Rancho Gordo

[cinghiale]

Someone here mentioned tariff impact on RG. So I thought it prudent to stockpile 

 

[cinghiale]

I’m adding to my store

 

[cinghiale]

Has anyone else been using Insta(nt)Pot for RG beans? It’s like wow: I’d like to have beans tonight, and 30 minutes later, there you go. Game changer. 

[relbbaddoof]

Indians have been using pressure cookers for decades, but what do we know?

That aside, there are subtle differences in creaminess, etc., between pressure-cooking and slow-.

[MitchW]

You're not fooling around, @cinghiale!  About a year ago I gave up my bean club membership, as I was just overwhelmed with beans, and while I cook them and with them fairly frequently, for the 2 of us, it was just a bit much.  And I guess I'm lucky in that where I shop locally a large selection of Rancho Gordo beans and other high quality products are sold.

11 hours ago, relbbaddoof said:

That aside, there are subtle differences in creaminess, etc., between pressure-cooking and slow-.

Agree 100% - I'm a fan of the quick-soak method.  But if using the IP, another half hour on the stove (i.e.: not under pressure) helps greatly.

[StephanieL]

19 hours ago, cinghiale said:

Has anyone else been using Insta(nt)Pot for RG beans? It’s like wow: I’d like to have beans tonight, and 30 minutes later, there you go. Game changer. 

N only uses our InstaPot to make beans, and she absolutely swears by it. No presoaking needed.

Edited March 6 by StephanieL

[Orik]

Yeah, but it's just not as good. You can run a simple experiment and see.

[cinghiale]

IDK. My experience:

1. Steve has somewhere on the website a link to IP cooking times. I printed it out as a guide. But man, not helpful in practical application. First, there's "Soaked" vs "Non-soaked" cooking times. Who would first soak their beans only then to tip them into the IP? No idea. Second, the IP cooking time ranges are too broad. I use the low end as a guide. Like Mitch says, if they come out too crunchy, you can throw them on the stove. Third, big takeaway! Black and brown beans take longer than white beans. Pfew, that's good to know.

2. As to Ori's comment: I have run that experiment, albeit over decades. Does anyone remember when Gourmet sent someone I can't remember who back in the 90s to trail someone I can't remember in Florence? Like pork and beans aritisal style? The upshot: I went out and bought an oven-proof bean pot from Le Creuset. FFS: Hours upon hours in the oven - to what end? Constantly checking if they're done? Then, I adapted to other low-temp oven and stove-top applications. The tipping point from hard to soft was never timeable. I know, we all want our beans soft (Sneakeater once sheeplishly admitted that he liked his pasta > al dente). But without careful attention, the beans turn to mush.

3. IP solves a lot of these problems. I'm using it now exclusively. Maybe the finished product is somewhat "lesser", but I'll take it over the labor toil associated with other preps.

[StephanieL]

I make beans in the "usual" method, including presoaking.  I can't tell the difference between the beans I make and the ones N makes.

Edited March 7 by StephanieL