why don't my crockpot beans ever turn out right?

[anomaly13]

They either break up and don't look nice or look nice, like canned, but aren't completely cooked. I used to cook them on the stove and would pay attention to them while they cooked and they'd come out pretty perfect, but with 3 little ones I switched to the crock pot to save time but have not been as successful.

Any tips?
What's your method?

We pretty much only eat pintos, black beans, chick peas, and occasionally a white bean used to make veggie sausages.

[mamadelbosque]

I make beans in the crockpot all the time... I just rinse, dump them in, cover with water and walk away. I don't soak or anything Mine always come out fine... if I want whole-ish beans (like canned) I try to tiem them for 6-8 hours before dinner... much more than that they start to fall apart (which for some stuff, like bean dip, is just peachy fine

[EFmom]

I don't know what to tell you. Maybe if you pay a little more attention to the timing you'll catch them at the right stage. They can vary a great deal in cooking time depending on how old they are.

I do as the pp--rinse, cover with water and let them go, and they come out fine.

[ikesmom]

I just rinse them in a colander and then pick out the ugly beans. I like to add a little fat ( ham bone, bacon, ect) I use the high setting for the first two hours and then turn it to low heat. I add my spices and sliced onion when I switch it to low. Sometimes if I overcook them I will have split or broken beans , but I don't mind as long as they taste good.

I have cooked them on the stove to the point of semi soft or just not hard and then transfered them to the crock on low heat to finish the cooking. I do this when I am in a hurry.

I have also bought the giant can of bush pinto beans and added all my spices and simmered on low. I do this when I find out we are going to have a crowd at the last minute.

[anomaly13]

I guess I'm cooking them too long, I have been doing 5-6 hours on low followed by 4-5 hours on high. I will try a few hours on high first followed by low, maybe on a day when I will be home all day and can set a timer for every hour to catch them when they a "perfect".

[mamadelbosque]

Yeah, that sounds a bit much. If I'm looking for perfect beans ~ 5-6pm I either start them on HIGH ~11-12 and leave'm till 4-5 and then check and re-asses whether to turn them down or not, or start ~8-9am and just leave'm on low all day.

Good luck!!

[Mpenny1001]

I put mine on high and start checking at 5 hours. I don't think I've ever had to go more than 6 hours on high.

If I do them on low, I start checking at 8 hours.