Thanks grainlady. I am going to try that. I cook cannellini bean soup at least 2-3 times per month in the winter.

Hi Mike,

I hate when stuff like that happens but admire your perseverance with the second try.

In any event, I've never tried lima beans, but I recently made ATK's minestrone (great northern and navy beans) using their 1 hour brining/heating/soaking method that Grainlady cited in her link. The results were very good.

I hope your limas were just a fluke.

Cathy in SWPA

Don't understand how the "grainlady"s post got on this thread, but thanks for you comment Cathy. I've posted this question on another forum and a lot of folks are viewing it, but no one has commented yet. I may have to go to Cooks Illustrated with this one. I also have to check to see why I didn't get an email notification.

I think that's what they do. Just cook them, there shouldn't be anything wrong with them. I don't eat lima beans so I have never cooked them But I found some info.

Eileen

Here is a link that might be useful: Limas.

mikecox-

My post got on this thread because I put it here - it's as simple as that!

The information included in the ATK video gives you the answer why the beans shed and split. I assumed you wanted a method for preparation to prevent the problem and I gave you two - sprouting and brining. If you don't know anything about sprouting or brining before cooking beans, do your own research because you obviously don't want my input!!!

-Grainlady

mikecox - did you view the link Grainlady posted? It contains methods used to get the desired results with cannellini beans. I believe it would produce good results with other beans as well.

The video she linked is from America's Test Kitchen (ATK). You might not realize this but America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Illustrated are inextricably linked. If you subscribe to CI you should be receiving both CI and ATK emails.

So you can view the video that Grainlady linked or go on over to Cook's Illustrated. I believe the info you get will be the same at either place.

I see you are new here. Welcome to the CF!!! FYI - Grainlady is an instructor and a wealth of information.

Teresa

This post was edited by teresa_mn on Wed, Feb 13, 13 at 19:26

Apologies to "grainlady".

When I read the post I thought it was off topic; about sprouting beans, I confess I didn't follow it to it's conclusion. Again, I apologize.

I had read about brining, and how it works;and actually watched the video on CI; and yes I do know the connection with ATK. Sadly our local PBS station, here in San DIego, is no longer carrying it; which I don't understand.

Thanks to everyone here for helping with this question.

I am soaking lima beans again and this time I will proceed to cooking them; regardless of how much they shed or split.

I you have better results, Mike. If you get an opportunity, report back if things turn out better and what changes you made.

I'm actually going to brine some beans tonight for soup tomorrow because of this thread:)

Good luck.

Cathy in SWPA

PS Grainlady is probably one of the most knowledgeable posters on this forum. Like, sometimes I just go "wow", I never thought of that when I read her posts. She's probably one of the most gracious posters too:)

Thanks Cathy, I'll let you know.

The Lima beans didn't shed their skins or split nearly as much as the last two batches. I dug the last package of beans from the very back of the store shelf, so maybe this patch wasn't as old??? But they cooked up perfectly and I had them with supper last night.

"cooked up perfectly" Doesn't get much better than that, Mike, does it? Third times the charm!!!

I ended up using some kidney beans in my soup yesterday and some of them split -- I don't know why, but they were particularly off-putting. I can only imagine your limas:)

Thanks for the report.

Cathy in SWPA

I've cooked dry limas a couple of times. The skins always split; ether while they're soaking or during cooking. I remove them and the beans turn out fine. I actually prefer them that way. About an hour or two into soaking they get REAL ugly. Just keep soaking them.

Yesterday I soaked large lima beans for the first time with the same results as mikecox. That is how I ended up here, trying to learn why they split and shed their skins - quite quickly I might add. I have lots of experience with other types of beans but have never come across the splitting and shedding in such a dramatic way. I have now completely removed all of the skins (they look nice without their jackets, btw) and will cook them this morning. Will keep you all posted! (although the grainlady's video is very much appreciated by me it didn't specifically explain the lima bean phenomenon - next time I will try brining the limas and see)

That always happened when my mom and aunt soaked them. They cooked them anyway, it is just what happened (from our standpoint). I never knew any other way, and it didn't make a difference in taste.

replaced water, did a 10 minute boil of the lima beans and they went back into shape and were not shriveled on the edges anymore.

I have dried limas and will try to brine to avoid the tremendous shedding.

Has anyone tried rehydrating and then roasting them? My first attempt was pretty bad.

They are delicious when done right, and a nice alternative to nuts for various reasons.

We call lima beans butter beans in Texas. I've cooked tons of beans in my life and I don't soak them only pinto beans. But my wife loves cooking butter beans and she just experience the splitting and what I think it is that they are maybe older beans that have dried out before there shelf life. And she is cooking them in a crock pot then she will either cook ham hocks separate till the are done take out and cool pull meat out put into the beans. That keeps them from having a grease taste. Are just put ham chunks into them. Soft fried potatoes and cornbread and a ice cold glass of lemmon tea..

I don't soak limas either...in fact I very often don't soak any beans...I pour boiling water over...let them sit, dump off that water and proceed to cook.
Or just add them to a pot of bubbling stock.

I have cooked dry lima (large ones) for years and never had such a problem with splitting/shedding. Maybe a few during cooking, but not during the soaking. The last two times I soaked the beans, most of them split and shed. Have been wondering if it's because the beans are too old or something. I will try one of grainlady's methods. Thanks for the info.

Ok..So I did some research because my brand new dried Giant dried Lima beans shriveled up and split within 2 hours of soaking (NO BAKING SODA WAS USED).I have never had any dry beans do this prior.

HERE is the fix! 1st DON'T THROW THEM AWAY, there is nothing wrong with the beans.

I had my beans soaking in a bowl on the counter in cold water (same way I always do it). After reading that so many people had this issue I tried the recommendation of a farmer who grows beans...MY BEANS were rinsed out into a bigger bowl refilled with fresh cold water and put in the refrigerator. I went to bed with fingers crossed.

I woke up and beans were shedding tough skins (this is a good thing and totally normal) but the beans were no longer looking like dried mushrooms and split/shriveled..THEY LOOK NORMAL!! SO CONCLUSIONS: AS farmer suggested, the beans needed to 1st be in ALOT more water , I didn't have enough in first small bowl, and secondly they need to be in enough water IN FRIDGE for the overnight soak. IT WORKED, next batch will start out this way. The skins that she'd will ultimately just make your beans more tender because those skins are a bit tough Anyway. The beans are supposed to shed it's normal..Drain & Rinse your beans removing debris of skins etc and proceed with your recipe. My beans soaked up ALOT of water and there was not enough in initial small bowl I used..So it's not baking soda, or old beans, no need to throw them away.. PROBLEM SOLVED!! I would think this will work with any other type of dry beans you soak.

Good luck, let me know if it worked for you!!

After reading this I decided to brine my giant dried lima beans..I'm making a greek recipe with garlic and tomatoes and parsley..I'll let you know

Mine had always split before too. k

First of all, they're wrinkled until they're HYDRATED then the puff up. And you need large amount of water or stock. As far as shedding skin or breaking....It's the banging around of the beans. Whether I soak or don't soak, I boil for 10 minutes then simmer barely perceptible on super super low for the rest of the time. In large quantity of water/broth. It also helps to have a generous amount of fat in there but I don't use any. I get my beans fresh from Rancho Gordo - the best.

DH had surgery many years ago that left him with scar tissue in his throat that stuff catches in so I have to soak soak soak any kind of dried beans (except the smallest kinds) in lots of water and take all the outer layers off and rinse really well. Needless to say when I make something like bean soup I make the crockpot full so I can freeze a few meals' worth!

Thank you everyone! Boy do my butter beans look like frilled neck lizards! I’ll add more water and put in the fridge till tomorrow.. then peel them. Mine are frilly and split🤷‍♀️

Thanks from Hobart Tasmania.

What happened after you refrigerate it overnight?