Canned Dry Beans | Pressure Canning Dry Beans

This amount fills 3 500 ml jars. A 1 L jar may also be used; do not use larger jars because no processing time has been tested for them. Wash the jars in hot, soapy water, rinse, and keep them in hot water until filling. There is no need to sterilize them by boiling because pressure processing heats the jars. Prepare the lids according to the manufacturer’s instructions; do not reuse lids. Place the rack in the pressure canner, add 5–8 cm of hot water, and keep it warm over low heat.

Select mature, dry beans; discard any that are discolored, broken, or wrinkled. The USDA average is 164 g of dried beans per 500 ml jar; 500 g of dried beans fills three jars.

Drain the soaking water, rinse the beans, and put them in a pot with 2 liters of fresh water. Bring to a boil and boil for 30 minutes. The beans will not be fully tender yet; they will finish cooking in the pressure canner.

Fill the jars with the hot beans and their cooking water, leaving 2.5 cm of headspace. If desired, add half a 4 ml measure of salt to each 500 ml jar; salt is for flavor only and does not help preserve the beans. Use a plastic spatula to remove air bubbles, restore the 2.5 cm headspace, wipe the rims with a clean, damp cloth, and close the jars.

Place the jars upright on the rack without letting them touch. Lock the canner lid and turn up the heat with the steam vent open. Once a steady stream of steam comes from the vent, let it vent for 10 minutes; trapped air keeps the temperature low even if the gauge shows the target pressure. Then attach the weight or close the valve and wait for the pressure to rise.

Choose the pressure according to your altitude. With a weighted-gauge canner, use 10 psi at 0–305 m and 15 psi above 305 m. With a dial-gauge canner, use 11 psi at 0–610 m, 12 psi at 610–1,219 m, 13 psi at 1,219–1,829 m, and 14 psi at 1,829–2,438 m. Istanbul and Izmir are in the first range (10 psi with a weighted gauge, 11 psi with a dial gauge). Ankara is at 938 m (15 psi with a weighted gauge, 12 psi with a dial gauge). Erzurum city center is above 1,829 m (15 psi with a weighted gauge, 14 psi with a dial gauge). Have the dial gauge tested for accuracy each year before use. Start timing as soon as the gauge reaches the pressure required for your altitude: process dry beans for 75 minutes in 500 ml jars or 90 minutes in 1 L jars. Adjust the heat to maintain steady pressure. If the pressure falls below the target at any point, bring the canner back up to pressure and restart the processing time.

When the processing time is up, turn off the heat and let the pressure return to zero naturally without moving the canner. Do not cool it with cold water or open the valve early; cooling is part of the tested process, and a sudden pressure drop can cause liquid to siphon from the jars. When the gauge reads zero, remove the weight or open the valve, wait 10 minutes, then open the lid away from you so steam does not hit your face.

Use jar lifters to remove the jars while keeping them upright. Place them on a towel or wire rack with 2.5 cm of space between them; let them cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours, and do not tighten the lids. Once cool, press the center of each lid with a finger: it is sealed if it is concave and does not move when pressed. If it pops up when you release it or moves up and down with a click, it is not sealed. Refrigerate any unsealed jar and use its contents soon, as you would cooked food. Label sealed jars with the product name and date.

Store sealed jars in a cool, dry place away from direct light. Before opening, inspect the lid. The food is spoiled if the lid is bulging, the jar is leaking, liquid spurts or foams when opened, or the contents are moldy or smell bad. Never taste food from a suspicious jar. If it is unopened, place it in a heavy-duty bag, seal it tightly, and discard it. Botulinum toxin does not always cause visible signs, so following the processing time and pressure exactly is the only safeguard.