There’s a history behind those overcooked beans. People used to dry them to keep over the winter. They used a needle and thread and made long strings of them to hang in the rafters to dry. They were called leather britches. In winter, in order to cook them and get them to rehydrate and soften, they had to be boiled for a long time. I think people got used to eating them that way, and cook fresh ones the same. 😊