Beans Beans the musical fruit.....Need some advice please

reptileink

Ok, for some reason, I have lost my knack for making homemade beans. I usually make them in the crock pot because I am waiting for my grandmothers bean pot to be handed down.

The first attempt at the crock pot beans went 100% perfect. I have not swayed from my recipe since, but the last 3 times I have made them, most of them do not become tender, or pick up any of the "bean slurry" and remain white.

Yesterday I started the pot for 6 hours on low. After 6 hours, the automatically go into "keep warm" function. We got home about 2-3 hours later, and I noticed most had turned brown, but some still had bite.

Ok, I pop them back onto low for another 4 hours, shut the thing down at 11:30pm, and place them in the stairwell(35 degrees or so)

This morning, all are pretty brown, but some STILL have bite. Personally I don't mind this, but this is for my catering gig.

So I put them again on low this morning for 4 hours and have my wife home to check on them later.

TWO QUESTIONS:
Will letting them cool, recooking them today, letting them cool again tonight and serving them tomorrow be a hazzard??

and

Is it OK to serve Baked beans with some bite, or should I just go grab two pounds of store bought and doctor to save face at my gig???

PLEASE HELP!

I doubled this recipe, ommitting the pork because I heard too much salt early on can retard the absorbing process??
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1850,154160-224192,00.html
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lantern · Posted: Dec 26 2008 Post subject:

The salt will actually help. I think that's the problem. Think like a brine.

reptileink · Posted: Dec 26 2008 Post subject:

too late to add any now though right??

Anyway I am not home to do so, and my wife is pretty ill with morning sickness.

I had used ham hocks in the past and also draped bacon over it
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lantern · Posted: Dec 26 2008 Post subject:

Yeah, I think its late in the game.

But, were the previous ham hocked and baconed versions good?

reptileink · Posted: Dec 26 2008 Post subject:

the first batch I ever did with that recipe I grilled one or two ham hocks and threw them in, they came out great.

The second batch I used one ham hock, and had the results like yesterday

The third batch I used one ham hock and layed like 6-8 strips of bacon over the top, same thing as yesterday

The fourth batch no ham hock but used bacon to same results

Yesterday no pork.

Too late to run another batch?? What a waste though. I think I should just serve them. 80-85% are nice a soft
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reptileink · Posted: Dec 27 2008 Post subject:

well, called the wifey, and it appears no luck. I really got to figure this out.

Looks like some doctored up Bush's are on the menu instead.

Going to use my slurry from the homemade beans to doctor it with plus some fresh onion
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Stan41 · Posted: Dec 27 2008 Post subject: My method for beans

1 lb. Pinto Beans
3 slices smoked pork jowl.

Cover rinsed beans with water and allow to soak 2 hours.

Discard soaking water.

Cover beans with fresh cool water and then add about 3 inches of water.

Put in slices of jowl and boil slowly, just above a simmer for about 2 hours.

Do not salt beans until the last 15 minutes of cooking. Makes for more tender beans.

That's all.
Stan41

reptileink · Posted: Dec 27 2008 Post subject:

see, you are the second person to say that about salt. I didn't add ANY salt this time.

Simmered for 10 minutes and added beans....well, you can read the recipe I linked.

At least beans are relativley cheap
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Mrs. K.A.M. · Posted: Dec 27 2008 Post subject:

Ok I know I'm to late Sad

but this is how I cook my beans.

4 slices of thick bacon cut in 1/2 fried in a 5 qt pot,

rinse a 1 lb bag of beans put in pot with bacon and put water up to 2 inches from the top and salt,

bring to a boil, boil for 30 minutes,

cover,

turn off burner let sit for 30 minutes
(season the way you want)
after 30 minutes are up, boil on medium high until tender.

I have to add water from time to time and stir

Sorry I just got on the computer, but maybe you could use this next time.
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reptileink · Posted: Dec 27 2008 Post subject:

So weird man, some people say no salt till end, some people throw all the bacon/salt in together with the raw beans.

Thank you Mrs. K.A.M

Judging from yours and Mr. K.A.M's threads, you know what you are doing
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Stan41 · Posted: Dec 27 2008 Post subject: Beans by Richard Bolt

Richard Bolt was a chuck wagon cook for 40 years on many of the large West Texas ranches. He also was also featured in many of the Marlboro Cigarette commercials on TV. Late in his life he wrote a little cookbook. Here is his recipe for pinto beans:

Pinto Beans by Richard Bolt

Soak 1 pound of pinto beans over night. Pour water off and place the beans in an iron pot with fresh soft water. (I state soft water because we live in a hard water country and beans cannot be cooked in hard water) covering the beans one inch or more. Add about 1/4 pound smoked bacon and cook over low fire until beans are tender and the juice becomes thick. When the beans are almost tender enough to eat, add 1 medium size onion chopped and continue cooking until the beans and onion is completely tender. Salt to taste and cook for 15 more minutes. Salt pork may be used to season with but be sure and wash the salt off the pork before using it. Salt placed in beans when they first begin to cook will make the beans very tough.

From Forty Years behind the Lid, by Richard Bolt.

Stan41

reptileink · Posted: Dec 27 2008 Post subject:

you are talking Pinto beans

I am talking Navy beans

New England Style Boston Baked Beans
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Stan41 · Posted: Dec 27 2008 Post subject:

Navy beans are very rare in Texas. Baked beans are even rarer.
Stan41

shrike · Newbie Joined: 17 Jun 2008 Posts: 38

pattishadow · Joined: 27 Dec 2008 Posts: 6

HiI'm a long time lurker and a new member. I am mostly here to learn about smoking but I can't resist adding my two cents worth to this thread. My momma always told me to never add any sugar to beans while they are cooking untill they are tender or they will be hard and never get soft.
Yes I know this to be true cause I have added brown sugar a little to soon to hurry and try to speed things up and had to dump the whole thing out. Hope this helps you all out, you have been so helpful to me as I have read posts.

patti