While it's not difficult to use dried beans from their natural state, I find that I don't tend to remember that I need to soak/pre-cook the beans until it's too late to use them for dinner. The convenience of being able to reach in the pantry and open up a jar of beans that I've home-canned (without added preservatives) is worth the extra time and work. If desired, you can also make these beans salt-free; you can also add onions or jalapenos to the jar if desired, amounts will vary according to taste. Yield is only for one jar; your actual yield will depend on how many jars you can. Time is approximate and does not include soaking time for beans. This recipe comes from the Ball Blue Book.