You can never seem to have enough beans in the pantry. I decided to can a few jars of Great Northern Beans with Salt Pork.
You will need:
2 pounds of beans
Salt Pork (3/4 inch cube in each jar)
Water
Jars, lid, bands, pressure canner and canning supplies.
Yields 9 pints
1: Pour the beans out on a table or counter and sort out all the little rocks and bad beans.
2: Cover them in cold water and let them soak for 18 hours.
I always soak my beans anywhere from 12 to 18 hours before canning. If I get busy they soak longer. By soaking your beans a long time you will get a nice tender, delicious bean when canned.
3: Drain off that water and put fresh water over the beans.
4: Add salt pork and bring them to a boil. Boil them for 30 minutes. Dip off any foam while they are boiling.
5: After 30 minutes I put a 3/4 inch cube of the salt pork into each jar. Use a slotted spoon and fill jars about 2/3 full with beans.
6: Bring the water that the beans boiled in back to a boil and cover beans leaving 1 inch head space.
7: Remove all air bubbles and adjust the head space. Wipe the rims of jars with a paper towel dipped in vinegar. You can just use a wet paper towel if you don't have vinegar handy.
8: Place lids and bands on jars, tighten them down finger tight. place the jars in the canner and put on the lid.
9: Vent steam for 10 minutes.
Process pints at 10 pounds pressure for 75 minutes. If you do quarts you need to process for 90 minutes.
Check Charts for your elevation and Canner Type
| Table 1. Recommended process time for Beans or Peas in a dial-gauge pressure canner. | ||||||
| Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of | ||||||
| Style of Pack | Jar Size | Process Time | 0 - 2,000 ft | 2,001 - 4,000 ft | 4,001 - 6,000 ft | 6,001 - 8,000 ft |
| Hot | Pints | 75 min | 11 lb | 12 lb | 13 lb | 14 lb |
| Quarts | 90 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | |
| Table 2. Recommended process time for Beans or Peas in a weighted-gauge pressure canner. | ||||
| Canner pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of | ||||
| Style of pack | Jar Size | Process Time | 0 - 1,000 ft | Above 1,000 ft |
| Hot | Pints | 75 min | 10 lb | 15 lb |
| Quarts | 90 | 10 | 15 | |
10: Turn off the heat and let the pressure drop naturally. Wait 10 minutes before removing the lid. Remove the lid and wait 10 more minutes to allow the jars to adjust to the temperature in the room. Place jars on the counter to cool for 24 hours.
Label and Store in pantry.