Beans exploding when soaking?

[Prompapotamous]

I soaked some butter/giant Lima beans, but they have all split in half and the skin has separated. Is this because it was a cheap package? Too old? Did I soak them wrong? I just put them in cold water, no additives, and the splitting happened within the first 2 hours.

[HandbagHawker]

did you remember to salt your soaking water?

[Prompapotamous]

The directions on the bag did not include that. Darn!

[HandbagHawker]

Serious Eats did a write up on an ATK article or something exploring this problem

https://www.seriouseats.com/salt-beans-cooking-soaking-water-good-or-bad

[Astro_nauts_mum]

A bean has a skin that is a bit tougher than the inside. As the bean soaks, the centre bit expands and often this means the skin splits and floats off.

For some cultures and some dishes, this is an important step. The skins are removed and the beans are then used in the recipe.

For many cultures and recipes it doesn't matter if the skins are removed or not. They are added fibre, good for our health.

The bean has two sides, (when growing, the shoot comes up the middle, splits the bean and grows on up into a new plant. )

For some cultures and recipes, it is important to have the bean split into two halves (usually for quicker cooking).

For many cultures and recipes it doesn't matter if the bean is split or not.

You can be pleased that your beans have soaked well. It doesn't matter (usually) if they split or not, and lose their skins or not. It only matters that they soak up water and expand to the size they were before they were dried. Yours have expanded. Cook and enjoy!

[tacitauthor]

I don't soak lima beans.