Basic Bean Preparation

Rinse beans thoroughly.
Soak beans in three times their volume of cold water for a minimum of four hours.
After soaking drain water. Add fresh water, roughly double the volume of beans.
Bring water to a simmer and cook beans uncovered until tender approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Season with salt in the final stages of cooking.
Cool beans in cooking liquid or drain reserve.
1 cup dried beans yields 2 1/4 cups cooked.

Taken from label of Gourmet Bean Blend container