Do you soak your beans for cholent?

Rochelly

Wed, Aug 12 2009, 4:38 pm

so my mother always uses canned beans for cholent and I have been using canned beans too... My husband requested regular beans so I bought a package of "cholent beans mix"... do I need to soak them? do I need to put extra water in the cholent or cook it for longer than I normally would?

Thanks Smile

ra_mom

Wed, Aug 12 2009, 4:49 pm

Absolutely soak them.
I find that the best cholents are made with beans that are soaked this way, as opposed to just soaked in water overnight:
Place beans in a very large pot.
Cover beans with water.
Cover the pot, bring to a boil, and then cook for 5 minutes.
Remove pot from heat. Allow beans to soak in covered pot for 1 hour. DO NOT uncover pot during that hour.
Drain and rise beans.
Beans come out much softer this way, and cholent tastes delish.

Rochelly

Wed, Aug 12 2009, 4:52 pm

Thanks

that sounds much more difficult than just opening cans of beans and dumping them in LOL

ra_mom

Wed, Aug 12 2009, 4:59 pm

Rochelly wrote:

Thanks

that sounds much more difficult than just opening cans of beans and dumping them in LOL

You can just soak them overnight in water. But I find that the beans are better this way.
I started making a lot of beans at once, and dividing them into weekly portions, and freezing them in baggies- ready to go.

Rochelly

Wed, Aug 12 2009, 5:02 pm

Thanks! I think that I will try it and make for 2 weeks at once!

SingALong

Wed, Aug 12 2009, 8:37 pm

I always soak beans and barley in water overnight and then strain them very well before putting them in the chulent pot

levial

Fri, Aug 14 2009, 11:43 am

If I am pressed for time...or forgot...I pour boiling water on the beans to fast-soak them. Otherwise, I soak overnight. It reduces gas...I've also just cooked them it was ok.

im here!

Tue, Aug 25 2009, 2:00 pm

ra_mom wrote:

Drain and rise beans.

what do you mean by rise?

flowerpower

Tue, Aug 25 2009, 2:02 pm

You soak the beans to take the gas out usually.

ra_mom

Tue, Aug 25 2009, 2:03 pm

mamele wrote:

ra_mom wrote:

Drain and rise beans.

what do you mean by rise?

Sorry! Rinse Smile

(I place a colander in the sink, pour the soaked/cooked beans into the colander, and rinse the beans under running water while they strain in the colander.)

b.r.a.c.h.a

Tue, Sep 01 2009, 9:04 pm

Always soak dry beans overnight. You need at least 12 hours. Then, rinse the beans. If fact, you can change the water you are soaking them in a few times to get rid of the gas they let out.

AlwaysGrateful

Tue, Sep 01 2009, 9:18 pm

I know this is old, but one more thing. You might need to check the water that the beans are in for bugs. Probably depends on your location and your rav...but you might want to check.

BennysMommy

Tue, Sep 01 2009, 9:25 pm

I don't make cholent often but when I do, I don't soak the beans. Have never gotten any complaints of extraordinary gas problems...

Rubber Ducky

Tue, Sep 01 2009, 9:28 pm

I find that the my cholent tastes better since I started soaking the beans overnight.

viva

Wed, Sep 02 2009, 1:16 am

SingALong wrote:

I always soak beans and barley in water overnight and then strain them very well before putting them in the chulent pot

What does soaking the barley do?