BEANS, BEANS, THE MAGICAL FRUIT!

1. Read "Getting Started" (in the archives)
2. Select fresh green beans which are young, tender, and crisp.
3. Wash beans in several changes of water; lift beans out of water and drain.
4. Remove strings and trim ends. Cut or break beans into uniform pieces.
5. Prepare only enough for ONE CANNER LOAD and place in a large basket (I use the basket I make french fries in).
6. Cover beans with boiling water. Boil five minutes. Remove beans from boiling water.
7. Remove canning jar from hot water with a jar lifter and set on the towel.
8. Add 1 tsp. salt per quart of 1/2 tsp. salt per pint.
9. Carefully pack hot green beans into hot jars, leaving 1 inch space to rim.
10. Carefully ladle hot cooking liquid or boiling water over beans, leaving 1 inch space to rim.
11. Run a nonmetallic spatula between green beans and jar; press back gently on beans to release trapped air bubbles. NOTE: THIS STEP IS VERY IMPORTANT!!!
12. Do this two or three times to release the air bubbles in each jar.
13. Process in a hot water bath for 45 minutes for quart jars (you'll have to add a little water every 15 mins).
14. Process in a pressure cooker at ten pounds for 25 minutes for quarts, 20 minutes for pints. Let pressure return to 0 naturally and then wait two minutes to open the vent. Unfasten cover and let steam release in other direction AWAY FROM YOU. Lift off cover, let jars set @ 10 minutes in cooker to adjust to lower temp, then set them upright @ 2 inches apart to cool.
15. As always, check the lids after 24 hours. Any that have not/will not seal must be refrigerated and used within 72 hours.

Boston Baked Beans

• 1 quart dried navy beans (@ 2 lbs)
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 lb. salt pork, cut into pieces
• 3 lg. onions, sliced
• 2/3 c. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. dry mustard
• 2/3 c. molasses

1. Cover beans with 3 qts. water and let stand 12 - 18 hours in a cool place.
2. Drain, then cover with 3 qts. water and add 2 tsp. salt.
3. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover; simmer until skins begin to crack.
4. Drain, reserving liquid.
5. Pour beans into a baking dish or bean pot.
6. Add pork and onions.
7. Combine remaining ing. and 4 c. reserved bea liquid (add water to make the 4 c. if necessary).
8. Ladle sauce over beans. Cover and bake at 350 F for @ 3 1/2 hours.
9. Add water, if necessary, as beans should be very soupy.
10. Pack into jars (beans AND sauce), leaving 1 inch headspace.
11. Remove air bubbles, cap, and process qts. 1 hour and 35 mins. at 10 lbs. in a pressure cooker.
12. YIELD: 3 quarts (but they're some of the best beans you'll ever taste)

Dilly Beans

• 2 lbs. green beans
• 2 1/2 c. vinegar
• 2 1/2 c. water
• 1/4 c. canning salt
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, divided
• 4 heads dill, divided

1. Trim ends of green beans.
2. Combine vinegar, water, and salt in large saucepot and bring to a boil.
3. Pack beans lengthwise into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
4. Add 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, 1 clove garlic, and 1 head dill to each pint.
5. Add 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, 2 cloves garlic, and 2 heads dill to each quart.
6. Ladle hot liquid over beans, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
7. Remove air bubbles, cap, and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
8. YIELD: 4 pints or 2 quarts

Pickled Three Bean Salad

• 1 1/2 lbs. each: green beans and wax beans
• 1 lb. lima beans
• 2 c. sliced celery (@ 3 stalks)
• 1/2 lb. onion, sliced (@ 1 large)
• 1 c. diced sweet red pepper (@ 1 medium)
• 2 1/2 c. sugar
• 3 c. vinegar
• 1 1/4 c. water
• 1 tsp. each: mustard seed and celery seed
• 4 tsp. canning salt

1. Wash beans. Trim ends. Cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces.
2. Shell lima beans.
3. Combine beans, celery, onion, and pepper in lg. saucepot.
4. Cover with boiling water and cook 7 - 8 minutes.
5. Drain.
6. Bring sugar, vinegar, water, mustard seed, celery seed, and salt to a boil and simmer 15 mins. Add drained beans mixture.
7. Bring to a boil for one minute.
8. Pack hot beans into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
9. Ladle hot pickling liquid over beans, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
10. Remove air bubbles, cap, and process 15 minutes in a hot water bath.
11. YIELD: 5 pints

FREEZING BEANS

Frozen veggies will keep for up to one year.

If you grow your own, harvest tender beans at their peak of flavor and texture, then freeze immediately.

If you buy them at the market, freeze them the very same day or they will over mature even in that short an amount of time.

Baked beans keep in excellent condition for many months when frozen, but most other fully cooked vegetables lose flavor rapidly and should be stored for only a few days.

BLANCHING is a critical step in preparing veggies for freezing and must be done carefully. This is a MUST for all veggies to be stored frozen for more than four weeks. However, those veggies used exclusively for their flavor, such as geen onions, hot peppers, and herbs, do not have to be blanched.

BLANCHING cleanses the surface of dirt and organisms, brightens the color, helps retain vitamins, and reduces the action of enzymes which can destroy the fresh flavor after @ four weeks. It also shrinks the product, making packing easier.

• Immediately before blanching, wash, drain, sort, trim and cut the veggies as for cooking fresh.
• Use 1 gallon water per 1 lb. veggies - 2 gallons for leafy greens.
• Put veggies into blancher (wire basket, coarse mesh bag, or perforated metal strainer) and lower into rapidly boiling water.
• Begin counting the time as soon as the veggies hit the water.
• Keep heat on high and stir constantly or else keep container covered.
• Follow blanching times given in each recipe for each veggie.
• Underblanching stimulates the activity of enzymes and is worse than no blanching at all.
• Prolonged blanching causes loss of vitamins, minerals, flavor, and color.
• As soon as blanching is complete, immediately immerse veggies into ice water and stir several times while they cool (no longer than the blanching time limit, though).

Lima Beans

Snap Beans

Soy beans

DRYING BEANS

If anyone has any idea how to dry kidney, navy, or pinto beans, please email me with the recipe. I thought I had one, but when I checked my cookbooks and binders, I couldn't find it! Thanks!

My Favorite Links

Back to the archives!
Back to the main page!