Yep! I got a pack at Monsieur Marcels earlier this week! Yay!
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I can’t find any information about borlotto di Veneto (which properly should be “del veneto”). To me, “borlotti” is just Italian for cranberry beans. Maybe it’s an obscure regional cultivar and Rancho Gordo named it that.
Those are the conclusions I came to as well.
Whatever the case is, I like them much better than the rather boring regular borlotti (cranberry) beans.
I emailed them, the Borlotto di Veneto beans were Borlotti Lamon.
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Whatever they are, they were awfully good.
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Another POV on brining beans with salt and soda. I read the whole thing but not particularly critically. I’ll probably just give it a try at some point.
I appreciated the note about pressure cooking and wonder if you really can overbrine before pressure cooking. That hasn’t been my experience but I also like super soft beans (which he acknowledges as a preference).
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Kenji did a whole series of experiments that compared brined and unbrined beans back when he was with Series Eats. The clear outcome was that brining beans was a good idea. I’ve done it with some beans that havw tougher skin or need a long soaking time. I like the results brining beans. Do I do it every time I cook a pot of beans? No, but it is worth the trouble to do it.
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Yeah, the author references that work in this article. I also brine beans most of the time and it seems to really make a difference. I appreciate any updates, though, because I first starting brining beans from an America’s Test Kitchen article but they called for a gallon of water per pound of beans. Even as a food noob that seemed wasteful and years later they updated that you could do it with half so even basic stuff like this seems like it can be improved upon.
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Deleted post! Bean Club opened and sold out in 2 days!
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I tried it with my Frijol Negro Santanero. They’re a tiny bean and may not have needed it and I’m not sure if it is just a testament to this fantastic little bean. But! Like it said in the link you posted - they were incredibly delicious, firm, but still so creamy and after brining for just a couple hours they cooked in only an hour.
To soak beans you need only enough water that they won’t absorb it all.
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True, I skipped over the water part. I was referring to the salt/baking soda combo. Worked great.
I’m really behind in posting. But these are my latest RG favorite and definitely the best black bean I’ve ever had.
Get ‘em while you can, folks.
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Still had half of the Hidatsa Beans left!
And since Mardi Gras was inte air, I decided to make Red Beans and Rice. However as I went about pulling all the stuff from the freezer I needed to make it the day before, I discovered while I had tasso… I didn’t have the Andouille! I really couldn’t get out and get some before dinner that day (that is why I had decided to take advantage of the long day in to make this dish) so I went through some other things and thankfully I still had half a pack of these…
I LOVE these. Great flavor and small size. I can use just two for a dish and then easily stash the second pack for the rainy day (Like I did today!). So I set everything up using that ATK recipe I enjoyed last time and it came out great!
With the extra punch of the Chorizo… Better in some ways too! It has a lovely spicy hit without needing a lashing of hot sauce. We served it on top of some extra fluffy Carolina Gold Rice… I will pick up some proper andouille again… but won’t be afraid to try something like this again with a future pot of beans…
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That looks sooo good. That broth! Next time I have red beans like hidatsa I need to remember to make red beans & rice instead of always chili. 
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i made black bean using the same recipe as above. I don’t like the beans, but love the gravy. What can I do/make with the gravy?
Add water to gravy and use it to cook another type of bean. Since your recipe has pickled tomato (acid) I’d simmer the beans first in plain water (less than usual) and aromatics then add gravy for flavor after beans are a little soft.
I actually poured some on my grits this morning. wasn’t bad.
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You could always juice or blend it all and have a nice soup that way
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