Dear Beth: If the beans are too old you will have a hard time

cooking them. Here in Puerto Rico we try never to use salt on the beans during the softening process. We add the salt when they are already softened. But franckly, now I always soften them in my crockpot. I put them on water the previous night. Next morning I throw the soaking water & I add the beans with new water & the SOFRITO to my crockpot. I add no salt until the last hour of cooking. I cook them in high for abou 3 hours & the results are delicious!

Hope this will help. Another tip is that when you are in a hurry, by all means use already softened beans from GOYA. Just add the sofrito, an envelope of Saz n con Culantro & Achiote Goya & some ham or chopped sausages to them & about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water or broth. Then cook them in medium or medium low for 20 minutes. They are delicious & you should serve them over white rice or over yellow rice or as a delicious soup.