Shrinkrap and emglo are making good points. I tried cooking old (3 years), dry beans and they took forever and had uneven texture. If they were refrigerated for that time, I doubt there would be a difference. This is because beans are seeds and start out alive; plant them and they grow. As long as that bean is alive, it’s essentially fresh enough. Once dead, the process of degradation ensues. Beans kept dry and stored in the fridge last a very long time; tight jars are best. Dry beans at room temperature are best when under 18 months old, in general.
Water, no matter what source, will have some effect on how the beans cook. The minerals in water vary wildly, even bottled water. Some tap water exceeds daily recommendations for Sodium limits. Other waters are very high in Calcium or Magnesium. Dr. Mark Uebersax, MI State Univ. has stated “Since calcium ions can cross-link the galacturonic acid chains and the pectic substance present in the middle lamella of bean tissues, it results in restriction of water uptake and improvement of seed integrity.” This comment was referring to canning practices (high pressure and long cook time). This means Calcium can be useful in preventing mushy beans when canning, but may interfere with stovetop cooking.
Our well water has very low mineral content, much less than every bottled water I’ve tested (besides distilled and RO). It comes from veins in solid granite. Beans cook superbly in it, so my guess is lower mineral content is better (aside from brining methods).
Covering beans while cooking significantly reduces cook time, and probably increases flavor. Aromatics going up in the steam condense and fall back into the pot. Whether or not this is significant, who knows? It does make sense.
I do have well water, had it tested a few years ago when I bought a super automatic gaggia academia. My research shows that a good cup of coffee need certain calcium and magnesium, that water softener makes the coffee flat. Test show I have moderate amount of those minerals. It was recommended that I just use a filter in the machine itself and scale it whenever it calls for those service. Ao, I guess my well water will be Ok for cooking the beans.
Moderate Calcium should have no real effect and is likely helpful. High Calcium would just slow the cook time.
Indeed, some minerals in the water make it taste better, as does oxygen. Distilled water, right from the condenser, tastes terrible, flat and “stale”. The heat drives out dissolved gasses and distilling removes minerals. Gasses, like oxygen and carbon dioxide dissolve in water better if: A. the water is cold, B. there are dissolved ions/minerals in the water. Take just about any water, chill it (colder is better), and shake it vigorously in a clean, glass jar (to aerate it). Compare that to the water not oxygenated and you will likely find the highly aerated water tastes better.
I make my own seltzer water with Kitchen Aid Soda Stream. It is superior to Soda Stream’s previous model. It is a a combined effort between the 2 companies. A little more expensive but more user friendly.
This has saved me lots of money as I used to buy the seltzer water from Costco.
I know people have recommended Seltzer water for cooking vegetables.
Have you tried cooking beans with it?
so far, disappointed
I just received my order today ( after long wait, do not know if some beans are not available) and plan to make venison chili tomorrow.
Make my own chili sauce using the mexican holy trinity(mulato, papilla, ancho) plus chili arbor and New mexico hatch chili which I roast, then soak and reconstitute. It is good.
However, I am not familiar with rancho gordo.'s beans
Googling, someone at angry onions suggest that different beans works better while another person says different beans cook at different speed and would be a problem
So, since I have only 1 pound of each variety ( royal corona, santa maria pinquito, eye of the goat, crabnerry beans) but have 6 pounds of tarbais( which I am reserving to cook my d’artagnan’s duck confit cassoulet), I called to ask
if the beans I bought ( excluding the turbos), cooked at the same speed , and if I use 2 pounds meat, how many pound beans should I use. The phone number on the flyer has been disconnected. Called their toll free number but was told there is no available service 3 times.
Do you know the answer?
I guess I will just cook 1 pound of the goat’s eye and then when cooked, defrost my venison and eyeball the amount of venison I need. cook it separately.
NOT IMPRESSED SO FAR, HOPE I AM WRONG.
Ooo…a lot of technical questions and I am a hugely nontechnical person. I’ve cooked almost every variety of bean that RG sells but would be at a loss to give you any real guidelines regarding times, quantities, etc. I’m more of a seat of the pants and “give it a go” type of person. I always start by estimating the volume of how many beans I’m going to want in the finished dish, dividing that by about three (since they approximately triple in size - hence 1 cup dry beans = about 3 cups cooked beans), adding plenty of water or broth or garlic or bits of ham or a bay leaf or sprinkle of salt or whatever, and cooking the beans separately. I don’t time them. I just cook until they’re as done as I want them. They’re all the way done when the skins wrinkle and split when you blow on them. There are things that cause them to toughen and never get soft if you add too early (like acid in tomatoes) so you have to be careful adding stuff before they’re soft. And if the liquid in the pot gets too low, add more water - HOT - never add cold liquid to a pot of beans cooking.
For dishes like charro beans or chili where I know I’m going to be cooking them for a while after adding stuff to the bean pot, I make sure I have it ready to add as soon as the beans are soft so that they don’t turn to mush from overcooking.
By having the stuff “ready to add,” I usually mean “cooked separately.” For chili, I cook the meat separately in a big skillet with whatever I want - onions, chiles, seasonings, tomatoes - however you like to make it. Then, when the beans are soft, and the meats and vegetables are done, add them to the bean pot and simmer a while longer (either stovetop or in the oven) to adjust and combine the seasonings and flavors.
I call the Rancho Gordo 800 number (on their website) often to ask questions about my orders (billing, shipping, etc) but have never even thought about asking them for a recipe over the phone. They are mainly retail (and wholesale) foodstuffs purveyors, so not sure that would be the best source for that. I might try emailing them to ask about specific recipes or recommendations, or going on their Facebook page. I often see these kinds of questions there.
I just measure the eye of the goat
There is 2.5 cup ry beans /lb which means 7.5 cup when cooked
Will defrost 2 lbs venison
Will try and cook the red sauce ( I use chile pods, mulato, ancho, pasilla and hatch which I reconstitute and cook that with onions, garlic and the 2 oregano , bay leaf and chicken broth tonight
Will soak the beans tonight , but getting late, so wil cook it tomorrow as I have to work in the garden ( compleely8 busy with all the weeds sprouting up)
Then, wil cook venison separate
Will elt y ou know how it turns out
caramelized 1 finely hopped med red onion , then added carrots, celery and garlic. Added the soaked eye of the goat beans ( overnight), the 2 kinds of oregano from rancho gordo, a sprig of rosemary, bay leaf, beef broth, came to a boil in the french oven,for 15 min and then simmered for 3 hours. The beans were tender but still had a little bite , but I want to add that to the venison and the red chili sauce which i made last night from chili pods ( mulato, ancho , hatch chili, arbor and pasilla . ) I also used a little brown sugar and my favorite, anchovy in olive oil assault substitute . Since I forgot to pretoast the chili pods, I added some chipotle and adobo sauce to give it a little more smoky flavor.
As for the venison, I added 2 lbs to venison to caramelized onions and garlic, a tin of anchovy in EVOO, add the venison meat at low heat till the meat changed color, added cider vinegar , cumin, bay leaf, oregano, then beef stock and finally after a few minutes of boiling, half cup of bourbon, simmered for another half hour. This is a take from Kenji Lopez’s venison short ribs chili although I of course did not follow everything as I made my own chili sauce. I did add a handful of truffles and about 2 tbsp ground coffee.
Then, I mixed the two components in the french oven and simmered some more, served with scoop old Amsterdam cheese .I would have liked to add sour cream but son does not like sour cream .
I think I did not have enough beans, next time for 2 pounds ( I think as the butcher processed and packaged the deer meat ), I should use 2 pounds of beans
picture 1- half of the chili sauce I made ( this wil be frozen)
pic 2- beans cooked in french oven
pic 3- venison cooked in all clad, with chili sauce added
pic 4- venison beans together in french oven
Wow! That looks/sounds like it’ll taste incredibly delicious. I’ll have to try adding a bit of ground coffee to my chili, since I can’t eat chocolate (allergy).
About the chili?
My son says it is good but it is different. He does not think it is much better than my usual where I use at least 3 kinds of beans- usually, pinto, black beans and corn
I invited my neighbor who is retired, donates 3 hours 3X a week at the Food Pantry in Calvert County. He says he has cooked a lot of venison chili, this is the best.
So, I am not sure whether it is the chilipods or the beans, or the coffee or chocolate that makes my neighbor rave about it.
I always make the same red sauce using different chili
However, i think that 1 lb of beans is not enough for the 2 pounds of venison
I think more like 2 lbs but that would make it very expensive as the beans would cost $12.00
I also like different beans in my chili
Did not use different type bec I am not familiar and to cook 2-3 different beans at different time bec of difference in cooking time would not be cost and time effective.
I will still buy from Rancho Gordo but I will think about it
Am cooking chicken soup today
want to use one of their beans and will see how it comes out
With all due respect, that looks great and I’d be delighted to be offered a bowl, but I can’t imagine the quality of the beans are going to make much difference in the melange.
Unless you’re a lot richer than me, I’d only use RG beans for simpler preps where the beany flavors can shine.
No, I have to count my pennies esp since I am retired. Not rich at all, thought it was a good bu because of the tarbais beans for my duck confit casserole. I usually just use Whole Food’s white cannelloni beans.
They re $20/pound, and sometimes as high as $30/lbs
RG had them for $6.99
I ordered 6 pounds of tarbais but had to have $75.00 worth of goods for free S/H
Initially, I ordered all tarbais beans but it will take me 2 years if not more to use them up as I only cook duck confit once or twice a year.
So, thought I will try some other kind of their beans since there were a lot of good review from fellow hungry onion members
One thing I know Jaymes, I bought 3 bottles of their oregano ( the 2 varieties)
I just took out my big bottle from Costco, there is no difference in smell.
In fact, I think the Costco one is more fragrant than one of the other kind I bought
