Check the dried beans for small rocks or debris. If desired, soak your beans (read about soaking below). Place drained and rinsed beans in your slow cooker or a pot on the stove with enough water or broth to cover the beans by 2 inches. Add one teaspoon salt for each pound of beans.
Once you learn How to Cook Dried Beans in the Slow Cooker or Instant Pot you might never go back to buying canned beans again. Slow Cooker or Instant Pot beans are not only much less expensive, but cooked-from-scratch dried beans are so much tastier than the ones that come in a can.
We have a 6 quart programmable Crock Pot slow cooker and it took a little about 7 hours for the baked beans to be perfectly cooked! Homemade baked beans made right in the slow cooker and ready to be served! And if you happen to have any leftovers, baked beans freeze very well! A great way to have a pre-made side dish whenever you need one!
(Red kidney beans are the exception here. To make them more digestible, always soak first and then boil for 20 minutes before preparing in the slow cooker.) Rinse beans in a colander under cool, running water and remove any that look shriveled or discolored. Place them in the slow cooker with enough water to cover the beans plus two inches.