Canning dried beans is like canning convenience food for our family. Instead of reaching for that can of beans we reach for a jar instead. Dried beans are a welcome addition to taco soups, chili and refried beans. A slow winters day is the perfect time to put some in jars for just such occasions when they are needed. Many times I stock up on bagged dried beans when they are on sale and even grow my own for just this purpose.
For those new to canning you can follow along with these instructions on page 66 of the Ball Blue Book under Dried Beans.
First make sure that your jars are washed and then put in a large pot/ dishpan of boiling water to sterilize.
Then take your dried beans and go through them to make sure there are no rocks or trash of any kind in them. Then wash several times to clean well. Place them in a large pot and fill water to at least 2 inches over beans, put on stove and bring to boil. Boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let them soak for 1 hour.
Drain
Add beans back to pot and again add water 2 inches over beans. Bring to boil and boil for 30 minutes.
Drain again.
Now put pressure cooker on stove and put 2 inches of water in bottom. Turn on medium heat and warm water. (no lid) Put another large pot of water on to boil also to pour over the beans as a packing liquid.
On a back burner put a small sauce pan of water on low and add your lids to warm. (do not boil)
Place beans in hot sterile jars adding 1/2 teaspoon canning salt to each pint jar.
pour boiling water over beans to 1" from rim.
remove air bubbles
Wipe rims off with coffee filter to remove any food or residue
place hot lids on hot jars
put on rings and tighten
Place hot jars in canner
Canner ready for lid to go on
Now put lid on pressure cooker turn heat to medium high and warm pot until a steady stream of smoke comes out of vent pipe on right side. Notice 0 pounds pressure and safety valve on front is in down position.
Now place pressure regulator on vent pipe. Notice front safety valve is now in up position and steam is building on gauge. Reading 2 pounds pressure.
Gauge is now reading 10 pounds pressure and beans need to be cooked at this pressure for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Watch very closely !! After your time has passed turn burner off and walk away. Allow pressure to go to 0 on the gauge.
Your lid will again look like this with your gauge at zero and the small pressure safety valve in front in the down position. Only then will you remove your small round pressure regulator. Unlock and remove lid. Carefully open away from face and allow steam to escape.
Remove jars from canner and place on folded towel to protect counter from hot jars. As jars cool the lids will sink in and make a pinging noise to signal that the jar is sealed. Allow to sit overnight and cool.
Remove rings and wash with warm soapy water to clean. Dry thoroughly and label with contents and date it was canned.
Store in cool and dark place until ready to use
Blessings from The Holler
The Canned Quilter
Thank you so much for sharing this knowledge with us, CQ. You know I am always grateful for everything you share. Much appreciated!
ReplyDeleteI hope you all have a blessed Thursday. ♥
This year I bought organic dried beans and canned them :O). As you say they are so convenient! The cost of organic canned beans is so high. Whether organic or not its much less expensive and much healthier to can our own :O).It amazes me at what they can put in a can of beans :O(.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I revere and respect the Ball Blue canning book - it truly is my Bible in the autumn, I have to say that the way a friend taught me to do beans is way easier, faster, and they come out wonderful. Place 2/3 C dry beans & 1/2 tsp salt in each pint jar. Fill each jar with boiling water and take out air bubbles. Pressure can @ 15 pounds pressure for 60 minutes. That's it! If you want to do quarts you use 1 1/4 C beans and 1 tsp salt. Try it... you'll never go back to the Ball book for beans :-) Like I said I trust the Ball book exclusively for many things but I also tend to trust tried and true, seasoned canner's opinions too LOL If they've been canning for years, as you and I have been, then I trust them LOL Just don't tell the USDA LOL
ReplyDeleteThank you, and thank Google! Years ago I lived on a farm in Arkansas and I learned to can dry beans by putting them directly into the jar with the boiling water and pressuring them. It worked great. But, my life changed, I didn't can anything for years, and I lost the instructions, which I had originally gotten from Mother Earth News. I couldn't find directions on their website so I set out to find them online and bingo! This is the first site I opened. I was a little discouraged by the lengthy instructions above, but I decided to see what others had commented, and there were the instructions I was looking for!
DeleteI can beans straight from dry, as well. I only use 1/2 cup beans per pint, 1 cup per quart, though. I started out using the 2/3 cup measure but found that it didn't leave the beans fully submerged after canning. I like a little juice when I use the beans, so I've found 1/2 cup works better *for me*....Also, you CAN leave the salt out--hubby has high blood pressure, so I leave out the salt in all my canning & add later. Wonderful tutorial & great pictures!!! I've not been here before, I believe I may become hooked!! :)
DeleteI also dry can beans and have never had any problem with them. I have been doing it that way for over 30 years. I also got my instructions from Mother Earth News. I dry and raw can a lot of different foods, just pay attention to the pressure and cooking time and you will be fine. It takes more time to can raw foods and the pressure must remain constant but the extra time and attention is worth the work saved by doing it this way.
DeleteAbbeyLehman mentioned that she had some jars of beans that were not 'fully submerged' after canning. Can anyone tell me if those beans are safe to eat or if I need to throw them out. The seals are perfect and they look great otherwise.
DeleteHow long for quarts on the above?? Doesnt tell how long to process. Lisa
DeleteWow, I just got the chance to catch up with your last three posts. You have taught me so much! I've never tried to do any canning, but I'm really getting the urge. I'm still intimidated by it, but I really want to thank you.
ReplyDeleteI would just like to add my thanks to you for sharing all of this. With the world going....who knows where...we would all be better off if we learned the "old" way of doing things. Our food should come from our land and pantry, not food "mills" and grocery stores. Thank you for teaching me and I can't wait to see what is next!
ReplyDeleteI have never tried to do dried beans, but will have to give this a try! Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI love this!
ReplyDeleteWhat is the diferance between canning salt and ordinary table salt?
ReplyDeleteFound your blog yesterday via a google search on canning dried beans...I have to say I am hooked and I am now happily following along.
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful resource! Thanks so much, I really want to get away from canned goods and beans are one of the convenience foods that I do still buy but always feel a bit guilty about. I already do some preserving with a hot water canner, now tu buy a pressure canner! :)
ReplyDeleteI did canned black beans last year using real cans at a local cannery. We loved having the canned beans at such a deep discount.
ReplyDeleteOut of curiosity, why did you emphasize removing the rings?
Rings left on have trapped moisture beneath from the canner. In a very short time they rust and you will be unable to remove them easily....
DeleteI'm wanting to grow my own beans and I seen where you said you also grew your own. What kind of dry beans did you plant and where did you get your seed?
ReplyDeleteMost of my beans now are saved seeds from my own stash. There are Dragon Tongue which is an open pollinated horticulture bean, southern field peas which are also open pollinated and double as a green manure crop to improve soil and a dried red bean. Also have Lina Cisco's Bird Egg and Apple Creek Annie which are all dried beans. Most of the original seeds came from Seed Savers Exchange. They have an excellent collection of open pollinated bean seeds that can be saved from year to year. In a pinch though I have even planted dried beans from the grocery store with success.
Deleteremember to always boil your beans 10 minutes before eating. and meat, and green beans and other low acid foods. we don't want anyone getting botulism.
ReplyDeleteHi I am from Australia and have a Vacola Bottleing system,can trese be done in my Vacola/ Thank You. Joy
ReplyDeleteI have that same canner. I purchased a 3 piece weight for mine and it makes it stay at the pressure I need. No having to stay with it until it's done. I love it so much when someone gave me another canner like I had I ordered me another 3 piece weight for it as well. LOVE the thing!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.gopresto.com/products/products.php?stock=50332 (3 piece weight) You can see the order number here and you may be able to find it cheaper somewhere else.
This link tells more about the weight and you can search on here and find more info on it as well. http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1931647/linda-lou-where-to-buy-15lb-presto-weight-set?n=10
Can you tell me how to use your recipes in an electric pressure cooker.
ReplyDeleteCan you tell me how to use your recipes in an electric pressure cooker.
ReplyDelete