Photo of beans from this morning
 

I started the whole process this morning around 10:30 a.m. It is now 1:24 p.m. here.

I started with dry beans, put in water, brought a boil, let simmer for a little while, drained, rinsed, added back to pot of clean water. Simmered until about 12:30 p.m., added spices/salt/diced tomatoes.

They are basically done, but I wanted to add some carrots and onions.

I snapped a photo (not the best) so you can see the skins have popped, and I mashed one so you can see how soft they are. I love beans!

:D...and now you've made me hungry! i love love beans too. i don't cook mine on the stove top anymore. i put them on to soak overnight in crockpot, rinse in morning (unless they are black beans) and cook on hi til they start to soften then add meat (hubs has to have meat in everything) seasonings, beer, broth from roasts that i save & freeze, onions, garlic & canned tomatoes. i make enough for dinner, one quart to mil and, hopefully, enough for one more meal into freezer. perfect quick dinner on nights after we've spent the day in town for shopping etc.

I don't know why but I did not have the best of luck with crockpot beans. And I don't have a clue. Maybe if I let them soak overnight like you did. I know I let those beans cook for hours and hours and they got soft.

i became the family cook when my grmother & i moved in with my family. my daddy taught me to cook. he taught me about soaking beans, then putting them on to finish cooking slowly thru the day on the wood stove. i started using a crockpot after my grfather bought me one. i would soak the beans, rinse, then turn them on & go to work. i am a retired rn. worked anywhere from 8 to 16 hrs before heading home to my nice hot dinner. i set them at low since i never knew how long i would be gone. now i start them at high and turn them down to medium after they start to soften & i add the seasonings & other ingredients ..which have been warmed in microwave if necessary. adding salt to early prevents them from becoming soft. i've come along way from cooking beans on woodstove ..and they are always great! try the crockpot again ..there are crockpot recipes on web that may give you better, more in-depth info than i have here. one thing tho, one of my bean cook books said to not rinse black beans, so i no longer do. but all beans should be soaked with the lid off to allow gases to escape, and the rinsing helps a bit more with removing the gas producing enzymes that beans are famous for.

I love beans but they don't love me.

I will try again. He only eats one bowl but I can eat beans for a couple of days. I ended up adding chili powder, garlic, and my new smoked paprika spices. Yum yum! A bag of dried beans makes a lot of beans. So I usually make a small pot for us.

....well, I learned something new! The only beans I have ever "cooked" are split peas and lentils....and rarely, due to the gaseous results! Never "soaked" either kind before cooking.....will try that next time and it may open a few new Windows - and not to get fresh air in!

Lentils sound good too...

after a lifetime of bean love ...i guess i'm now 'acclimatized' :D great link ..thanks sibram!

[h=4]Acclimatization[/h]Most dieticians teach that the best way to reduce bean-related flatulence is to regularly eat small portions of beans. The stomach will slowly learn how to process the legumes, and over time, even vast quantities should not cause gas. Starting out with a big bowl of beans is likely to cause problems, even if they were soaked or exposed to baking soda.