Maybe you have dried beans in your pantry right now—and maybe it's for the first time. Whether you bought them as a just-in-case backup meal (purveyors are reporting record sales) or because you're transitioning towards more plant-based eating, it's time to learn to make your best pot of beans.

Sure, canned beans allow for a certain spontaneity and ease that makes them extremely lovable and useful, but cooking a pot from dried is a totally sensory, highly rewarding activity (way easier than nurturing a sourdough starter!) that’s worth devoting a couple of hours to: It’ll feed a gang easily, deliciously, and cheaply—and hey, we could all use the comfort of something warm and long-simmering and good-smelling right now.

The first step towards making the best pot of beans is just doing it—jump in! If you’re afraid, take a deep breath—these seven tips will guarantee success:

1. Make sure your beans are (relatively) fresh.

The magic number for bean freshness is about two years from being milled and packaged. Of course, there’s no surefire way of knowing exactly when your beans were packaged unless the packaging notes a date, but if you buy from a place that sees a good turnover (like the bulk bins of a busy grocery store), they’re probably okay.

Drying beans certainly extends their lifespan but it doesn’t promise immortality. Even dried beans can get too old to cook: Like many dried goods, the sooner you cook them, the more of their nutrients they’ll retain and the better their texture and flavor will be—and the faster they’ll actually cook.

Pour the amount of beans you want to cook into a colander and give them a once-over for little stones or other unwelcome additions. Rinse, transfer to a large pot or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, and proceed.

2. You’ll probably want to soak.

Soaking beans helps to ensure tenderness and reduce the cook time. I’d recommend soaking your beans all day or overnight (you’re aiming for 8-12 hours), covered, in cool water that covers them by 2 to 3 inches. Unless your kitchen is very warm or it’s the thick of summer, you can do this at room temperature. (Otherwise, it’s a good idea to soak in the fridge.)