or vinegar. allow beans to soak for 12 to 24 hours.
drain and rinse beans and return to crock. cover with water plus a couple of inches. cover and cook on low for 6-10 hours (this depends on the bean you are cooking) or until the beans are cooked through and tender (not mushy). drain beans and allow to cool.
to freeze: after the beans cool, i package the beans into 3 cup amounts in freezer bags. 3 cups will equal the same amount as 2 cans of beans, which is how many i usually use in my cooking. remove as much air as possible from the bags, label the bag and 