Canning Dried Beans

By Amy Kinnard

With two bags (4 pounds) of free red beans given to me, my choices were to either let them sit in the back of my pantry collecting dust or can them for quick meal additions. The greatest thing about canning dried beans is how easy it is to complete and the amount of money that can be saved. What would ordinarily cost you $8 for 8 pints only costs $2 for the same amount. I love having jars of different types of beans on hand to throw into a quick pot of soup or added to a pound of ground beef to bulk it up for taco night.

What You Will Need

Pressure canner
7 Quart or 20 pint jars
Canning lids and bands
Water
Dried beans of your choice (2 pounds of beans = 4 qts or 8 pints)
Salt

Step 1

Place all your jars inside the dishwasher and run through the “sani” cycle or high temp cycle.
Fill pressure canner with 3 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons white vinegar. (The vinegar helps keep the jars from getting cloudy on the outside.)

Step 2

Sort and wash all your beans. I like to do this by scooping out 1/2 a cup at a time, sifting the beans into a strainer before rinsing and then pouring into a large bowl. I keep count of how many half cups I measure out so I know how many pints I will be canning.

Step 3

Pour 1/2 cup rinsed beans into each pint jar (1 cup if using quarts).

Step 4

Add 1/2 tsp salt to each pint jar (1 tsp for quarts).

Step 5

Cover with warm water leaving a 3/4-inch head space.

Step 6

Clean the rim with a damp cloth checking for any cracks. Place hot lid on top and tighten with a band. Place inside the canner which will fit all 7 quarts or 20 pints (if using a 23-quart pressure canner).

Step 7

Place canner lid on top of canner in the locking position. Process pint jars at 11 pounds of pressure for 75 minutes; 90 minutes for quarts.

Step 8

After canner has cooled, remove jars to finish cooling on a towel. Let rest for 24 hours before removing bands and storing in a cool, dark place.

Canning Dried Beans