Forgot to soak beans in cholent! What now?

Capitalchick

Fri, May 14 2010, 10:32 am

I need to make a cholent for Shabbos, but I forgot to soak the beans and barley overnight. I'm getting home at 4pm and I can start making the cholent then. What can I do?? Can I boil the beans for an hour or more and soften them that way??

Also, do you have any recommendations for EASY and light cholent??

Tamiri

Fri, May 14 2010, 10:35 am

Boil the beans for five minutes, cover the pot and let them sit for an hour, then throw into the cholent pot.

MommyZ

Fri, May 14 2010, 10:40 am

Liba wrote:

or buy a can of beans.

I always buy canned beans. Soaking overnight never helped me somehow.

louche

Fri, May 14 2010, 11:14 am

MommyZ wrote:

Soaking overnight never helped me somehow.

Do you add salt in the beginning? Salt will keep the beans hard. You have to cook first, then add salt later in the game. Also, beans that are too old will never soften. Try to buy beans in a store that has rapid turnover of stock.

Mommastuff

Fri, May 14 2010, 11:20 am

Liba wrote:

or buy a can of beans.

if you don't want the gas, make sure to rinse them well first.

For soaking beans (24 hrs), I put baking soda in the water to get the gas out.

chocolate moose

Fri, May 14 2010, 11:29 am

Canned beans here. Don't soak barley.

onlyme

Fri, May 14 2010, 11:31 am

Tamiri wrote:

Boil the beans for five minutes, cover the pot and let them sit for an hour, then throw into the cholent pot.

This.

gryp

Fri, May 14 2010, 11:42 am

I just pour them right in. No soaking. (I do rinse and check for stones.)

Mama Bear

Fri, May 14 2010, 12:49 pm

have never soaked my beans, definitely not overnight.

flowerpower

Fri, May 14 2010, 12:51 pm

You'll survive the week. I never soak the beans and we're ok.

bbmom

Fri, May 14 2010, 12:55 pm

I don't soak my beans either but you can follow the quick soak instructions - (I've done this on occasion)

Put beans in pot, fill with water until two inches above beans, bring to boil, boil for 2 min, remove from heat, cover and let soak 1 hour

ra_mom

Fri, May 14 2010, 1:15 pm

onlyme wrote:

Tamiri wrote:

Boil the beans for five minutes, cover the pot and let them sit for an hour, then throw into the cholent pot.

This.

Definitely the way to go.
I always do a hot soak like this, instead of just soaking the beans overnight. My beans come out softer this way.

Last edited by ra_mom on Fri, May 24 2019, 11:17 am; edited 1 time in total

Levtov

Fri, May 14 2010, 1:53 pm

I second that, I never soak beans. Cook long and I have a finger lickin' great cholent!!! (flanken and marech bones add too!!)

bfg

Fri, May 14 2010, 2:43 pm

Note:
After the boil, soak for an hour, the beans should be rinsed.

This removes bean side effects.

Good Shabbos

life'sgreat

Fri, May 14 2010, 3:38 pm

I don't use cholent beans at all. I use navy (pea) beans and barley. Just an hour hot soak with water from the urn is enough. No gas. Ever.

rivka6

Fri, May 14 2010, 6:23 pm

lentils cook up really quickly, if you have any, as do split peas, if you like them. a handful of rice is nice, too. but then, I am in the "I hate cholent" camp, so my suggestions make it more stew than cholent.

imabima

Fri, May 14 2010, 6:24 pm

For a light cholent, skip the beans altogether. I use barley, wheat berries, meat, few potatoes, and kishke. It's very yummy and doesn't eat like tar. Good Shabbos!

shanie5

Sun, May 16 2010, 12:30 am

imabima wrote:

For a light cholent, skip the beans altogether. I use barley, wheat berries, meat, few potatoes, and kishke. It's very yummy and doesn't eat like tar. Good Shabbos!

This is what I would have said-minus the wheat berries (what are they and where do u get them anyway?). can even leave out the barley and have a pesach chulent. Our chulent this week was meat, potatoes, onions, and zukini

artsy

Fri, May 24 2019, 11:10 am

What are best types of canned beans to use?