First things first, rinse and sort through the dried beans and discard any small rocks or debris. Whether or not you want to soak the beans is up to you and your beliefs. The old myth states that dried beans must be soaked before cooking in order to soften them for faster cooking. Epicurious does a great job of debunking that myth in this article. The general consensus is that they don't need a super long soak. About an hour will do. Next, add the beans to a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and let them simmer until they're tender. Depending on the beans and whether or not you pre-soaked them, this may take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours. It took about two and a half hours for us. Towards the end of the cooking time, throw in a large pinch of salt to add extra flavor. Don't worry if you think you added too much - you'll be draining them anyways, which will discard of most of the salty liquid.