Soaking before cooking

[honeylemon]

Lots of food can be cooked better when soaked for some time before cooking. This seems to reduce the cooking time considerable.
I usually soak beans (lima/red/black-eyed etc) overnight and rice for about an hour or 30 minutes for rice dishes. What are the things that you soak before cooking?

[sweetnsour]

I always soak long-grained rice before making fried rice for almost an hour.
I also soak chick peas and some lentils at times.
You are right it helps soften things and also reduces the cooking time.

[spicekit]

I usually don't soak anything because most of the things I cook don't need soaking. The only thing I guess would be small red onions in vinegar.

[Mama Mangia]

soaking can also include marinating as well - that infuses great flavor into meats, veggies, etc. - chicken soaked in buttermilk gives great flavor as well (for instance)

[medako]

I hadn't ever thought of chicken in buttermilk. That might be something different to give a try sometime soon.

[honeylemon]

I generally use unflavored yogurt for marinating chicken. Never tried buttermilk though. May be I should try it too. How long do you marinate it usually?

[sweetnsour]

Oh, if soaking also meant marinating then I soak a lot of things starting from chicken to fish and various other seafood. I usually marinate in the refrigerator.

[Mama Mangia]

Marinating meats should be done in the fridge - and soaking chicken in buttermilk can take a couple hours or as many as 8 (overnight). Overnight is nice - then just drain in a colander. dredge in seasoned flour if you like and fry! Makes the best chicken ever. Remember to cover and stir or turn during the soaking period.

[aeiou]

Mama do you have a recipe for fried chicken made from marinating chicken in buttermilk?

Back to the original question do I soak before cooking. The only item that I can think of that I soak before cooking would be red beans that I use when I make red beans and rice. Now if marinating is considered soaking I marinate beef, chicken and pork especially if I am grilling the meat. I try to allow at least a couple of hours for marinade to soak into the meat before cooking. If I really plan ahead I will marinade the meat the night before.

[Mama Mangia]

aeiou - I have posted buttermilk chicken recipes in the recipe forum - look under From Mama's Kitchen - there are at least 2 there that I know of.

The term soaking and the term marinating can mean the same thing to many people. For now - as long as something is setting in a liquid - I will refer to it as both - only because everyone has their own opinion of the terms.

Take a look at the chicken recipes - I have tons more if needed.