The best way to keep homegrown green beans fresh for a long time without the added chemicals that are in store-bought vegetables is to can them the old-fashioned way. It’s easy to pressure can fresh summer green beans with this step-by-step guide. You and your family will be able to enjoy them all year.
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Green beans are a beloved vegetable that can be enjoyed year-round when preserved properly through canning. However there is some debate around whether it is safe to can green beans using a hot water bath method instead of a pressure canner. This article will examine the safety considerations provide a clear explanation of the risks, and offer recommendations on the best practices for home canning green beans.
An Overview of Hot Water Bath Canning
Hot water bath canning is a technique that involves submerging sealed jars in boiling water for a specified period of time. This heating process destroys microorganisms and inactivates enzymes that could cause food spoilage. Hot water bath canning is suitable for high-acid foods like fruits, pickles, jams, jellies, and tomato products. The acidity of these foods helps prevent the growth of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which causes the potentially fatal illness botulism.
Why Green Beans Present a Safety Concern
Green beans have a relatively low natural acidity, with a pH typically between 4.6 and 5.5. This puts them squarely in the low-acid food category. Low-acid foods provide ideal conditions for C. botulinum bacteria to produce botulinum toxin when oxygen is present. This toxin can lead to botulism poisoning when ingested, even in tiny amounts.
Pressure canning is the only recommended method for low-acid foods like green beans. Pressure canning heats the contents of jars to 240-250°F, which is well above the 212°F boiling point reached in a water bath. This higher temperature ensures C. botulinum spores are destroyed.
Documented Cases of Botulism from Canned Green Beans
There are documented cases of botulism resulting from improperly canned green beans. In one instance a church dinner in Ohio led to botulism poisoning for 29 people after they consumed green beans that were hot water bath canned. Multiple attendees were hospitalized and one person died as a result.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has directly linked green beans preserved through boiling water canning to botulism outbreaks and notes this method should never be used with low-acid foods.
Why the Recommended Canning Methods Exist
Authorities like the CDC, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) issue evidence-based recommendations for a reason – to prevent foodborne botulism, which can be fatal. While some people may have employment hot water bath canning for green beans without apparent issue, it only takes one mistake for very serious consequences to occur.
Approved recipes for home canning green beans from trusted sources all call for pressure canning. Given what is known about the low acidity of green beans and the real risks involved, pressure canning is the only safe method recommended for this vegetable.
Pressure Canning Green Beans Step-By-Step
For those committed to canning their own green beans at home, here is a summary of the pressure canning process:
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Select fresh, crisp green beans and wash them thoroughly. Ends can be trimmed if desired.
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Blanch beans by boiling for 3 minutes, then immediately plunging them into an ice bath to stop cooking.
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Prepare jars, lids and bands by washing in hot, soapy water and rinsing well. Heat in simmering water until ready to use.
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Pack blanched beans into hot jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Add salt if desired.
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Remove air bubbles and clean jar rims with a damp cloth before securing with lids and bands.
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Place filled jars in pressure canner and process at the correct pressure (varies by altitude) for the time specified in an approved recipe.
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Allow canner to fully depressurize before carefully removing jars.
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Check jar seals, label, and store properly. Wait at least 24 hours before consuming to ensure safety.
Key Takeaways on Canning Green Beans
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Green beans are a low-acid food, meaning they require pressure canning for safe preservation.
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Water bath canning does not heat green beans sufficiently to destroy C. botulinum bacteria that can cause deadly botulism poisoning.
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There are well-documented cases linking water bath canned green beans to botulism outbreaks and fatalities.
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Always use tested recipes and follow instructions for pressure canning green beans precisely.
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When in doubt, only use trusted resources like the USDA and NCHFP for home food preservation guidance.
The bottom line is that green beans simply cannot be safely canned in a hot water bath. While you may be tempted to take shortcuts, pressure canning is a must with this vegetable. Taking the time to properly pressure can green beans ensures you can enjoy their flavor safely for up to a year after preserving.
Pressure Canner vs. Water Bath Canner
For the most part, there are two main methods for preserving food: pressure canning and water bath canning. Which method of canning to use is based on how acidic the food you want to preserve is. Foodborne botulism, which can be fatal, is also more likely to happen if canning is not done correctly.
According to the South Dakota State University Extension Office, “If you are canning a high-acid food, you will use the water bath canning method. If you are canning a low-acid food, you will use the pressure canning method. Acidity may be natural, as in most fruits, or added, as in pickled food. While low-acid canned foods contain too little acid to prevent the growth of C. botulinum, high-acid foods contain enough acid to block its growth or destroy them more rapidly when heated.”
Green beans are considered a low-acid food, which requires a pressure canner.
NOTE: It is imperative to follow correct canning techniques to prevent foodborne illnesses. The USDA publishes a guide to home canning, which can be extremely helpful for a first time canner. Additionally, the Ball canning guide has a plethora of information regarding canning including step-by-step guides, safety guidelines, and recipes.
- Fresh Green Beans
- Canning salt (not table salt and not sea salt)
- Water
NOTE: Use high-quality, freshly harvested green beans. If you can, choose young, tender beans because they will hold up better during the canning process and keep their crisp texture. About two pounds of green beans will equal a one-quart jar of processed beans.
NOTE: Choose glass canning jars with two-piece lids. Make certain they are clean and free of any chips or cracks. I prefer ball canning jars and I have found the cheapest jars at Wal-Mart and Meijer. If you don’t want to use quart-sized jars, you can use pint jars for smaller portions.
How I Learned to Can
Last year, I learned the skill of canning. As I was growing up, my mom and my paternal grandma were avid canners. My husband’s mom has always been an avid canner as well. I never learned how, because the idea of using a pressure cooker intimidated me.
However, last summer, we had several friends share their garden hauls with us. We had so much fresh produce, we couldn’t eat it all before it went bad. Then, adding in the high cost of groceries, I decided to learn the skill of home food preservation. As it turns out, it was not that difficult.
I called my mother-in-law throughout the summer and she walked me through the steps of canning. Some of the tasty canned foods I had by the end of summer were peaches, salsa, pickles, green beans, and jalapeno jelly. There is a much easier way to can green beans than you might think. I’m going to show you how to do it today.
Waterbath canning greenbeans.
FAQ
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