I usually soak overnight. I don’t think I’ve ever oversoaked.
Salt does slow the softening of dried beans, but adding it early also gets salt into the bean interior, while adding late leaves most of the salt on or near the surface. If you’re thinking ahead early enough to presoak the beans, salt in the presoaking water actually speeds the cooking, in addition to salting the beans evenly.
How long dried beans take to cook depends on how fresh they are and various other things. Chickpeas can definitely need a lot more than 30 minutes. Old beans sometimes never get soft.
Kenji did some testing on these questions. I don’t always take what he says as gospel but do prefer pre salting beans. I also tend to put the dutch oven/cooking vessel in the oven for more even cooking.
Soaking beans with salt (tbls) & baking soda (tsp) for a few hours isn’t for flavor it’s to help speed up the cooking process and some say it helps retain nutrients. I rinse them really well after and add fresh water for cooking and they’re not salty at all. But you definitely don’t have to soak beans in salted water. Just soak them longer (overnight, except alubia blancas). Don’t worry when you see soaking beans wrinkle - they’ll plump when cooking. And yes check them every 30 minutes until you’re more familiar with the type of bean. After the first 5 minutes of boiling turn them down to a simmer and don’t let them boil.
I know some think it’s a myth that cooking beans in salted water toughens the skins and slows cooking. They’re probably right, but I’ve always waited to add salt until they’re soft and almost done. If it ain’t broke…
Not to discount the great advice given here so far.
The folks that I work with always make some great beans for lunch and I asked them how they do it. They just throw the beans in a pot with some onions and garlic, bring to boil, then simmer until done. Usually ready in an hour or two.
I think if you’re looking the reach full bean potential, then the preperation steps are awesome and you get an awesome product, but if you forgot to soak, or just don’t want to do the extra steps, you can get those beans on the table without too much prep.
Just a suggestion to get more folks making beans.
They usually make pinto and black beans, so I know it works well for those two types.
I forgot that Your Black Muslim Bakery used to sell bean pie. Sweet, not savory. It was so similar to sweet potato pie that I forgot it was made from beans.
Are those Moro beans? They’re a long cooking bean. A few hours is 3-5 but for these I’d soak as long as possible and don’t rush them when cooking. The longer-slower the better.
I read this on RGs site and want to try it. “At the end of the growing season, the local women plant the Moro beans and harvest them as young greens and sauté them in butter. A rarity in Mexico, just like the Moro bean itself.”
Made chili the beans take a while to cook for sure. They were still a bit al dente after 3hrs of cooking and over 6 hours of soaking but they tasted pretty good with a good texture and chew!
French Lentils spiced w/Cumin, Coriander, Turmeric on TJ’s Paratha w/Ghee, topped w/Poached Egg, Cayenne, Flaky Salt & Cilantro. Simmer the lentils, turn your back too long and they can overcook. These were done in about 15 minutes.
Used cassoulet beans just soaked em for one hour and put them in a pressure cooker with ribs, tons of garlic onions, and lap cheong (didn’t have any euro sausage) and dried mushroom. Put some okra in at the end.
Finished them in the oven on 500 to get a little dry on the top. Tasted great with some hot sauce and shaved pecorino Romano.
Ayocote blanco pork rib chili. The rancho Gordon beans are meaty with great texture. I soaked these for 3 hours and put them in the pressure cooker and it still took 1:40 on high pressure to get the right consistency.
Didn’t have ground meat so I subbed in short cut pork spare ribs.
