Canning Dried Beans

two jars of canned beans on a blue towel

5 from 4 votes

Pressure canning dried beans is a frugal way to add to your food storage. Reduce the sodium and chemicals found in commercially canned beans by canning your own.

Prep Time12 30

Cook Time30

Canning Time1 15

Total Time4

Course: Canning

Cuisine: American

Keyword: canning dried beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 34kcal

Author: Grow a Good Life

Ingredients

3 1/4 pounds Great Northern dried beans dried beans of choice (see notes)
canning salt or pickling salt optional

Instructions

Prepare the Beans:

Sort through the dry beans and pick out any damaged beans, sticks, and stones. Rinse the beans well and rehydrate the beans using one of the following methods:
Soak Beans Overnight: Add the beans to a large pot and fill with enough water to cover the beans by about 2-inches. Cover the pot, place it in the refrigerator, and soak the beans for 12 to 18 hours.
Quick Soak Dried Beans: Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat, add the dried beans, and boil for 2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let the beans soak for 1 hour.
After soaking, drain the beans and rinse well. Rinse the pot and add the beans back into the pot. Fill the pot with fresh water to cover about 2-inches above the soaked beans.
Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, and boil the beans for 30 minutes.

Prepare the Canning Equipment:

Wash the jars, lids, and rings in hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Set the lids and rings aside until you are ready to use them.
Place the jar rack into the pressure canner, and fill with water per your pressure canner manufacturer's instructions: Presto is 3 quarts, Mirro is 2 quarts, and All American is 2 to 3 inches.
Fill the jars halfway with hot water, and then place them on the rack in the canner. Bring the canner to a simmer for 10 minutes (180˚F). Keep hot until you are ready to fill them.

Can the Beans:

Spread a kitchen towel on the counter. Use the jar lifter to remove a jar from the canner. Pour out the water (save it for washing dishes), and place the jar on the towel. Keep the remaining jars in the canner, so they stay hot.
Place the canning funnel on the jar. Use a slotted spoon to remove the beans from the pot, and fill the jar leaving about a 2 inch headspace.
If you are using canning salt, add up to 1/2 teaspoon per pint jar, and up to 1 teaspoon of salt per quart jar.
Ladle hot cooking liquid into the jar over the beans and maintain a 1-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles with the bubble popper, and wipe the rim with a damp towel.
Center a lid on the jar, place the band over the lid, and screw it on until fingertip tight. Use the jar lifter, and place the jar back on the rack in the canner. Repeat with the rest of the jars until the canner is filled, or you run out of beans.
Close the pressure canner and secure the lid. Leave the vent open, adjust the heat to medium-high, and bring the canner to a boil. Allow the pressure canner to vent for 10 minutes, then place weight on the vent.
Once the canner has reached the correct pressure (10 pounds for weighted gauge canner, and 11 pounds for dial gauge canners.), set a timer, and process pints for 75 minutes, and quarts for 90 minutes at altitudes of less than 1,000 ft. Adjust for your altitude if necessary (see table below).
Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a steady pressure. When processing time is complete, turn off heat, and allow pressure canner to cool down to 0 pressure.
Once the canner is depressurized, let the canner cool 10 minutes before removing the lid.
When the canner is cooled down, spread a kitchen towel on the counter, unlock cover, and remove it by tilting lid away from you so that steam does not burn your face. Allow another 10 minutes to adjust to the change in pressure.
Use a jar lifter to lift jars carefully from canner and place on the towel. Keep the jars upright, and don't tighten bands or check the seals yet. Let sit undisturbed for 12 to 24-hours to cool.
After 12 to 24-hours, check to be sure jar lids have sealed by pushing on the center. The lid should not pop up. If the lid flexes up and down when the center is pressed, it did not seal. Refrigerate the jar and use up within a few days.
Remove the ring bands, wash, label, date the jars, and store in a cool, dark location (50 to 70 degrees F). Use within a year for the best quality. Yields 9 pints or 7 quarts.

Notes

Any type of dried beans, including black beans, chickpeas, great northern beans, kidney beans, navy beans, pinto beans, and lima beans. You'll need about 3 1/4 pounds of dried beans to fill 9 pint sized jars, 5 pounds of dried beans to fill 7 quart sized jars.

This is a tested safe canning recipe from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning and the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving. Changing the recipe may make the product unsafe for canning.

All times are at altitudes of less than 1,000 ft. Adjustments must be made for altitudes greater than 1,000 ft.

I am happy to answer any questions, but if you need immediate canning help or answers, please contact your local extension office.

Nutrition