[GovernmentShrinker]

I’m thinking it must have more to do with the insides of the bean, than the skin. Boiling does a job on the skin pretty quickly, but what takes a long time is getting the beans cooked all the way to the center, and this seems to be where baking soda makes a huge difference. Whatever it’s doing, I think it’s doing it long before the beans are put to boil.

[CottonBall]

Whatever it’s doing, I think it’s doing it long before the beans are put to boil.

The pintos I did were pretty soft after just soaking a few hours. Not eating soft, but like they had soaked overnight.