# lentils in the crockpot -- hard as a rock



## Doc (Jun 5, 2003)

I followed a lentil stew recipe to the T. Cook for 7 hrs on low. Tried them after 7 hrs and they were hard as a rock. Turned to high and cooked for another 1.5 hrs and still hard. Everything else in the stew is cooked just right.

Any way to salvage the pot? The flavors are delicious.

Next time I know to cook everything on high for a couple of hours first, then to low. But I'm asking about this batch -- a way to cook them (bake?) or take it all to the barnyard?


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

It sounds like the lentils were not fresh. They likely wont ever cook through. 
I vote you feed it to the chickens.


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## Doc (Jun 5, 2003)

No, they were dried lentils. Rinsed and soaked, like any other dried legume.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Yes,I understand that they were dry. If they are more than a year old, they may not cook all the way through. We call them "bullet beans" and no matter how long you cook stale legumes, they never get done. 

There is just no way it takes 8 and a half hours to cook lentils. Maybe they sat on the shelf in the grocery store for too long?

Not. Your. Fault.


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## Doc (Jun 5, 2003)

Bullet beans - I love it! Perfect description.

Well, we have five inches of ice and snow on the ground so the critters will enjoy all the good things. Who knows, maybe someone will even tackle the lentils.


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## RVcook (Mar 29, 2008)

Agree with gone-a-milkin...the lentils were old...probably REALLY old!

RVcook


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## Doc (Jun 5, 2003)

follow up: no one at the barnyard is remotely interested in the lentils -- and the ground is covered in white stuff.


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## thebaker (Dec 2, 2009)

They are old..


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## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

Good lentils are a rather fast cooking bean...they cook in less than 1 hour on high in a crockpot. Those had to have been some pretty old beans.


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## Doc (Jun 5, 2003)

Those beans were bought at the local co-op, where you'd think the beans would be right on. I'll mention it to them.


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