I always soaked the beans and then cooked them with the sauce, using a variety of recipes that I found from time to time. Sometimes they tasted pretty good, but sometimes they didn't. The big problem was not the taste. The big problem was that no matter how many hours I baked them, the beans were never really nice and soft and tender like the canned beans... couldn't figure it out.
Then, like my friend, Stacy, I had a "Daily Duh." I thought maybe if I would soak and then cook the beans in water first, THEN put the baked beans recipe together and bake it, that might help. It Did
Sweet and flavorful and tender Baked Beans! Hooray!!! Now, WHY didn't I think of this before??
This post is linked up with Wardeh's Simple Lives Thursday #109
and Fantabulous Friday #26!
I read somewhere that there is something in tomatoes that prevents beans from softening and I think it must be right after making chili with crunchy beans once. Maybe it was at least partly the fault of the ketchup? Glad you found a way to make baked beans at home!
ReplyDeleteI am sure you are right. I wonder why the recipes don 't tell us to cook them! Thank you!
DeleteThats so funny to read this. I left a comment about how I still make Yolandas baked beans but I didnt add that started cooking the beans first so they would be tender. I could not get them tender no matter how long I cooked them either so one time I just cooked the beans first and then put the other stuff in and it worked great. We sure are slow learners, lol
ReplyDeletedebbieo
I think I "win" though, because I'm older than you so it took me WAY longer! LOL
DeleteIt took me years to learn how to make baked beans as my mother in law did. She did exactly as you are doing now. Soaked the beans overnight, then cook them. One tip she did give me was as they were baking don't let them get dry, they would firm up as they cooled.
ReplyDeleteSo, I am not alone! Yes, you are right about not letting them get dry. I learned that the hard way too!
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