Sunday, April 04, 2010

No Beans About It: I've BEAN canning.

On Wednesday I canned around 67 quarts of beans. White Northern, Black and Pinto. I have learned some great lessons...like the USDA guidelines are a joke and the only way I'm ever gonna can beans again is MY way...I'm sure I won't die.
My Way: 1 cup DRY beans (you do not need to precook), fill the rest of the jar with water and inch from the top. Process at 15 lbs (my altitude) pressure for 50-60 minutes NOT 90 minutes like the USDA recommends. Using old baby blankets helps make clean up a cinch. Put a little bit of vinegar in the canner to help with hard water staining of jars. Make sure to borrow your friends canner that does 14 quarts at once. It will make your canning day go a WHOLE lot quicker.
Make sure your lid to jar ratio is equal or you'll be running to the store in the middle of canning for some not so inexpensive lids.
Plan on making a multi bean chili for dinner that night because you WILL have left over beans. Enjoy

2 comments:

Lacey said...

I miss canning. AND I have way too many dry beans laying around my house. I can't give them away fast enough! Most are Cannery beans though so I guess I don't really need to re-can them.

michelle said...

that's A L O T of beans!! yummy! someday when we move back {fingers crossed} you can teach me all you know oh wise friend!