# Pressure canned dry beans have mold



## Blair (Sep 3, 2007)

I have qt jars of dry beans that I pressure canned according to directions - time and pressure.

6 months later, some of the beans have mold growing on them.

The jar seems to be sealed, as in lid still dished down and won't move with my finger pushing on it.

Liquid in them looks ok.

Any ideas / thoughts on why they have mold?


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## blynn (Oct 16, 2006)

What was the time and pressure that you used? 

Also, were you pressure canning beans that were still dry, or dried beans that you soaked, cooked and then pressure canned?

When I pressure can beans I follow Jackie Clay's instructions, which call for soaking the beans overnight, changing out the water, bringing them to a boil, boiling for 30 minutes, then ladling them into jars (leaving them simmering on the stove so they stay hot while filling the jars) - leave one inch of headspace, processing pints for 75 minutes and quarts for 90 minutes. I process at 15 pounds pressure because that's what I need to do where I live. 

If you are just noticing that the beans that are on the very top outside of liquid have darkened, that may not be mold you are seeing and might be normal. What do your jars look like?


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

I haven't had it happen to me yet, but have read that beans and other canned goods sticking out of liquid will turn black/blue colored. I believe the Ball book and USDA site both talk about it in their trouble shooting section. That would be normal.


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## Blair (Sep 3, 2007)

I soaked the dry beans overnight.

Heated them to boiling and ladled them hot into the jars, leaving the 1" of headspace.

10lb pressure here for 90 min

What I see on top is white, fuzzy and heaped up, definitely mold.


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## Ms.Lilly (Jun 23, 2008)

Do you stack your jars. If so it could have possibly came unsealed and then re-sealed with the weight of another jar on it.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Tap the top of your jars with your fingernail or a spoon. If the sound is "tinny", the seal is good. If it's a dull thud, it's not a good seal. The reason I suggest this, is because I've had beans unseal after sitting in the pantry for weeks or months. (I routinely do this with my beans about every week.) What I found to most likely cause this, is not having enough liquid in the jars. Even after soaking overnight, beans will absorb a LOT of water from the jars during processing.

I soak the beans overnight, bring to a boil and boil for a few minutes (I forget how long, it depends on the size of the beans) then fill the jars about 2/3 full of beans and add liquid to within 1" of the top then process. If you put too many beans in the jar and not enough liquid, most of what liquid that _was_ in there will be absorbed and there lies the problem.


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## Blair (Sep 3, 2007)

Ms.Lilly said:


> Do you stack your jars. If so it could have possibly came unsealed and then re-sealed with the weight of another jar on it.


Jars not stacked.


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## Blair (Sep 3, 2007)

suitcase_sally said:


> Tap the top of your jars with your fingernail or a spoon. If the sound is "tinny", the seal is good. If it's a dull thud, it's not a good seal. The reason I suggest this, is because I've had beans unseal after sitting in the pantry for weeks or months. (I routinely do this with my beans about every week.) What I found to most likely cause this, is not having enough liquid in the jars. Even after soaking overnight, beans will absorb a LOT of water from the jars during processing.
> 
> I soak the beans overnight, bring to a boil and boil for a few minutes (I forget how long, it depends on the size of the beans) then fill the jars about 2/3 full of beans and add liquid to within 1" of the top then process. If you put too many beans in the jar and not enough liquid, most of what liquid that _was_ in there will be absorbed and there lies the problem.


Seal sounds normal.

It could be not enough liquid and too many beans.

I was maybe being too greedy and feeling the jars too full of beans and not enough liquid. I love the taste of beans!

Did notice that the liquid was low in jars after processing. So most likely what you said and beans absorbing the liquid.

Will have to put less beans and more liquid in the next batch.


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## blynn (Oct 16, 2006)

Did you vent the pressure canner for seven minutes before starting your timer for the 90 minutes?


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## Blair (Sep 3, 2007)

blynn said:


> Did you vent the pressure canner for seven minutes before starting your timer for the 90 minutes?


Mine calls for venting the steam for 10 mins which I did.

Then waited for pressure to build and weight to start rocking and then timed for 90 mins.


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

Even with low liquid mold shouldn't form unless the seal came undone or the processing pressure/time was not what you thought it was. With the heat from the pressure mold spores are destroyed. Have you taken off a lid to see how securely they on there?


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