REHEAT AND EAT: MAKE-AHEAD STEWS AND BRAISES

ADD BAKING SODA FOR TENDER BEANS

Tender, evenly cooked beans are an essential part of a good chili—but a time-consuming one. We found that adding baking soda to the water helped to break down the cell structure of the beans, giving us tender beans in much less time. We added the tomatoes on the second day to keep their acidity from counteracting the baking soda.