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elizabeth
Senior Nomad
Posts: 742
Registered: 7-30-2004
Location: Loreto, BCS
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I never soak beans, and I have never seen anyone in Mexico or Central America do it either. If I don't have time to just slow cook most of the day, I
bring the beans to a boil, boil for a few minutes, let them rest, covered for an hour, and then cook until soft.
I second, third, or whatever, the notion that old beans never do get tender. What I find interesting here, in this discussion, is the notion of
brining. I've always believed that salting, or adding anything acid to the beans before they became tender would prevent softening! Old wives
tale?????
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fdt
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4059
Registered: 9-7-2003
Location: Tijuana, Baja California
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Mood: Yeah, what if it all goes right
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Oso
In over 40 years in and out of Mexico, I have never heard of a Mexican cook pre-soaking beans. |
Correct! I have never heard of anyone (mexican) soaking beens. The way I cook mine (big secreto) is by using chicken or beef stock not just plain
water, throu in half an onion, 3-4 garlic cloves, 3-4 laurel leaves, bring to a boil, let cook in low flame, add water as needed, 3 hours and youre
done. Now the best ones are after Christmas were you place the bone from the ham in to cook with the beens.
| Quote: | Originally posted by Oso
BTW, "frijoles refritos" does NOT mean "refried beans". It means "well fried beans". |
So what does recabrones mean 
A well informed Baja California traveler is a smart Baja California traveler!
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaGeoff
The secret to bbq beans is bacon and brown sugar! |
I used those things but, when I poured them on the grate to cook, they went everywhere and drowned the fire. I tried to retrieve them with a
spatula but, there was nothing left.
I don't think you can barbque beans. I hope it's not just a racial statement.
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Iflyfish
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3747
Registered: 10-17-2006
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Dennis, that was funny, bbq beans falling thu the grill, had me going there.
My best and only method is to leave it to someone else who knows how to do it.
Iflyfish
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Lindalou
Senior Nomad
Posts: 623
Registered: 1-12-2004
Location: Punta Banda Baja
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I've cooked beans since I've been here 3 or 4 times. Most of the time in my slow cooker(cooler in the motorhome that way)they have always turned out
perfect. I start them with room temp. bottled water and beans and don't add a thing else till they are done. Oh, I take that back, I always throw in a
few bay leaves at the beginning also.
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BMG
Super Nomad
Posts: 1776
Registered: 6-10-2007
Location: La Paz / Bahia Asunci�n / Away from home
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaGeoff
The secret to bbq beans is bacon and brown sugar! |
I used those things but, when I poured them on the grate to cook, they went everywhere and drowned the fire. I tried to retrieve them with a
spatula but, there was nothing left.
I don't think you can barbque beans. I hope it's not just a racial statement. |
Had the same problem trying to bbq the bacon wrapped Pacifico. Couldn't get it to stick to the bacon and kept putting out the fire. Tried doing it
with the Pacifico still in the bottle, but that didn't work either. Next experiment will be with the bacon wrapped around a Tecate can. I think
aluminum transfers heat better than glass.
As for cooking beans, seems like every restaurant in town gets it pretty close to right.
I think the world is run by C- students.
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Bob H
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5867
Registered: 8-19-2003
Location: San Diego
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Wow, interesting thread. Many different ways to cook your beans up. My wife, Audrey, soaks them over night. Drain off soak water. Bring fresh
water to boil - and boil the heck out of them. Chopped onion and garlic cloves go in there. No salt until the very end. Being the German/American
that she is, she then adds what is called 'Griebenschmalz' (German goose or pork fat mixture) - Wow! Unreal beans for sure. Spread out on plate, add
shredded cheese and habanera hot sauce! She calls them "Der Deutsche Frejoles"
To die for!
Bob H
Info on Griebenschmalz
http://www.germandeli.com/stcrfat8ozg.html
[Edited on 3-22-2008 by Bob H]
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bob H
habanera hot sauce! |
Give yourself Last Rites before you use that stuff. It's usually used for welding.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Maybe we need a Nomads Bean-O-Rama for the golf tournament????
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BMG
As for cooking beans, seems like every restaurant in town gets it pretty close to right. |
How many times are refried beans fried? Are they ever fried? Are they really beans?
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Diver
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4729
Registered: 11-15-2004
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Beans, beans, the musical fruit....
The more you eat, the more you toot;
the more you toot, the better you feel;
so eat your beans with every meal !! 
No matter how you cook 'em, I just can't help myself.
.
[Edited on 3-22-2008 by Diver]
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vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
Location: Nopolo
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Mood: mellow
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You guys are making fun of me and a serious subject.
For your information, if you eat those not completely cooked beans, they get you bloated and, just last night, I blew the sheet and blanket clear off
of me. Still too cold for that.
I may just quit this forum and go where I feel wanted.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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Good one, Ed. You're a human leaf blower.
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BMG
Super Nomad
Posts: 1776
Registered: 6-10-2007
Location: La Paz / Bahia Asunci�n / Away from home
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| Quote: | Originally posted by vandenberg
You guys are making fun of me and a serious subject.
For your information, if you eat those not completely cooked beans, they get you bloated and, just last night, I blew the sheet and blanket clear off
of me. Still too cold for that.
I may just quit this forum and go where I feel wanted. |
Good thing you gave up smoking.
I think the world is run by C- students.
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Paula
Super Nomad
Posts: 2219
Registered: 1-5-2006
Location: Loreto
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Diver
Beans, beans, the musical fruit....
The more you eat, the more you toot;
the more you toot, the better you feel;
so eat your beans with every meal !!
No matter how you cook 'em, I just can't help myself.
.
[Edited on 3-22-2008 by Diver] |
Actually, There is a self help book on beans
It tells you to boil the beans for 5 minutes in filtered water, then soak them for about an hour. Drain them, add more pw to cover by about an inch.
Boil gently until they are tender but not mushy, adding more water as needed. Add about 1/2 tsp of baking soda in the first 15 minutes of cooking
time, and also a generous pinch of epazote. Any other seasonings, vegetables or meat (pre-cooked and drained) can be added at any time during the
cooking.
Hire professionals for the toots. Beans taste even better when eaten with a side of banda music
edited to prevent scorching
[Edited on 3-22-2008 by Paula]
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Paula
epazote |
What's that?
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Paula
Super Nomad
Posts: 2219
Registered: 1-5-2006
Location: Loreto
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It is an herb that grows wild in most of Mexico. It is said to help difuse the gas in beans, and has a nice flavor but can be bitter if you use too
much. It is used a lot in Oaxacan cooking, always good in dishes with chicken.
I actually buy it dried in Montana in a natural food store and bring it down. Sometimes you can find it fresh in supermarkets here. Before I learned
to recognize it I asked for it in the local fruteria. I'm still recovering five years later from being laughed at for asking to buy a weed that grows
all over town
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Diver
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4729
Registered: 11-15-2004
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Ah ha !
I had heard of epazote but the way I was using it didn't help with the gas, just gave me an out-of-body experience....
Silly me, I just figured that herbs were to be smoked !? 
.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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Thanks....
I like bitter, some anyway. I drank beer for fifty years before I learned what Hops tasted like. Some of these new beers use lots of hops, so they
say, and charge lots of money for their product which has a bitter quality from the extra hops. Now they say there's a shortage of hops and they're
looking for alternatives. Maybe epazote is the answer.
Salud
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Phil S
Super Nomad
Posts: 1205
Registered: 10-28-2003
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Mood: After 34 years. Still in love w/ my wife
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Ed brings up a good question. How does anyone get the "gas" out of their beans by time they get cooked???? My mother 60 years ago would peel a
potato & put it in the beans when they are soaking. Then transfers the potato to the cooking stage. Then throws the potato out. Then when they
went into the crock pot, they were soft. Worked for her. But what else do you folks do to keep the gas out?????
[Edited on 3-22-2008 by Phil S]
[Edited on 3-23-2008 by Phil S]
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