HOW TO CAN DRIED BEANS

I love to can stuff.  I mean I really love to can.  It is almost an addiction for me. If you could only see everything on my canning shelves downstairs.  Heck, I have 5 shelving units full of stuff I have canned.  Then I have a couple more shelving units with supplies on them.  

Canning is a dying art because, in this day and age, people have the mentality that they can get whatever at the store.  Well, this is true, but do you know what is in that can of stuff you just purchased.  Oh, you can read the label but do you REALLY know what those ingredients are and what they mean to your body.  Do not get me wrong I shop at the grocery store but I prefer to put up stuff that we have grown, hunted, and raised.  Everything we grow is organic.  No pesticides used.  Now go buy a can of organically grown San Marzano tomatoes and tell me what you paid for it?  Or a small container of bone broth.  Well, that stuff is expensive but do you really know what is in it when you purchase it and do not make it yourself?  No, you do not.  

I say all this because I love to can beans.  You know the dried kind.  They are super cheap and you can take the time to can them yourself.  I have heard so many people say why would you waste your time canning pintoes or black eye peas.  You can buy them as cheaply as you can them.  Well, maybe, may not.  First and foremost when people say that and look at me while rolling their eyes, I laugh.  Yep, I laugh because I am not the idiot they think I am.  Nope, I prefer to know just exactly what I put in my food.  If I can beans then I know exactly what is in my jars.  Plus my beans do not take like a tin can.  The flavor is so much better.  So, I will take the time to can beans.  I will put them on my shelves and do a little happy dance knowing that I can go pick up about any type bean or pea from my canning shelves.  I am not trying to be mean or put anyone down, I am just explaining why I can beans.  

It is so dang easy to can beans.  Any time of beans.  Now there are various methods and the safest is by soaking and boiling them a bit before canning.  I have done this but I do not do it any longer.  Sorry, I am not using a safe method so please know this up front.  If you look at guidelines mine are not by the per se safe method.  

I use a little salt pork in pintos or black eye peas.  

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Then I put in my beans or peas.    

Here are some pintos.

I put a bit of salt and fat back into my jars.

I do not add fat back to my chickpeas.  I love having chickpeas or garbanzo beans canned.  Great for making hummus.

Honestly, it is easy to can beans.  Here are 4 different kinds. Black eye peas, northern beans, pintos, and chickpeas. Add boiling water.

Add lids and rings to finger tight.

You have to have a pressure canner to can beans.   I did pints and was able to layer the jars into my PC giving me 16 pints.  When I can beans I do an entire PC full that is why I have so many different kinds of beans in my jars.

Beans is the easiest thing to can in a pressure canner (PC).  If you are going to can beans, you might as well fill up your canner with different kinds.  

Safe Canning Method For Beans per Blue Book

• Pick and rinse beans.
• Soak overnight.
• Boil for 30 minutes.
• Drain beans and add boiling water to top leaving 1-inch headspace. 

I personally find doing this makes them mushy.  BUT this is the recommended safe way to can beans.

How I Can Beans

• Sort and rinsed beans.
• Add 1/3 cup of beans per pint jar.
• Pour boiling water into jars leaving 1-inch headspace.
• Add lids and rings to finger tight.

To Pressure Can 

• Read your pressure canners directions to know how much water to add to the PC.  Mine is an inch and half.  Add water to your PC.
• Place the tray on the bottom and add jars. If doing pints you can double stack by using the other tray on top of the first row of jars.  
• Put the top on the PC.  Bring the canner to where the air is venting put and count for 10 minutes.  Put on the jiggler.  I have an All American Canner.  So, this is the correct steps for this type of canner.  It is important to vent out the air for 10 minutes.  Do not start counting until you know air is coming out steadily of the spout.
• Once the jiggler is on the pressure will rise.  Check your elevation to know what pressure you need.  Mine is 10 pounds.  
• Once your pressure has come to the correct amount you start timing the processing of your beans.  
• Pints are 75 minutes and quarts are 90 minutes.  You will need to watch your canner because you do not want it to go over the pressure amount.  Again mine is 10 so I watch it and I can slowly turn down my heat to keep the pressure at 10 for the entire time.  You might have to check it often.  You want to go slowly in turning down your heat because you do not want it to fall below the correct pressure.  If it does you have to start all over and it is important not to do with beans because you are cooking them and if you have to restart your time they will be mushy. 

It is really nice that all I have to do when I need a jar of beans is go to my canning shelves and pick some up.  

I keep all type so beans canned.  Kidney, black, pintos, northern, black eye peas, chickpeas, and even cannellini beans.  I also enjoy adding spices to my beans.  I have made taco chickpeas, chana masala chickpeas, ranch kidney beans, Cuban black beans, and creole black eye peas.  I will try to post those recipes soon.  

HAPPY NYE and ENJOY!!