Baked beans, how to speed cooking?

[redoak]

Does anyone have any tips/advice how to soften up their northern/navy beans before or while cooking them in baked beans recipes? This last batch I let soak for 3 days in the frig before cooking them. I've been cooking them in the crockpot for 12 hours and they are still firm. I'm not sure of the temp in the crockpot but the beans cook at a steady boil. I've also tried in the past with little or no success to soak them for a few days then freeze them in hope of breaking any seed coat keeping the moisture from penetrating the bean. Thanks in advance for any advice/tips.

PS While soaking and cooking I make sure the beans are always overtopped by water.

 

[BettyR]

There are two things that I know of that will keep your beans from getting tender:
1) Acid like tomatoes or lemon juice will harden the skins and keep the beans from getting tender.
2) Hard water will keep beans from getting tender.

We have very hard water so I never soak my beans before I cook them. I clean them then boil them in just enough water to keep them from sticking for 1 hour with a pinch of baking soda, which is a natural water softener. Don’t use too much soda or your beans will turn to mush.

Then I add the rest of my ingredients and continue with the recipe as written.

I have never tried to rescue a pot of beans with a bit of baking soda but at this point what do you have to loose?

 

[redoak]

Thanks for the tips, I think we have hard water and will try the baking soda.

 

[BettyR]

You’re welcome; I hope it helps.

 

[dacjohns]

I use a pressure cooker. 20 to 30 minutes at 15 lbs.

 

[ams3651]

i gave up on dried beans, I just use butter beans in a can.