Rinse and sort through the dried beans for any funky looking beans or bean halves. Remove funky beans.
Add beans and water to a medium stockpot. Soak the cup of beans in the four cups of water overnight.
Add the salt, bay leaf, and garlic to the pot. Cover with lid and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling reduce heat and bring water to a simmer.
Simmer beans for 1 - 1 and a half hours until tender.
Let cool and then transfer to a container with a lid. Freeze for up to two weeks or refrigerate for up to 7 days.