Great. I just finished my Bob Mills 13 Bean mix. I’ll do the Cassoulets first.
Posters seem the most excited about the cassoulet beans. So I guess I’ll make those first. Thanks for the recipe @robert. The picture of the hoof scared me at first, but I think I can handle a ham bone. I’ll post the dish on another thread, because I don’t think it will be a Mexican dish 
.
I like that recipe . It’s kind of like mine . I use a little more fresh bay , and a little more carrot . I do use bottled water . My beans have been coming out better . I would not bother soaking them . You want to add the ham hock in the beginning so it will cook until tender . 2-21/2 hrs , depends . Sometimes I even add the bone back into the beans . I would not add any salt until finished cooking . Some ham pieces are more salty than other . You can add salt at the end if needed .
Perhaps this has already been discussed and I missed it. What’s with the bottled water please?
Has to do with the softness or hardness of your water . For a couple bucks it’s a no brainer .
So what does the hardness/softness have to do with it? Also, for environmental reasons, I avoid bottled water - in plastic anyway.
Nothing wrong with that .
"So what does the hardness/softness have to do with it? "
My beans turn out better because of the water . I am not a scientist or going to argue with you . I learned this from someone who has been making beans for over fifty years . That was his secret .
1 Like
Sorry. I’m not arguing. What is the difference is all I’m asking?
Tweaks noted. Thanks.
http://www.hi-tm.com/Documents/Chem-h2o.html
Cooking Fruits and Vegetables in Hard Water
When fruits and vegetables are heated (cooked) in water, the amount of calcium ions in the water will influence the textural properties of the products. For example, calcium ions may form insoluble salts (calcium pectates) that are beneficial for maintaining firmness in cooked fruits and vegetables. However, if there is an excessive amount of calcium ions in the water, the fruits and vegetables may become excessively tough, and dried beans and dried peas will be difficult to rehydrate when cooked.
Hard vs. soft water was what got Heston Blumenthal interested in molecular gastronomy.
Baking soda or salt are cheaper and maybe more effective than using bottled water.
“… the fastest, most efficient route to soft beans is baking soda, which raises the pH of the cooking liquid, helping the chickpeas break down and tenderize more easily.”
“Long story short: For the best, creamiest, most flavorful beans, season your bean-soaking water with one tablespoon of kosher salt per quart (about 15 grams per liter), rinse the beans with fresh water before cooking, then add a pinch of salt to the cooking water as well.”
“In recent testing, we’ve found that soaking dried beans in mineral-rich; hard tap water can toughen their skins. … three tablespoons of salt per gallon of soaking water is enough to guarantee soft skins.”