Cooking pinto beans in cast iron

[The Dove]

Is it just me or anyone else? When I try to cook pinto beans (dried beans soaked in water over night) in a cast iron dutch oven on the stove, the beans turn blue in color!!! When I use a regular pot they don't turn blue. What's up with this? Is it just me. BTW, I've tried two different cast iron dutch ovens and they both turned the beans blue.

Thanks for any help.

The Dove

[Le Loup Solitaire]

It is a known fact that cast iron when used for cooking, is a source of iron for the human body in terms of nutrition. A doctor or nutritionist can confirm that. It is that iron in your dutch ovens that is causing your pinto beans to change color so eating them will not turn you into a rare earth magnet. If you have any doubts then call your pharmacist who undoubtedly has a background in chemistry and ask him/her, or your family doctor. It is probably just an element in the makeup of the pinto bean that is reacting to the iron from the cast. LLS

[fatnhappy]

I've never cooked dried pinto beans.
I haven't seen it with great northerns or navy beans, then again I don't like having standing water in my CI overnight.
FWIW I most frequently make beans when I'm camping with scouts. I typically soak them in a 1 gallon ziploc bag that I've thrown in a dutch oven (for safe keeping and practicality) when we pack the camp trailer.

My mother never soaked them overnight. She'd bring them to a boil, turn off the burner and let them sit just a couple hours. There was one instance where that was "insufficient." There and ever after we called her beans "cement suprise."

[tryNto]

Mine will so the same. Don't use it for that anymore.

[waksupi]

Do not let beans, or anything else sit overnight in cast iron, unless there is heat to it. The food can be totally ruined and inedible.

[The Dove]

I am sorry I didn't make it clear. I don't soak them in the cast iron over night. I just soak them in a glass bowl in the fridge overnight and cook them in the cast iron the next day. However, I, like tryNto said, do not use the cast iron to cook them anymore.

Thanks for the help.

The Dove

[Junior1942]

That's why they make Crock Pots. Give 'em 8 to 10 hours on "Low" and you have perfectly cooked beans.

[km101]

:-PI have cooked pinto beans in various cast iron containers over the years, and I have never had them turn blue! Am I missing something? Doing something wrong? I feel left out now that I have read this! Why doit I get blue beans? I deserve them as much as anyone! In fact, according to the currnet administration, I am ENTITLED to them!

[The Dove]

well km, get yourself up here at the J Lazy S J ranch and show me how you do it......... My door is always open.

The Dove

[Char-Gar]

I have cooked lots of beans in cast iron and have never had them turn blue either.

That said, I cook pinto beans in a crock pot. I put them on late afternoon on high. About bedtime I turn them down on low and let the cook overnight. I wake up to Border Beans for breakfast. They are not blue.

1 lb of pinto beans.
1/2 lb of chopped bacon
1 tsp of minced garlic
1 chopped onion
1 ts. of Mexican oregano
1/2 finely chopped jalapeno pepper
a little salt to taste.

No need to soak the beans when you cook them this long.

[hammerhead357]

I never cook beans in my cast iron.. I always use enameled (sp) cook ware or granite cook ware...I understand that at chuck wagon cookoffs if you cook beans in a cast iron pot some judges will disqualify you...

[Lloyd Smale]

I allways thougth the cast iron dutch oven was the classic way to make them. I even bought a new big dutch oven to try it. Havent got around to it yet. If it imparts something unhealthy to the beans wouldnt it do it to about everything you cook in it.

[Shooter]

I cook beans in cast iron, in fact, all my pots are cast iron. No blue beans.
Is your pot well seasoned?
Hammer head357; How did the chuckwagon cooks in the day cook beans without cast?.
From what I understand, beans were a treat on the trail. The time required to cook them was longer than mst lay-overs.
A trail-hand's diet was bacon gravy and biscuits.

[Char-Gar]

I am familiar with Chuck Wagon cooking, cooks and contests and they cook beans in cast iron.

My Grandmother cooked in cast iron, passed it on to me and I have been cooking with cast iron for well over 50 years. The only downside is the weight and the maintainence.

Although expensive the French Le Creuset cookwear is wonderful stuff. It is cast iron with heavy enamel coating. It provides all the benefits of cast iron cooking without all of the maintainence issues.

I am sitting down to key this, just after finishing breakfast. I cooked Kentucky Country Ham on a cast iron griddle, biscuits in the oven in a cast iron skillet and sawmill (white cream) gravy in a Le Creuset sause pan. All washed down with black Columbian coffee. Don't get no better than this!

As an aside, Le Creuset makes some stock pots of various sizes. It is almost impossible to burn foods cooked in these. I don't know how they are made (they are not cast iron), but they are wonderful gizmos. If you are going to cook beans on top of the stove, I don't think you could find anything better..cheaper yes..but better no.

High quality cookware is a lifetime investment for folks who like to cook and eat. It is well worth the price you have to pay.

[tall grass]

I quit soaking my beans when my stepmother asked me "why the bother". Can't tell the difference and don't have to think ahead.

Jim

[SciFiJim]

I quit soaking my beans when my stepmother asked me "why the bother". Can't tell the difference and don't have to think ahead.

Jim


I did just the opposite. I started soaking my beans overnight about 2 batches back. They produce less gas and discomfort that way (at least for me).

My method is to soak them overnight, discard the water they were soaked in and use fresh water to cook them in.

[OneSkinnyMass]

I'll soak and rinse a couple times during the night and the water gets cleaner each rinse. helps the final look of the beans especially if ya are making a bean soup and want the added veggies to keep their original colors like carrots, celery and white onion. uummmm good stuff

Skinny

[Char-Gar]

I'll soak and rinse a couple times during the night and the water gets cleaner each rinse. helps the final look of the beans especially if ya are making a bean soup and want the added veggies to keep their original colors like carrots, celery and white onion. uummmm good stuff

Skinny

Here again we have regional cooking. I know of no Texan who would put carrots and celery in beans. That might even be a hanging offense in some remote parts of the state.

[The Dove]

Hey Char, I think he was refering to bean soup, not a pot of beans. I have tried some bean soup (made with northern beans I beleive) while I was stationed in Minnesota and while I never do cook it, it was different and pretty tasty.

To my beans, I add chilli powder, some cumin, 4 bay leaves, maybe a cube or 2 of beef boulion, salt and pepper, and some Jalopeno's when the Mrs. ain't around. I also will either add two ham hocks, or a ham bone, or some fat back when making a pot of beans. Been known to throw in a russet a time or two to get the juice a little thicker and starchy (but I always pull it out before serving)... Throw on a pan of home-made cornbread and step back boy's..... Love them beans.......

The Dove

[Char-Gar]

Bean soup? What the heck is that all about? Must be some sort of Yankee thing. Sounds awful!

[Plate plinker]

Augh! Com on, Char you have to know the Mexicans make pinto beans in a soup. Ain't just a Yankee thing.

Recipe
Pintos
Bacon
Onion
Bell pepper jalapeño optional
Cilantro
Cumin optional
Salt to taste since bacon adds salt sometimes
Use plenty of bell pepper more than you think could be necessary that makes the flavor pop.
Cook in a slow cooker croc pot till beans are soft.
What's left over you can smash with a potato masher and refrie with bacon grease for breakfast.

My mother in law makes them in a clay pot. Now they eat darn well.

[Char-Gar]

Augh! Com on, Char you have to know the Mexicans make pinto beans in a soup. Ain't just a Yankee thing.

Recipe
Pintos
Bacon
Onion
Bell pepper jalapeño optional
Cilantro
Cumin optional
Salt to taste since bacon adds salt sometimes
Use plenty of bell pepper more than you think could be necessary that makes the flavor pop.
Cook in a slow cooker croc pot till beans are soft.
What's left over you can smash with a potato masher and refrie with bacon grease for breakfast.

My mother in law makes them in a clay pot. Now they eat darn well.

Sounds good and not much different from the way I cook beans. I guess if you add enough water you could call it soup. I add enough water to cover the beans plus a half inch and call it beans.

[Plate plinker]

Yeah pretty much same here.

[Smitty's Retired]

Is it just me or anyone else? When I try to cook pinto beans (dried beans soaked in water over night) in a cast iron dutch oven on the stove, the beans turn blue in color!!! When I use a regular pot they don't turn blue. What's up with this? Is it just me. BTW, I've tried two different cast iron dutch ovens and they both turned the beans blue.

Thanks for any help.

The Dove

I've heard of this happening but it was usually with well water that was a little alkaline. Beans and legumes will turn a bluish or purplish if your mixture is not a little acidic. But this is usually off set by the addition of any other veggie that is acidic like tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, anything with a little vinegar, etc. I know when we cook pintos we always have onions, a tad of garlic, 1/2 cup of diced steamed tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of yellow mustard, and a big chunk of ham or ham hock along with salt and pepper. Now this is for about a 6 or 8 quart pot. We also soak our beans in a separate pot and cook in the cast iron pot.

[km101]

Bean soup? What the heck is that all about? Must be some sort of Yankee thing. Sounds awful!

+1 Char-Gar! And I like to put a small handful of beans on to cook about an hour before I start the whole pot The will "dissolve" and thicken things up nicely! Beans dont need anything more than bacon or a ham hock, salt pepper cumin onion and jalapeno to taste! Any thing else is not necessary!

[km101]

well km, get yourself up here at the J Lazy S J ranch and show me how you do it......... My door is always open.

The Dove

Well I was through there about a week ago, (driving my son's vehicle back from Wa. state) wish I'da known! :) The next road trip I'll drop by and swap recipes!

[The Dove]

Sounds like a plan amigo. I'm just west of OKC.

The Dove

[Lance Boyle]

I did just the opposite. I started soaking my beans overnight about 2 batches back. They produce less gas and discomfort that way (at least for me).

My method is to soak them overnight, discard the water they were soaked in and use fresh water to cook them in.

I've heard this and now do the soak (or par boil) and then change the water out to reduce the gas inducing. It does work for me to reduce gas. As in almost no gas issues when done this way.


ETA +1 on the water being the variable factor in this. I figured it must be an acid or alkali issue combined with the iron pot causing the blues. For most with more normal water it's not an issue. I live in an area with hard water and don't have any issues like yours. I soak mine in an old wagner pot that's as black as a roadside smoker. I'm probably not getting much iron leaching out though.

[Rick N Bama]

That's why they make Crock Pots. Give 'em 8 to 10 hours on "Low" and you have perfectly cooked beans.

Junior finally there's a post on which I can agree with you:)

I was a grown man before I ever had Pintos due to the fact that we didn't grow them on the farm & we didn't eat much of anything we didn't grow for ourselves.

I like to fry up a couple pieces of bacon, then saute some onion & garlic in the drippings to add to the beans. Cooked in cast iron or the crock pot makes no difference to me as long as I have some cornbread to eat with them. Good eats indeed!

Rick

[10 ga]

For another take and IMHO better taste, on same recipes, use black eye peas or find some red eye peas or turkey craw beans(homegrown heirlooms). I like them better than the pintos which I never buy anymore. Best, 10 ga




x

[Pooter]

I have cooked lots of beans in cast iron and have never had them turn blue either.

That said, I cook pinto beans in a crock pot. I put them on late afternoon on high. About bedtime I turn them down on low and let the cook overnight. I wake up to Border Beans for breakfast. They are not blue.

1 lb of pinto beans.
1/2 lb of chopped bacon
1 tsp of minced garlic
1 chopped onion
1 ts. of Mexican oregano
1/2 finely chopped jalapeno pepper
a little salt to taste.

No need to soak the beans when you cook them this long.

You didn't mention any liquid amounts in this recipe. Do you add water?

[Lloyd Smale]

I kind of chuckle a the guys who say they must be a certain way. It must be pretty boring eating at your house. I could give a rats *** what anyone else living in my state thinks about what i add to food. I like some variety in my food. Theres many ways to cook beans that tastes real good. Why limit it to just one. It would to me be about like saying the only way to use hamburger is on a bun. Or the only way to eat potatoes is baked. Believe me if those old texas cowboys could carry more of a variety of things to throw in there beans they would have. To them they were just basic subsistance and id about bet when they got to town they didnt order beans at the resteraunt!!

[Lloyd Smale]

heres my bean recipe. Its not subsistance beans, its more liked baked beans youd use for a barbeque.

I use lb of pinto and 1lb of great white beans
soak them over night in seperate pots with about a gallon of water
Its important to soak beans not only will they give you less gas but they will be eaiser for your digestive system to get the nutritional value out of them.
In the morning i drain them put fresh water in the pots and bring them to a boil. I will boil them for about 15 minutes. I then drain one pot, put those beans in a big roaster and then dump the other pot water and all in the roaster.
I add two chopped onions
2 chopped red peppers
4 teaspoons of chopped garlic
1/3 cup mustard
1lb bacon cut into small pieces
1 small jar of molassis
11/2 lbs brown sugar

cook this at 300 degrees with no lid on the pan until the beans are just soft enough to eat but not totaly done. It will take about 4-5 hours. they will be done about when the water has evaporated enough that the beans about have the consistancy of store bought beans. At that time i add 2lbs of my homemade venison itallian sausge but any sausage will work. I add the sausage raw and stir it in till its broke up and evenly distributed. then i add a 16oz can of tomatoe sause. I like using hunts speggetti sause. Stir that in.
I then fill quart canning jars with the mix trying to get equal ammouts of liquid in each jar. Put them in the canner and cook at 12lbs for 45 minutes to an hour.
Ive been told by alot of people they were the best beans theyve ever ate. there not what you texans call proper cowboy beans but I dont have to smell a horses but next to me by the fire and dont have to eat the same thing for a month. I can actually go to the store and buy spices. By the way just to anger you guys that live along the border a bit more. I put beans in my chilli too!!

[mold maker]

Pintos, Little whites, Bean soup, Your tongue will slap your hat off trying to get to it.

[TES]

http://youtu.be/R6dm9rN6oTs

Well that explains this

[onceabull]

It's no wonder the Texas St.Navy is not well regarded... NO navy Bean Soup----Hell,'I'm not certain that white beans are legal in Texas,(SWMBO who grew up in that country,claims that she never saw white beans until her folks took her to California..) Onceabull [smilie=w: