Canning and cooking with navy beans

Canning beans is a rewarding process that not only saves money but also ensures you have a healthy, ready-to-use ingredient on hand. Whether you're making a hearty bean soup, a side dish, or incorporating them into a salad, home-canned beans are versatile, nutritious, and delicious. In this blog post, I will walk you through the process of canning beans at home, from preparation to sealing them up for future use.

Canned Navy beans

Tested recipe: this follows the USDA recipe for canning dried beans

Why Can Beans?

Navy beans, with their mild flavor and creamy texture, are a staple in many cuisines around the world. Canning your own beans is cost-effective, reduces waste, and allows you to control the ingredients, ensuring there are no unwanted additives. Plus, the satisfaction of stocking your pantry with jars of beans you've processed yourself is unparalleled.

What You'll Need

• Navy beans: Purchase dry beans for the best results.

• Water: For both soaking and cooking the beans.

• Canning jars: Use quart or pint jars (Im using pints for this one), depending on your preference.

• Canning lids and rings

• Large pot for boiling beans.

• Pressure canner: Because beans are a low-acid food, a pressure canner is necessary for safe preservation.

• Jar lifter, canning funnel, and bubble remover tool: Essential for handling hot jars and ensuring no air pockets remain in the filled jars.
  

Tools of the trade

Preparation

1. Sort and Rinse: Begin by sorting through the beans to remove any debris or stones, then rinse them thoroughly under running water.

2. Soaking: Soak the beans for 12–18 hours in a cool place, or use the quick-soak method (boil for 2 minutes, then let them sit for 1 hour). You only need one of them, I compare both in my overnight soak vs quick soak post ;)

3. Boiling: Drain and rinse the beans, then return them to the pot with fresh water and cook them for 30 minutes. This pre-cooking step ensures the beans are partially cooked before canning.
   

Boiling the over night soaked beans

Canning Process

1. Warm the Jars: While the beans are boiling, warm your canning jars and prepare the lids according to the manufacturer's instructions.

2. Fill Jars with Beans: Using a canning funnel, fill the jars with beans, leaving a 1-inch headspace at the top. This space is essential for the expansion of the beans during the canning process.

3. Add Hot Water: Ladle hot water over the beans, maintaining the 1-inch headspace. Use a bubble remover tool or a non-metallic spatula to remove any air bubbles by gently stirring the contents.

4. Wipe Rims and Seal: With a clean, damp cloth, wipe the rims of the jars to ensure a good seal. Place the lids on the jars and screw on the rings until fingertip tight.

5. Process in Pressure Canner: Place the jars in the pressure canner, following the manufacturer's instructions for your specific model. Process pint jars for 75 minutes and quart jars for 90 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure (adjusting for altitude as necessary).

6. Cooling: After processing, turn off the heat and let the canner cool down naturally. Once the pressure has dropped, remove the jars using a jar lifter and place them on a towel or cooling rack to cool for 24 hours.

7. Check Seals: After the jars have cooled, check that the lids have sealed by pressing down in the center. If the lid doesn't pop back, the jar is sealed.
   

Salt added before canning

Storage

Label your jars with the date and store them in a cool, dark place. Properly canned beans can last for up to a year (or more), maintaining their quality and taste.

What if your jars dont seal?

I had 2 of my jars not seal in this process, its sad when it happens, but it does happen sometimes.

Cooking with canned beans

One of favorite ways of eating Navy beans is in a simple bean stew/soup.

Simply fry some bacon or panchett, onions and add to boiled potatoes and carrots. Add one or two cans of processed beans and let it boil together for a few minutes and serve. Hearty and warming bean soupe is always a winner!

Navy bean stew

Canning navy beans at home is a simple, satisfying way to ensure you always have these nutritious legumes ready for your next meal. By following these steps, you'll enjoy the benefits of homemade canned beans that taste better and are healthier than their store-bought counterparts. Whether you're an experienced canner or a beginner, this guide will help you preserve the humble navy bean for year-round enjoyment.

Lentils fall under the same USDA dried beans guideline. Here's how I can them Spanish-style.

Happy canning!