Yvonne

Just what I was going to add. If you salt those beans to early you can cook them for hours and hours and they will never soften up. Try cooking the beans with NO salt until they are soft and then season to your hearts content. Dry beans are a winter staple at our house. Serve them up with a batch of corn bread! Yum!!!

donnap

my mom said you could cook old beans for every and they would still rattle in the pan.they have a use by date on the bag. i tried cooking beans that i had in a jar not nowing how old at a full rolling boil all day and they still rattle inthe pan. hope this helps you

sew_southern

All of these are great suggestions! :) I've never had a problem with white beans, pintos or my favorite 15 bean soup. But I've never tried baked beans in the slow cooker. I added all the ingrediants at the same time including the brown sugar. I'll remember all your suggestions if there's a next time! I think there were too many things going against me and those beans!! Lol

dsb38327

I once had a friend say the weather controls when the beans will or won't get soft. She believed if it was a non-cooking bean day they could cook forever and would never get soft.
I have always believed my beans stopped cooking when I added the seasoning. I try to be sure I don't put anything but water in them until they are soft.
I have adapted a new low energy way to cook them for anyone who wants to give it a try. I have done it lots of times and it has worked everytime so far. I add water about 2" over the top of the beans, bring the water to a boil, turn off the burner and cover the pan. When I pass through the kitchen the next time I turn the burner on long enough to bring the water to a boil, turn the burner back off. I keep doing this until the beans are soft. I do this as I am doing laundry and such. It is amazing how soon the beans are as soft as if they boiled for hours.

Hobbyhorse1027

You should try cooking the beans in water first. After the beans are done rinse and put into the sauce. Maybe there wasn't enough water in your sauce. Tomato makes beans tough if they are cooked in it.

cntrygal51

All of these are great suggestions! :) I've never had a problem with white beans, pintos or my favorite 15 bean soup. But I've never tried baked beans in the slow cooker. I added all the ingrediants at the same time including the brown sugar. I'll remember all your suggestions if there's a next time! I think there were too many things going against me and those beans!! Lol[/quote]

I've never heard of 15 bean soup. Can you share the recipe ? I love making beans in everything if possible. I would like to give your recipe a try too !!!! Please share please please please lol. Sorry couldn't resist.

Sandysue

When I decide to have cooked beans, I always soak them with a teaspoon of baking soda and soak over night and in the morning I rinse the beans very well and then cook the beans. They might foam up some, but skim the foam off the water and cook till tender and then I add my ingredients., probably an hour or less, they cook fast when they are soaked in baking soda over night.

Beans, 1 lb. soaked over night in backing soda and water,
1 tablespoon of mustard,
Ketchup, add around a cup or so, more or less
one medium onion chopped small,
brown sugar to your taste. half cup or more packed,
Top with bacon and bake at 350 degrees till brown on edges
These beans are to die for.
When served, I add some white vinegar to it and yum, yum yum.
My husbands favorite beans, I have been making them for over fourty years and everyone loves them.

irishd

Great Northern Beans make good barbecuqed beans. Irishd

Debra Mc

When I first got married we lived in College Station, TX. There water is so hard you could cook beans for 3 weeks & they would still be hard. They may be old beans. Has your water changed. That could be the problem. Next time make sure the beans are frsh dried beans & get a gallon of bottle water & see if that cures the problem.

lane

Yep, if they are old they will never soften. Throw the old out and buy a new bag. Nothing and no amount of time will make them edible.