Cooking Beans at Altitude (Denver, ~5,280 ft)

1. Lids on. The #1 lesson. Cooking uncovered runs the pot cooler and boils off water fast, so beans creep above the waterline and go crusty/leathery on top while staying hard. A lid holds heat, cuts evaporation, and keeps them submerged — dramatically faster. (Peek after covering: a lidded pot can jump to a hard boil — nudge the heat down.)
2. Gentle simmer, never a hard boil. Bare bubbles. A rolling boil tumbles beans and shreds skins (Christmas Limas split especially easily). Low and slow protects shape — important for salads.
3. Stay submerged. Keep 1–2 inches of liquid over the beans; top up with hot water (cold shocks them firm).
4. Salt late. Add salt in roughly the last 15–20 min, to taste (broth should taste like a light seasoned soup).
5. Expect a long window + test often. Even after a soak, a big bean can run well past a sea-level estimate. Start tasting early and pull each pot the moment it's creamy through, skins tender — not past. Off the heat they stop cooking and firm up slightly as they cool, so pulling right at tender is perfect.

A full 8-hr soak hydrates better than a quick-soak (2-min boil + 1-hr rest), and better-hydrated beans cook faster. At altitude the quick-soak stretches the simmer time further — plan for it, or do the long soak when you can.

A small pinch of baking soda (⅛–¼ tsp per pot) raises the pH and counteracts both the altitude and Denver's hard water — good for a pot that's stalled hard. But it weakens skins and can push toward mush fast, so:

• Skip it for salad beans if patience will do (protects shape).
• If used, test every 8–10 min after adding, and don't overdo it (too much = mushy, faintly soapy).

The starchy cooking liquid is worth keeping (silky, great for pilaf/soup). Dump only the initial soak water; keep the cooking liquid. Delicate pale broths (e.g., Christmas Lima) worth saving separate from dark hearty ones (Moro, Rio Zape).