Learning how to can beans is a great way to ensure that your bean season never comes to a close. While some favor freezing beans for quickness and simplicity, canning beans gives your beans the longest shelf life, as well as freshest flavor. And with this helpful excerpt from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Complete Guide to Home Canning, you’ll learn not only how to can green beans, but also baked beans, lima beans and many more varieties. So what are you waiting for? Break out that pressure canner and get canning!
The following is an excerpt from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning on how to can all types of beans and shelled or dried peas.
Beans or Peas — Shelled, Dried
All Varieties
Quantity: An average of 5 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 3-1/4 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints — an average of 3/4 pound per quart
Quality: Select mature, dry seeds. Sort out and discard discolored seeds.
Procedure: Place dried beans or peas in a large pot and cover with water. Soak 12 to 18 hours in a cool place. Drain water. To quickly hydrate beans, you may cover sorted and washed beans with boiling water in a saucepan. Boil 2 minutes, remove from heat, soak 1 hour and drain. Cover beans soaked by either method with fresh water and boil 30 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt per pint or 1 teaspoon per quart to the jar, if desired. Fill hot jars with beans or peas and cooking water, leaving 1-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel. Adjust lids and process. Recommended process times for all the bean and pea varieties mentioned can be found in the Image Gallery.
Beans, Baked
Procedure: Soak and boil beans and prepare molasses sauce according to directions for beans with sauce found below. Place seven 3/4-inch pieces of pork, ham, or bacon in an earthenware crock, a large casserole, or a pan. Add beans and enough molasses sauce to cover beans. Cover and bake 4 to 5 hours at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add water as needed-about every hour. Fill hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel. Adjust lids and process as for beans with sauce. The process times for beans with tomato or molasses sauce are listed in the Image Gallery.
Beans, Dry, With Tomato Or Molasses Sauce
Quantity: An average of 5 pounds of beans is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 3-1/4 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints — an average of 3/4 pound per quart.
Quality: Select mature, dry seeds. Sort out and discard discolored seeds.
Procedure: Sort and wash dry beans. Add 3 cups of water for each cup of dried beans or peas. Boil 2 minutes, remove from heat and soak 1 hour and drain. Heat to boiling in fresh water, and save liquid for making sauce. Make your choice of the following sauces:
Tomato Sauce–Either mix 1 quart tomato juice, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 tablespoon chopped onion, and 1/4 teaspoon each of ground cloves, allspice, mace, and cayenne pepper; or, mix 1 cup tomato ketchup with 3 cups of cooking liquid from beans. Heat to boiling.
Molasses Sauce — Mix 4 cups water or cooking liquid from beans, 3 tablespoons dark molasses, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoon powered dry mustard. Heat to boiling.
Fill hot jars three-fourths full with hot beans. Add a 3/4-inch cube of pork, ham, or bacon to each jar, if desired. Fill jars with heated sauce, leaving 1-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel. Adjust lids and process, following the recommended times listed in the Image Gallery.
Beans, Fresh Lima — Shelled
Quantity: An average of 28 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 18 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 32 pounds and yields 6 to 10 quarts–an average of 4 pounds per quart.
Quality: Select well-filled pods with green seeds. Discard insect-damaged and diseased seeds.
Procedure: Shell beans and wash thoroughly.
Hot pack — Cover beans with boiling water and heat to boil. Fill hot jars loosely, leaving 1-inch headspace.
Raw pack — Fill hot jars with raw beans. Do not press or shake down.
Small beans — Leave 1-inch of headspace for pints and 1-1/2 inches for quarts.
Large beans — Leave 1-inch of headspace for pints and 1-1/4 inches for quarts.
Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jar, if desired. Add boiling water, leaving the same headspaces listed above. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel. Adjust lids and process.
Beans, Snap and Italian — Pieces
Green and wax
Quantity: An average of 14 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 9 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 30 pounds and yields 12 to 20 quarts–an average of 2 pounds per quart.
Quality: Select filled but tender, crisp pods. Remove and discard diseased and rusty pods.
Procedure: Wash beans and trim ends. Leave whole or cut or snap into 1-inch pieces.
Hot pack — Cover with boiling water; boil 5 minutes. Fill hot jars, loosely leaving 1-inch headspace.
Raw pack — Fill hot jars tightly with raw beans, leaving 1-inch headspace.
Add 1 teaspoon of canning salt per quart to the jar, if desired. Add boiling water, leaving
1-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel. Adjust lids and process.