# More canning questions



## FoghornLeghorn (Nov 13, 2008)

OK, so, I have a few more questions about canning so please bear with me. I have tried looking up some answers online but I don't have a lot of time on my hands to do that. So, here goes:

1. If I were to make chili for canning could I just make more of what I usually make and can that? I don't really follow a recipe so it's not canning recipe. I want to feed my family, not kill them!

2. When I can chili and I use beans do I have to use dried beans (I've never used them before in my life) or can I use canned beans.

3. If I use canned beans will they just end up being mush?

4. If I can my own recipe would I just can them for the time and pressure for the ingredient with the highest time and pressure? I'm not sure if that question is clear. If, say, the ground beef has the highest time and pressure would I use that time and pressure?

That's it for now I think. I'm sure I'll be back at some point with more questions.


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## Catalpa (Dec 18, 2011)

I've not been pressure canning very long so I'm by no means an expert, but I've asked a lot of the same questions and yes, the recipe does matter, if you vary it too much the heat may not penetrate the jar completely enough or the pH may be off. And when you have a mixture you do have to use the highest time and temperature values. For instance if you do carrots and ground beef in the same jar, you have to do the 90 minutes for the beef even though carrots are done at 30 minutes. That's why a lot of folks put the foods up separately and then combine them when making dinner. 

There's a lot of great information with time tables in the Ball Blue Book, or here: http://nchfp.uga.edu/. They even have some recipes for doing beans, you could do jars of beans and jars of ground beef, and then when you want chili just combine them with a few spices. 

Have fun!


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## arrocks (Oct 26, 2011)

Here is the instructions for canning chili.

http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_05/chili_con_carne.html

You can can leftover chili but the best results come from canning chili that is not already fully cooked. It cooks even more in the jar while in the pressure canner so foods that are already full cooked do tend to turn mushy. Same with using foods that were already canned once like canned beans - they will be mushier once done in the canner.

Whether or not your personal recipe would be safe to can or not all depends on the ingredients as they control the pH and the density. As long as there is nothing unusual in it and as long as you don't make it too thick it would probably be fine. I like to make mine a little more soupy than usual for when I fill the jars. That way I know that it is a safe density. Since much of the liquid is absorbed while processing it is just right when I open the jar to eat it.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

The Ball guide has a recipe for chili, but it says to not put beans in the chili, to do them separately


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## LonelyNorthwind (Mar 6, 2010)

I only buy dried beans but when I make chili I make a huge pot. When it's half done & the beans are still a bit firm, I fill a canner load of quarts to process, keeping back a few days worth of chili to finish cooking on the woodstove. I do the same with spaghetti sauce.
It is SO worth the effort!


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