Anyone have any recommendations how to cook these? I have tried twice now. Both times I soaked them for 12 or so hours. The first time I miserably burnt them. The second time they "simmered" for an hour and a half and they were still not well cooked. Should the water boil? Steam a bit? Just be hot? FYI - I have an amazingly crappy stove (if you call it that!) which means I dont have a lot of temp options. Thanks!

This is Israel we're talking about! "Fully furnished" means without an oven. How long should they have to simmer for? And that just means barely boiling, right?

Did I mention "fully furnished" in Jerusalem includes a hot-plate? I doubt it would get the pot hot enough to simmer though. Thanks for your advice! Hopefully they will come out better this week!

Finally! Much much better!!! Though I cooked them forever!!!

Honey, I have The Answer for you - provided that you have a freezer. My sister lived in Ramallah for about 8 years, so I have full understanding of your term "fully furnished." She basically had a cooler that she used ice blocks to keep stuff cold and had to buy her perishables practically daily! Anyway, here is the secret to cooking dried beans in about 45 minutes. First soak them overnight in cold water in the fridge. I try to change the water at least once. Then dry in a towel and spread on a cookie sheet (single layer) and put in the freezer for about 3 hours. After that, cook them or put them in a ziploc bag and store in the freezer for later use. I can't remember what freezing does to the cells of the beans - but something that when you go to cook them, they cook up in about 45 minutes. Two more important tips: 1) Don't add the salt until the beans are almost cooked. If you add it too early, it toughens the skins and they take longer to cook. 2) If your cooking water boils away to the point that you need to add water, be sure to add hot water. If you add cool or cold water, it will greatly increase your cooking time...again, I can't remember why, but try these things and you will see how beans can become Fast Food.

How long do you bake them? Does it sound like a lot of work?? I guess I'm in such a routine about it, I don't notice. I do up a bunch over the course of a few days and fill my freezer with ziploc bags of beans every so often, so they're available and ready to go whenever

Hmm. Did you mean 3 1/2 or 3 to 30 hours? In either case, that probably wouldn't work for me. I'm afraid to leave the oven on when I'm not home. And I never have 3 or 4 hours ahead to prepare a meal.

My sister lived in Ramallah for about 8 years, so I have full understanding of your term "fully furnished." She basically had a cooler that she used ice blocks to keep stuff cold and had to buy her perishables practically daily!

Let me just tell you the differences between Jerusalem and Ramallah. We may only be 20 miles apart, but in Jerusalem we have indoor plumbing (and I dont mean a bucket), we have electricity, we have refridgerators. Israel feels like it is third-world at times (could someone recommend some heat and insulation in the winter?) but we are living in luxury compared to Ramallah!!!

That is the beauty of the dutch oven (cast iron pot). Heat up the oven and then turn it off when you leave for work. The oven will stay warm and the pot will stay hot. And the beans will slow cook all day long. 30 hours. I occasionally don't end up eating the beans for dinner and so I keep them in the oven overnight and reheat them the next day. The longer they stew the more flavor they get.

Hello Trent, I'm am late chiming in - but - can you tell me more about this dutch oven thing? How large of a dutch oven do you use? Just doing a google search I've found these at much different prices: http://www.cutleryandmore.com/details.asp?SKU=4968 http://www.cookware.com/Dutch-Ovens-C17749.html?Refid=G9675.dutch+oven&gclid=CJ-MpPqo6JECFQpZHgodVy4aaQ It seems to me that an enamel coated cast iron is better than plain old cast iron - and - I suspect that the Le Creuset is a much better quality. I wonder what you would consider to be a good choice. If it makes a difference, most of my cooking is for my wife and me and she generally does not eat beans. If I want them, I cook them. Thx