chili

Hey cooks, I have a problem. I was cooking some kidney beans from dry beans and cooked them in the microwave for 10 minutes and then added them to the crockpot beef and onions and peppers to cook with some water till tender and then add tomatoes and spice etc for the chili. I failed to check if the beans were tender before adding the tomatoes ( after them cooking about 2 hrs in the crockpot.) After almost 2 more hrs. the beans never got tender and I cooked it another 3 hrs and the beans still never got tender. My question is: Did the addition of the tomatoes somehow halt the softening of the beans permanently??? The meat and broth is so tasty I don't want to waste it. Anybody have any experience and advice? Thanks, Mary

I would try removing the beans from the crock pot and cooking them in a bit of broth on the stove for an hour or so. Then, add them back. Either your precooking didn't get them tender enough or your crock pot isn't coming to enough of a boil to cook them through.

Thankyou Will, for the tip. I ended up having to toss the beans and start over w/fresh beans tho. Mary

The beans will never get soft in the stew. Beans need to be boiled in UNSALTED water. Microwaving is good for some stuff but for beans, the old fashioned way is the best. Better luck next time. Stephanie

Thanks Stephanie, You are right. I decided after a day of pondering to pick out the hard beans and add freshly cooked soft beans in their place. It was so good... but the work in picking the beans was 2x harder than boning a chicken A learning experience for sure I sorta wonder about the tomato sauce being added before the beans got soft may have contributed a little bit too. Thanks so much for caring to respond Mary