# dried peas won't cook--any ideas?



## Mrs. Weasly

Hi all,

After two separate batches of pea soup have turned out "crunchy"--even after soaking overnight and cooking all day and then some in a crockpot, peas still aren't done. I suspect the peas (which I bought in bulk, of course) are old. I still have 1 gallon jar full of the peas and I hate to throw them out, but family is getting tired of crunchy pea soup. 

Are there any tricks I might try to salvage these old peas for future meals, or are they headed for the compost heap?

Thanks,
MW


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## LonelyNorthwind

Try canning them. When I have old beans that won't soften that's what I do, don't know why it wouldn't work for old peas too. Or make your pea soup in the pressure cooker?


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## suitcase_sally

Do not make pea soup in a pressure cooker. Read your manual. It says to not do this.


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## WstTxLady

Put them in a food processor & chop them, then use as an additive to soups. Might work.


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## motdaugrnds

You could freeze them because freezing would break them down some. Then slow cook.


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## Cyngbaeld

Soak overnight, pour off the water and can them. Fill each qt jar 1/3 full of soaked peas, add 1/2 -1 tsp salt and water, leaving 1/2 inch headroom. Process at 10# for 75 min. When you are ready for soup it should take just a few minutes to have it on the table. They will not be crunchy.


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## GardenNut

I've noticed that our pea soup is crunchy if I don't use enough liquid during cooking.


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## motdaugrnds

Wow even in a pressure cooker, it takes a lengthy time. What on earth did they do to our garden peas? (I don't ever remember it taking so long to make a nice smooth-eating soup out of them.)


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## just_sawing

If you are at a high altitude you can add a few common nails and the iron will make them cook


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## Mrs. Weasly

Thanks everyone, great ideas. 

MW


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## suitcase_sally

Cyngbaeld said:


> Soak overnight, pour off the water and can them. Fill each qt jar 1/3 full of soaked peas, add 1/2 -1 tsp salt and water, leaving *1/2 inch headroom*. Process at 10# for 75 min. When you are ready for soup it should take just a few minutes to have it on the table. They will not be crunchy.


Make that 1" headroom.


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## thebaker

http://www.ellenskitchen.com/recipebox/beanpeas.html :grin:

http://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--1141/all-about-peas.asp


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## suitcase_sally

I made baked beans in a crockpot once and the beans were crunchy. This has never happened when the beans were baked in the oven, so I think it's a crockpot thing.


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## Scavenger

I don't know if this will work for peas, but it works for pinto beans. Put in pot of water and bring to a boil, remove from heat and let stand for a couple of hours. Drain water, put in fresh water and seasonings and cook slowly. I have found that this works for me.


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## pkchicken

I had the 'crunchy split pea" soup too!
Mine were old split peas.

Next time I soaked the old ones in the fridge for a day and cooked them on the woodstove all day. They came out firm be edible.
Next time I'll cook them longer.

pk


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## cmcon=7

I suspect your water is acidic, add a tsp of baking soda before cooking.


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## suitcase_sally

Since this thread was originally posted, I have cooked dried beans several times. One thing I noticed: beans don't cook well on "simmer" (true simmer = a bubble every 30-45 seconds). They need to cook on a medium to medium-low heat so they are bubbling away.


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## Horseyrider

I marvel at this thread, and wonder why in almost forty years of cooking I've never had crunchy beans or peas.


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## cmcon=7

http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/egg/egg0198/saltacid.html#axzz1EIcGualk


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