a couple of
> hours.   Drained that water off and started with fresh, then applied
> not-quite boiling temperatures to it for several hours.  Added a ham bone.
> Cooked for several more hours.  Then more.  Then I went to bed.  Then I got
> up, still had crunchy beans, added more water, went out shopping.  Came
> back, still have crunchy beans.  These things have been on the heat for 24
> hours now (in addition to the pre-boil and soak), and are yet to show any
> signs of getting past the crunchy stage.
> Now, I've had this happen before with old dried black beans, but never with
> any other kind of bean.  I figure after a while even the driest bean will
> cook, no?  NO!!
> Is there anything I can do to save this pot-o-beans, or should I give up,
> throw it out, and use the frozen ones I just bought?
> Christianna
>