How to Can Beans (and Peas), the USDA Way

By The United States Department Of Agriculture
Published on August 18, 2011
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The end of bean season doesn't have to be such a bummer. With a little help from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, learn to can beans and you'll extend the lifetimes of all your favorite legumes!
The end of bean season doesn't have to be such a bummer. With a little help from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, learn to can beans and you'll extend the lifetimes of all your favorite legumes!
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If you want to can some yummy baked beans, you'll need to use a molasses sauce.  Follow the process times recommended above, for molasses sauce, and tomato sauce, which is good for preserving unbaked, dry and savory beans.
If you want to can some yummy baked beans, you'll need to use a molasses sauce.  Follow the process times recommended above, for molasses sauce, and tomato sauce, which is good for preserving unbaked, dry and savory beans.
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Lima beans can be pressure canned using either hot or raw packing. Note that the process times for each style of packing, however, are the same.
Lima beans can be pressure canned using either hot or raw packing. Note that the process times for each style of packing, however, are the same.
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After soaking and boiling your dried/shelled beans or peas per the USDA's instructions, you'll need to process them in a pressure canner. Listed above are the recommended process times for dial-gauge and weighted-gauge pressure canners.
After soaking and boiling your dried/shelled beans or peas per the USDA's instructions, you'll need to process them in a pressure canner. Listed above are the recommended process times for dial-gauge and weighted-gauge pressure canners.
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Italian beans are not only a tasty alternative to the common green bean, but they require significantly less time to process than many of their bean brethren. Follow the process times recommended above.
Italian beans are not only a tasty alternative to the common green bean, but they require significantly less time to process than many of their bean brethren. Follow the process times recommended above.

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.

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