by michaelswarm » Tue Jun 27, 2023 3:13 pm
The variations people use to cook beans are almost endless, depending on the stove, pots and appliances in your kitchen, and the time available, or not available. Fast soaks with hot water and pressure cookers are great to speed things up.
For any hard beans, the method is almost the same. I find the best quality and least effort from a long soak, drain, rinse, cover with water, and slow cook on low heat in crock pot. Cooking time varies by bean. I find white beans cook the fastest. In a slow cooker on low, they are done in ~4h, compared to 8-12h for pinto, black beans or chickpeas.
In Mexico, beans are abundant and cheap, and come in many regional varieties. But I can't find lima or kidney beans. We do have a white bean which is called an Alubia, also known as White Kidney Bean or Cannellini Bean. They are good to use in soups, or in sauces.