Cooking Beans ....when to add salt?

[Lana]

Ok...I have sucessfully added salt to my dishes early in the cooking process for years. I had read/heard that the earlier you add the salt, the better flavor development you get than when you add it near the end.

That being said...

How do you rectify this when cooking beans. They need salt for sure, but if you add to early the skins will pop and you get mush. So what is the secret or timing of adding the salt to beans.

And just for clarification...I am not referring to greenbeans, but navy and pinto and northern, ETC.

[shel]

Here's one point of view. It's a good and fun read ...

Bean Talks, or How to Cook Beans, by Jeffrey Steingarten

[MikeLM]

Shel-
That is a GREAT read! Thanks for the link.

Just in time for the Autumn Bean Season.

Mike

[shipscook]

thanks Shel, love that guy's writing!
At work I cook beans almost every day. On my hot top, as I guess most people do, I have one side cranked up and the other pretty low.
First thing every mornind I put the bean of the day on a heavy stock pot, cover with water, put on hot spot, as soon as it starts to boil, slide it over to the cool side where it barely simmers.
Several hours later, depending if these are part of a soup, entree, or a side dish, I put some olive oil in a saute pan and do the aromatics, herbs,other veggies,etc.???? If stock is added as in a soup, they need little salt, so correct seasonings at this point.
My beans are almost always, perfect enough for me.
Nan