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Dried beans can seem daunting to prepare if you are unsure of the correct method. You might believe that hard pintos or chickpeas can be thrown into a pot and left to boil, but the truth is that creating a perfectly cooked bean is much more intricate. Buying the freshest legumes you can, soaking them for the right amount of time, and correctly seasoning them are all crucial steps. But it’s also important to understand which ingredients can be added during cooking and which should be left out. Despite the myriad ways to flavour these starchy and subtly tasting seeds, it’s best to avoid wine or any other acidic ingredients. Whether it’s red, white, or rosé, wine is a liquid you should never use to simmer beans.

Surprisingly, despite their tough exterior, beans are quite delicate. Legumes react to changes in pH levels – in an alkaline environment, their cell walls start to break down quickly. But in acidic conditions the opposite occurs as acid prevents pectin in the skins from dissolving and causes them to tighten, inhibiting water absorption. Consequently, you should avoid boiling or braising beans in a highly acidic solution such as wine.

Now, it might sound like a contradiction, but beans and acidic ingredients can be used together—they just need to meet at the right time. Rather than worrying about dried legumes that aren’t cooking—and thus softening—quickly enough, try adding wine towards the end of the cooking process. Once the bean skins have softened and the insides have turned creamy, you can add a splash of wine to your recipe without negatively affecting taste or cooking time. Alternatively, you can cook an acidic, wine-heavy sauce separately from the legumes and combine them just before serving.

Another thing to bear in mind is that when it comes to canned beans, none of these rules apply. Since cans of cannellinis, lentils, and the like will already be cooked, wine can be incorporated at any time during the dish making process. Naturally, it’s worth remembering that it will take some time for the alcohol to reduce.

If you aren’t totally convinced about cooking beans with wine, but want to impart depth, look to other flavorful cooking liquids. Water that’s been liberally seasoned with salt is a good place to start, however, you can easily do better. Add vegetable scraps, herbs, chili flakes, lardons, or a cheese rind to create a rich broth. Likewise, a ready-made stock (vegetable, seafood, beef, or poultry) will infuse all sorts of earthy, savory, and vegetal flavors into beans. That said, a touch of wine can still help round out flavors — just saying!

Read the original article on Tasting Table.