Canning Green Beans
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Canning Green Beans
Step
1 -
Selecting the green beans. You need green beans that are FRESH and crisp. Limp,
old beans will make nasty tasting canned beans. About 14 pounds of beans makes
7 quart jars; or 9 pounds is needed per 9 pints. A bushel, which produces
anywhere from 13 to 20 quarts, weighs 30 pounds. That works out to an average
of 2 pounds of beans per finished quart jar.
Step
2 - Prepare
the jars and pressure canner. Wash the jars and lids.
Get
a large pot of water boiling. We will use this water to pour over the beans and
fill each jar with liquid, after we've packed them full of beans
Get
the pressure canner heating up, put the rack plate in the bottom, and fill it
to a depth of 4 inches with hot tap water. (of course, follow the instruction
that came with the canner, if they are different). Put it on the stove over low
heat, with the lid OFF of it, just to get it heating up for later on.
Step
3 -Wash the
green beans!
Step
4 - Trim
the ends and cut into smaller pieces
Step
5 - Packing
the beans in the canning jars this is called "raw packing" because we
don't cook the beans before packing them into the jars. Pack the jars fairly
tightly, but be sure to leave 1 inch of space at the TOP of the jar. That is
called "headspace" and is needed for expansion during heading.
Step
6 - Pour
boiling water into each packed jar Use a ladle or Pyrex measuring cup to
carefully fill each packed jar with water from pot of boiling water. Fill to
within 1 inch of the top. The beans should be covered and there should still be
1 inch of airspace left in the top of each jar.
Step
7 - Put the
lids on each jar and seal them by putting a ring on and screwing it down snugly
(but not with all you might, just "snug").
Step
8 - Using
the jar tongs, put the jars on the rack in the canner. By now the water level
has probably boiled down to 3 inches. If it is lower than that, add more hot
tap water to the canner. When all the jars that the canner will hold are in,
out on the lid and twist it into place, but leave the weight off (or valve
open, if you have that type of pressure canner).
Step
9 -Put the
heat on high and let the steam escape through the vent for 10 minutes to purge
the airspace inside the canner.
Step
10 - After
10 minutes of venting, put the weight on and close any openings to allow the
pressure to build to 11 pounds.
Step
11 - Once
the gauge hits 10 pounds, start your timer going - for 25 minutes. Adjust the
heat, as needed, to maintain 10 pounds of pressure.
Step
12 - After
25 minutes at 11 pounds, turn off the heat and let the canner cool down. After
the pressure drops to zero (usually, you can tell but the "click"
sound of the safety release vents opening, as well as but the gauge. Wait 3
more minutes, then open the vent or remove the weight and allow the steam to
escape.
Step
13 - Lift
the jars out of the water and let them cool on a wooden cutting board or a
towel, without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes
overnight).
Posted by Jen 3:00 PM
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