For me, one of the most important parts of cooking real food is having ready-made “building blocks” of real food in the pantry.
I always have a supply of homemade broth/stock, home-canned tomato sauce, applesauce, pickles, and multiple other items. It’s simple to make a real-food meal without having to spend six hours a day in the kitchen.
If you want to cook with dried beans like black beans, red beans, pinto beans, navy beans, etc., it can take a long time. If you are starting from scratch, expect to soak them overnight, and then cook them for several hours.
The process isn’t hard, but it does make it nearly impossible to decide at the last minute to have refried beans for dinner.
As an enthusiastic home cook and gardener, I look forward to October every year when my cranberry bean vines start producing their beautiful speckled pods These tasty beans, also known as October beans, have a wonderful meaty texture and earthy, nutty flavor However, fresh cranberry beans have a short season, usually only a couple weeks in October. I love preserving them by canning so I can enjoy their harvest fresh flavor all winter long. After years of experimenting, I’ve honed my technique and am excited to share exactly how to can October beans.
Why Can October Beans?
Canning is one of the simplest ways to preserve your fresh October bean harvest beyond their short season. The canning process allows you to safely store the beans in sterilized jars at room temperature for up to a year The beans retain nearly all their garden fresh texture, color, nutrients and scrumptious flavor Having a pantry full of October beans ready to use all winter provides amazing convenience. You don’t have to soak or cook dry beans which can take hours. Just open a jar and you can quickly whip up soups, stews, dips and other fall and winter dishes with their amazing hearty flavor.
Step-By-Step Guide to Canning October Beans
Follow these simple steps for safe successful results
1. Select Fresh, Unblemished Beans
Timing is crucial when harvesting October beans for canning. Select young, tender beans that are not oversized or mature. Carefully check for any bruised, damaged or discolored beans and remove them. Give the beans a good rinse and trim off any stems or strings.
2. Prepare Your Canning Equipment
Your canner, jars, lids and other equipment must be in perfect working order for safe results. Inspect your pressure canner for any warping, cracks or vent blockages. Replace gaskets or gauges if signs of wear. Wash jars, lids and bands in hot, soapy water and rinse well.
3. Prepare Your Beans and Canning Liquid
You can pack raw beans directly into jars, known as the raw pack method. Or for the hot pack method, I like to blanch my beans for 4 minutes to enhance their flavor and color. Make sure your canning liquid is hot water or broth.
4. Pack Beans Into Jars
Pack either raw or hot beans tightly into clean jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. For easy removal, you can optionally pack leaves in the top of the jars.
5. Remove Any Air Bubbles
Slide a non-metallic utensil down the sides of the jars to release trapped air bubbles. Add more beans if needed to maintain headspace.
6. Wipe Jar Rims and Apply Lids and Bands
Wipe jar rims with a clean, damp cloth to remove any food residue or stickiness. Center lids on jars and apply bands fingertip tight.
7. Process the Jars in a Pressure Canner
Place sealed jars on the rack in your pressure canner, Following the manufacturer’s directions for your altitude. Process pints for 25 minutes, quarts for 30 minutes at 10-11 PSI.
8. Allow to Cool and Set
When time is up, allow canner to come down off pressure naturally. Carefully remove jars, place upright and allow to completely cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours.
9. Check Seals and Store
Press on the center of cooled lids to check for concave shape. Ring should be firmly sealed. Wipe down and label sealed jars. Store in a cool, dark place up to one year.
10. Enjoy Your Harvest Fresh Beans!
When ready to enjoy your October beans, simmer in soups, stews and chilies for the perfect texture. Or simply heat and add to salads, rice bowls and more.
Tips for Delicious Results Every Time
Follow these simple tips and tricks for amazing canned October beans:
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Choose young, tender beans for ideal flavor and texture after canning.
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Use a pressure canner not water bath to safely eliminate bacteria.
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Allow 10-11 PSI for your altitude during processing for beans.
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Make sure beans are acidified properly with lemon juice, vinegar or citric acid.
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Process pint jars 25 minutes, quarts 30 minutes to ensure safety.
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Let jars fully cool undisturbed to prevent seal failures.
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Store jars in a cool, dark place around 50°F to maintain quality.
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Refrigerate any jars with failed seals and use within a week.
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Simmer canned beans for 15-20 minutes before eating for food safety.
Frequently Asked Questions About Canning October Beans
If you’re new to preserving beans by canning, you probably have some questions. Here are answers to some of the most common October bean canning concerns:
Can I add seasonings to my beans before canning?
Yes, you can add salts, seasonings, onions, garlic, broth and other flavorings. Avoid thickeners like flour.
Do I need to pressure can October beans or can I use a water bath?
You must use a pressure canner to safely eliminate botulism bacteria when canning any type of beans, including October beans.
How do I know if my seals are good?
After 24 hours of cooling, press on the center of the lid. It should not flex up and down at all. Retightened bands indicate a good vacuum seal.
My jar didn’t seal. Can I reprocess with a new lid?
Yes, you can reprocess unsealed jars with new lids and bands within 24 hours using the same canning time.
Can I freeze my excess October beans instead of canning?
Absolutely! Blanch beans for 3 minutes then freeze in a single layer on trays before packing into containers.
How long will properly canned October beans last in storage?
If jars remain sealed, processed beans should retain best quality for 12-18 months in a cool, dark place around 50°F.
Is it safe to eat canned October beans without cooking them more?
For safety, always simmer canned bean 15-20 minutes before consumption even if the seal is good.
How to Can Dry Beans
- Dried beans (kidney, black beans, pinto, navy, etc)
- Water
- Jars that are quart or pint size and have lids or rings on them (try my favorite lids for canning; learn more about FOR JARS lids here: http://theprairiehomestead com/forjars (use code PURPOSE10 for 10% off)).
- A pressure canner (like this)
- Remove any foreign objects from beans
- Place in large bowl and cover with water
- You can add 2 tablespoons of whey, vinegar, or lemon juice to the soaking water if you want to.
- Soak overnight
- Drain and rinse beans
- Place in large pot
- Cover with 2 inches of fresh water
- Bring to a boil, stirring often and keeping an eye out so it doesn’t go over.
- Put beans into clean, hot jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. There’s no need to sterilize them as long as they are hot and clean.
- Fill with cooking liquid, again, leaving 1″ headspace
- Put lids and rings on jars
- At 10 pounds of pressure, put the jars in the pressure canner and process them:
- Pints for 1 hour, 15 minutes
- Quarts for 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Take out of the canner and let cool. Before putting away, check all the lids to make sure they seal properly.
(*You will need to adjust your pressure depending on your altitude. I have to process at 15 pounds pressure since we are at 6,500 feet. My pressure canning tutorial has more info. ).
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