Question about beans?

[Randi]

I got this recipe I'll make, but I have never cooked beans before. The soup bones are in now and I'm thinking of skimming them first, but do I put the beans in to simmer with the bones for 3 hours?

Mexican Market Soup

1 lb. of beans, including Black, Red, Garbanzo, Baby Limas, Pinto, Black-eyed, Lentils, Split Peas, and Barley.

Wash and drain bean mix. Add water to cover and 1 tsp. salt. Let it stand overnight.

Drain and add:
3 quarts water
Bouquet Garni or 2 Bay leaves
Soup bone or Ham Hock

Simmer for 3 hours covered.

Add:
2 lbs tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 stalks celery and leaves, chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tsp. salt or to taste
1/2 tsp, red pepper or to taste

Simmer 1-1/2 hours uncovered.

Add:
1/2-1 lb smoked link sausage, or smoked turkey sausage, or canned ham, chopped.
4-5 slices raw bacon, chopped
Several pieces of raw chicken
1 Serrano pepper, seeded and chopped

Simmer until chicken is tender, remove bones and return to soup.

Before serving, add a handful of fresh parsley, chopped.

Makes 6 quarts and freezes well. Serve with hot bread.

[pomtzu]

That sounds really good.

And yes - simmer bones and beans together.

[Randi]

Thanks, I'll put the beans in. :) I just never thought they should cook that long.

[pomtzu]

Thanks, I'll put the beans in. :) I just never thought they should cook that long.

That does seems a little long to me too - especially if soaking overnight. I personally wouldn't soak for more than a couple of hours if you'll be cooking for 3 hours. Or if you do soak overnight - then cut down simmer time to closer to 2 hours. With so many different kinds of beans in that recipe too, each probably has a different ideal cooking time, so you just kind of have to average it out.

Let us know how it turns out.

[Randi]

The beans have now been cooking for about half an hour, I tasted some of them and they are actually fine to eat already, so I ought to take them out. Not sure I'll put sausages in. For the water I have used one cube of OXO's vegetable and one chicken.

[lbaker]

For future reference Barley is not a bean it is a grain and just needs to be washed off before cooking ;) The timing of actual cooking for the whole soup more or less depends whether the temp/fire is long and low or a rousing boil (which I don't particularly recommend, I much prefer long and low).

Miss you Randi!!!

Laurie