Soak the beans in 6 cups of cold water and 1 tablespoon of salt for 4 hours to 24 hours (a longer soak makes the beans easier to digest). Drain the beans* and turn them into a medium pot with 6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring the beans to boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to low and cook, partially covered, until the beans are tender, 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size and age of beans. (Can be covered and refrigerated for several days or frozen for several months.)