# Share your favorite way to can dry beans



## jcatblum (Dec 15, 2009)

Would love to try some of you favorite presure canned beans, please share your recipes!! Really been searching for a black-eye pea recipe that I can use also. So far I am about to try black-eye- peas with salt pepper onion & garlic. 

I have been using this recipe & love it-- I originally found it on this site-- I like that there is no soaking no mixing no mess. Taste so good in chili or eaten alone. I have made 21 quarts as of today. Think I should try a different type of bean soon, so my family doesn't get tired of these! Next time I make the recipe below I am going to use creole seasoning in place of salt-- not sure why I didn't think of it sooner!

Pressure canned seasoned dry pinto beans

Sort pintos, rinse, fill each quart jar 1/3 full of dry beans. To each quart add 1 tsp salt, 1 TB minced onion, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1 1/2 TB chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, 2 TB tomato sauce. If you want them spicy add 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper. Fill jars with boiling water. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rims and place lids and rings. Pressure can 90 minutes


----------



## arrocks (Oct 26, 2011)

The canning guidelines say to rehydrate the beans before canning so they get safely processed. So that's the way I go. Guidelines give you 2 ways to do it.

Then I add some dried onions, chili powder, tomato sauce, molasses, dried hot or sweet pepper flakes or any other dried seasoning I want to the jars, fill the jar 3/4 full with the hot beans, top the jar off with the bean cooking liquid and process them 75 min for pints, 980 min for quarts.

What I add all depends on how I want to use them so I also do some jars plain to dress up later.


----------



## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

***sigh***


----------



## arrocks (Oct 26, 2011)

"***sigh***" ???

jcatblum - you mentioned black-eyed pea recipes so I dug out mine for Hoppin John. Have you ever tried it? Many consider it a traditional New Years Day staple.

1 pound dried black-eyed peas
1 small meaty ham bone
2 medium onions, divided
3 large cloves garlic, halved
1 bay leaf
1 can (10 to 14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with chile peppers, juices reserved
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 teaspoons Cajun or Creole seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt


In a large heavy pot combine the black-eyed peas, ham bone and 6 cups water. Ad 1/2 onion, the garlic, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook 2 to 2 1/2 hours. You want the beans not quite tender, not ready to eat as they will finish cooking in the jar.

Remove the ham bone and cut off the meat and dice it. Remove/skim as much fat as possible. Drain the peas but save the cooking liquid. Discard the bay leaf, onion pieces, and garlic.

Mince the celery and the rest of the onion and add it, the peas, tomatoes, and their juices, red and green bell pepper, the diced ham and the seasonings back to the reserved cooking liquid. Bring back to boiling. Evenly fill the jars 3/4 full with the hot food and add the hot liquid leaving 1" headspace. Remove air bubbles and cap jars. Process in a pressure canner pints 75 min, quarts 90 min at 10 lbs (adjust for altitude).

Forgot to add: serve over cooked rice with fresh cornbread.


----------



## Honduras Trish (Nov 30, 2007)

I pressure can the local red beans, and I do soak them and heat them according to the directions . . . but they always come out a bit mushy. We love having them on the shelf as a quick start for homemade refried beans, but I would like to find a way to can them so that they aren't so mushy, so that we could use them in soups, chilis, and other dishes. 

Someone suggested adding Pickle Crisp to the jars, so I have some of that coming down soon, and I'll see if it helps.


----------



## Lorelai (Oct 25, 2010)

Following this thread with interest...

:stirpot:


----------



## lonelyfarmgirl (Feb 6, 2005)

As am I. Suitcase Sally, lets hear it. What's the frustration?


----------



## jcatblum (Dec 15, 2009)

When I was a cook in the army we made hopin John every Wenesday--- for soul food day. I will for sure try the recipe! No body else in my house eats black eye peas! I will do some pints & see how it turns out. 

My niece LOVES pink beans-- I personally have never tried them, but I am going to experiment with those too--- I think my sister just puts a ham hock in with them & cooks them. 

A big reason for me to can beans now is in the summer @ 110degrees beans are the last thing I want to cook! I know we would eat them more often if they were already cooked. I will continue to search for other recipes & spend my winter canning beans.


----------



## Packedready (Mar 29, 2011)

I can black beans, pinto beans and anyother that I want. I soak them overnight and cook them in the crockpot until just a little soft, then I presure can, they don't stay in my house everyone loves them. I am getting ready after Thanksgiving to do about 4 cases. Since they are ready to eat, we eat more of them. Also they don't go bad.


----------



## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

suitcase_sally said:


> ***sigh***


I understand.

I soak mine overnight, then fill jars half full of beans and flavorings with a pinch of salt, finish filling with water and process 90min or longer. I don't process that amount of time for food guidelines, but rather just for softness. I like canning navy beans and putting a little ham or a slice of bacon in with them as a flavoring too.


----------



## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Honduras Trish said:


> t I would like to find a way to can them so that they aren't so mushy, so that we could use them in soups, chilis, and other dishes.


Don't cook them first. Just soak or even do them raw. Just leave enough room in the jars for them to expand. They aren't mushy that way.


----------



## jmtinmi (Feb 25, 2009)

Black beans. I soak them overnight in the jars, drain, add my spices, add boiling water and process. 

Great black bean soup that isn't mushy.


----------



## lonelyfarmgirl (Feb 6, 2005)

What are your spices? Can you share?


----------



## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

I'm way more likely to use beans in my everyday cooking if they're canned. I just can't be bothered to remember to soak the night before or drag out my canner anytime I want beans. So I buy dry beans in bulk and then have a huge canning day to can up a dozen of each kind, some plain and some doctored. Then I seal up the rest of the dry beans in vac bags for later. I usually have black, white/cannelini, pink, navy, pinto, small red, light and dark red kidney, great northern, black-eyed peas, chick peas/garbanzos, and limas. I also recommend that you only soak your beans before processing, or if they're old/tough parboil them only until they are barely fork tender, and they'll stand up much better to canning.

*Baked Black Beans* (in case you're tired of Boston/BBQ baked beans)

Makes 6-7 half-pints (2 servings each) or 3-4 pints (4 servings each)

6 sun-dried tomatoes
Vegetable cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 to 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and veins discarded, minced
3 cups dry black beans, rinsed, drained
2 cups whole kernel corn (frozen and thawed ok)
1 to 2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (or 3 tablespoons dried cilantro)
3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
1 teaspoon smoked chili powder
1 bay leaf
Pinch of dry ground ginger (optional)

Preparation
*Boil soaked black beans in plain water (no acid, no salt!) 30 minutes or until barely fork tender
*Pour hot water over sun-dried tomatoes in small bowl; let stand until tomatoes are soft, about 10 minutes. Drain tomatoes and coarsely chop.
*Spray large saucepan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Saute onion, garlic and jalapeno pepper until tender, about 5 minutes.
***Combine all ingredients in 1 1/2-quart casserole. Bake, covered, at 350 F. until bean mixture is hot, about 30 minutes or microwave on medium high for 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

***If you're canning this, combine everything in a pot with 1 cup of broth, bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes to combine the flavors... do NOT wait for the beans to get soft, you should just be able to barely poke them with a fork.

-- If large batching, this recipe multiplies well, and you can stew in a pot or slow cooker rather than baking if you'd like.

-- You can use fresh tomatoes or canned stewed/crushed tomatoes instead of sun-dried, but I find that the sun-dried tomatoes add more depth of flavor and balance the beans well.

Excellent topped with shredded cheddar and any queso fresco (like manchego), hot or cold.


*Cassoulet* (for canning)
Makes 10-12 half-pints or 5-6 pints

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast or pork tenderloin, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
12 ounces smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices (lower fat makes for better canning)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
4 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups dry Great Northern beans, soaked, parboiled, rinsed, drained
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes (with roasted garlic or "Italian Style")
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

Saute chicken/pork and sausage in oil in Dutch oven until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, and 3 to 5 teaspoons garlic; cook over medium heat 5 minutes. Stir in beans, tomatoes, thyme, chicken broth; season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer until beans are barely fork tender. Ladle hot mixture into hot jars and process in pressure canner (70 minutes @ 10 psi for pints and half-pints at sea level)

TIP: If desired, 3/4 cup dry white wine can be substituted for 3/4 cup chicken broth.

Serve with seasoned toasted bread crumbs and grate sharp dry-aged cheese (like parmesan)


----------



## jcatblum (Dec 15, 2009)

Tried to do black eyed peas today. Not sure what happened, but I cooked the peas all the way! OOPS! I didn't want to pressure cook them & have a mushy mess, so I am freezing them & having yummy black eyed peas for brunch!


----------

