Posted: 9/23/2008 4:17:51 PM EDT
My boyfriend and I are having an argument about when to add salt to the beans. He insists that everything should be put in the beans at the beginning of the cooking time. I say you wait until the beans are almost done before adding salt. When do you guys add the salt? And why is it that a man will tell you that your beans have the best flavor he has ever tasted, but then criticize your cooking method? 
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I soak my beans overnight and then rinse them. I toss them in a pan with water, pearl onions, a sliced bell pepper, a small amount of minced garlic, add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper, a sprinkle of chili powder, and a sprinkle of black pepper. If I'm in the mood for spicy beans, I'll slice up a habenero or jalepeno pepper and ad that, too. I then bring them to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about four hours, adding hot water and stirring as necessary. During the last hour, I add either bacon slices or a chunk of salt pork. I occasionally add a squirt of ketchup because the boyfriend likes the tomato flavor. During the last 15 minutes, I add a sprinkle of salt. Please note, a sprinkle consists of however much you need to add to get the flavor you like.  ETA:Had extra words and spaces due to not proof reading. 
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as a Chef...do both.. lightly season the water to bring out the flavor of the beans, onion, carrot etc you have added for flavoring.. then once cooked, reseason to taste.. salt breaks down with time and thru absorbtion. you can salt beans today, refrigerate and reheat tommorow and you will probably add salt to taste again CHEF |
Carrots? Who puts carrots in their beans?? 
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I cut up a carrot or 3 dependant on how much beans I am cooking..its a flavor thing..I eat it, but dont serve it. kind of like throwing in the pig knuckle |
Hmmm... I'll have to try that. 
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Note that in the response to the person asking for a recipe, I mentioned salt pork and that all seasonings are to taste. I like both in my beans. 
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Get both!! I didn't read the whole thing.. 
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Get both!! I didn't read the whole thing.. ETA: FUCK!! I hate when I prematurely click.. 
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With red beans, I like some smoked Andouile, Bay leaf and red pepper along with onion, garlic and black pepper. |
When's dinner? |
Now this is a problem. Keith_J is almost always right, but is now recommending Andouile. Is this one of the few times he is wrong? I'll have to make two batches now to compare.  To the OP and everyone else who has chimed in, thanks for the recipes and tips. I hate using most web resources for recipes; 9 out of 10 times they are written by people who have never had the real thing. |
This! From another Chef... |
Not in red beans....not this chef. |
He's a chef what do you expect? We add mir poix to our bath water!
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Yeah, I know. I'm a professional chef, too. Carrots don't belong in red beans, at least not around these parts. |
It doesn't matter what the legions of ARFCOMmer's have to say if you are cooking beans then you are right! BigDozer66 |
Well, you have your holy trinity down there too that excludes carrots... Always trying to get rid of the carrots.. 
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Used to scoff at those who said to add it at the end. Mine tasted plenty good when I added everything in at the start, why should I listen to that? Then I cooked my red beans and rice for a large group of my little sister's friends in Pitt. one year. Absolute crap. Dad later told me that adding it at the end meant that the recipe would be the same regardless of altitude, but that adding at the start at higher altitudes could affect the cooking process. I believe him now. |
Never had em but it sounds good Don't let me miss the diner pics
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Oh, Hell, no. You don't eject from a man who cooks, cleans, does his own laundry, has a job, puts up with me being a bitch, and doesn't fuck anyone else just because he doesn't know when to add the salt. I have the perfect man and I ain't giving him up.
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We do use a lot of the "Trinity," but I don't put bell peppers in my red beans either. The only "mire poix" I use for beans, is onion and celery. |
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OK.. I had a pot of pink beans (small red beans) soaking and decided to put them on because of this thread. I didn't want to heat up the house since my A/C blew 2 days ago and the A/C guy is waiting for a part. But ya'll made me hungry! (And it's 91' in my house).. Anyway, here's what I did.. 2# beans (Rinsed, drained, soaked, rinsed 2 more times) 1 BIG ham bone 2 stalks celery diced 1 medium onion diced 1 tb garlic minced 2 pinches fleur de sel (French sea salt..Not too much because of the ham bone) and a few grinds of pepper.. Will add cayenne in a couple hours after I pick the bone apart... ETA: I don't use too many carrots either in my cooking unless I am making stock, stew, or a Crudite (raw veggie platter)... |
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Soak your beans? I've seen people do that. Me, I put my beans in the pot with the sauteed vegitables and browned sausage, then add just enough water to cover them. Put on low heat and add water as needed to keep the beans covered. The beans soak up the seasoned water instead of bland tap water. Also to make the juice thick, about a half hour before serving, take a handful (unit of measure, not a real handful of hot beans) of beans and puree them and put that back in your pot. Makes a nice thick gravy. Add about a half teaspoon of white vinegar to your rice water, This will make the rice not clump and not be gooey. Serve the beans over rice. Don't add the rice to the bean pot. |
| If you want to make beans in a "hurry," but didn't soak them overnight, you can "quick soak" them. All you do is, put beans in a pot and cover them with cold water. Put on high heat, and bring them just to a boil. As soon as they start to boil, shut off heat, and cover the pot for 45 minutes to an hour. Drain off water, and set beans aside until you need them. They are now "quick soaked," and will turn out just like you soaked them overnight. You can reserve the water, and use it to cook your beans, if you like. I'd rather use chicken or ham stock. |