People keep soaking dry beans for 2 days and wondering why they turn to mush

Rowan Wells · 2026-09-29T08:50:02.940545+00:00

I see this constantly in budget cooking threads, someone buys a $1.50 bag of pinto beans, soaks them for 24 to 48 hours because a blog said longer is better, then posts about how the beans came out mushy and bland. Here is the thing nobody explains: after about 8 hours the skins start breaking down and the beans take on way too much water, so they fall apart no matter how gentle you cook them. I stopped soaking overnight years ago and now I do a quick soak, boil for 2 minutes, kill the heat, lid on, 1 hour, done. My beans hold their shape every time and I am out maybe 70 cents a pot. Last Tuesday I made a big batch with onion, cumin, and a spoon of bacon grease and it fed us for 4 dinners. If you have been fighting mushy beans, how long are you soaking and what kind of bean?

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People keep soaking dry beans for 2 days and wondering why they turn to mush | Cheap Eats Showdown - Guest Forum