Refried Beans Without the Refry

Here is the original recipe from allrecipes.com  Refried Beans Without the Refry  the recipe below is changed for according to my preferences.

1 onion, peeled and quartered
3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
6 garlic cloves
3 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin, optional
9 cups water

Place the onion, rinsed beans, jalapeno, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin into a slow cooker. Pour in the water and stir to combine. Cook on high for 8 hours, adding more water as needed. Note: if more than 1 cup of water has evaporated during cooking, then the temperature is too high.  Mash the beans with a potato masher.