Canning green beans from your garden is enjoyable and easy. By canning your own green beans you will achieve a far greater product than the conventionally canned beans you find at the grocery store. The jars of green beans will be packed full of nutrients for you and your entire family to enjoy months after the green bean season has passed. When harvest time comes in your garden, try the following method of canning your green beans!
First you need to gather all your supplies. You will need to use a pressure canner for preserving green beans. A boiling water canner will not reach a high enough temperature to properly preserve the green beans. You will also need to gather your jars and lids, pots and pans, and the beans of course!
To prepare for your canner, wash it with hot soapy water, and rinse very well. Then fill the canner with 2-3 inches of water and bring the water to a simmer. Raise the rack so that you are all ready to place the prepared jars onto it.
Wash all the canning materials in warm soapy water and rinse them thoroughly. You can then place the jars and the lids in separate pots of water. Bring the pot with the jars in it to a gentle simmer, and just warm the water the lids are in. It is very important to not boil the lids. Leave the jars and lids in the hot water while you are preparing your beans for preserving.
Choose only healthy, young beans from your garden for canning. You will want to take the sting off the bean and snap them into smaller pieces. You can also cut them with a knife for faster preparation. Wash them thoroughly by rinsing them several times in clean water.
You will then need to boil the beans for about 5 minutes. This is just enough time to boil the microorganisms that may be contained within the beans. Your beans are now ready to be canned.
Take each jar out of the canner one by one just as you are ready to fill it. Fill the jar with ½ teaspoon of salt for each pint jar and 1 teaspoon for a quart size jar. Then place the boiled green beans into the jar filling it with about 2 inches left on the top. Then ladle boiling water over the beans to fill the jar with about 1 inch of space on the top.
Once the jar is filled, you will want to use a small rubber spatula to press the beans together and loosed any bubbles that are trapped between them. Press until all the bubbles are released. Then you can place the lid on and twist the band on just till it is tight. Do not over tighten the band.
Once the jar is filled you can place it on the raised canning rack. After you have filled each jar, lower the full rack into the bottom of the canner. Check the water level to be sure that there is 2-3 inches of boiling water over the top of the jars. If you need more, add boiling water to reach the desired water level.
Once all the jars are in, and the water is at least 2 inches above the lids, you are ready to preserve! Lock the lid in place and allow the water to reach a boiling point in which it steams from the vent for 10 minutes. Then place the weight on the vent, or close the vent and allow the pressure to build. For green beans you will want the pressure at 10 pounds. Once the pressure level is attained, keep it there for 20 minutes if you are using pint jars, and 25 minutes if you are using quart jars.
Once the time is complete, turn off the heat. Allow the pressure to diminish and the water to cool. Open the vent, and then take the lid off. Allow for 10 minutes of cooling time, and then you may remove the jars and place them on a towel. Remove them gently and do not disturb the lid and band. Cool the jars for at least 12 hours to allow for proper sealing of the lids.
You are then completely finished with your preserving of green beans! You can enjoy your garden beans throughout the year when the garden is long done producing beans! Stock your pantry because you will be sure to love these delicious beans!
