Canning beans is a wonderful way to have ready made meals on your pantry shelf. It takes very little time to pressure can dried beans and can save you hours at dinner time. Home-canned beans also have a much better flavor than store-bought tinned beans (and they are more nutritious too!). Make a batch of canned dry beans today and enjoy them for months to come.
When I was growing up, pinto beans and cornbread were a regular meal for my family. My mom would always soak cowboy beans overnight (and sometimes for two days) before cooking them. We loved them. It looked like a lot of work, because I saw her plan ahead for one of our favorite foods.
Also, I knew that whenever she made a pot of beans, we would eat them almost every day for a week.
However, I still enjoy cooking beans for my family now that I’m a mom and the main person in charge of making meals. Instead of planning for days on end how to make beans and then eating nothing but beans for a week, I just can beans for meals that are ready to eat.
I can dry beans at home and keep them on the shelf. Soaking beans is good for your health and gut, but it takes time. Our bean and cornbread meals are ready in less than 30 minutes, and we don’t have to eat the whole pot at once. We can eat them whenever we want.
Pinto beans are a versatile and nutritious staple to have in your pantry. Canning them yourself allows you to control the ingredients and sodium content. While the process may seem intimidating to beginners, it’s actually quite simple once you understand the steps. In this article, we’ll walk through everything you need to know about how long to pressure can pinto beans to get perfect results every time.
An Overview of Pressure Canning Pinto Beans
Pressure canning is the only safe method for canning low-acid foods like beans, meat, and vegetables It allows the contents to reach 240°F, killing any bacteria or pathogens that could cause spoilage or food poisoning.
The beans are soaked overnight, cooked until tender, ladled into sterilized jars, filled with hot liquid, and then sealed. The filled jars are placed in a pressure canner, brought up to a specific pressure depending on your altitude, and processed for a set period of time
Pressure canning ensures the beans are shelf-stable and safe to eat for 1-2 years when stored properly. It’s also more cost-effective than buying canned beans.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these simple steps for perfect pressure canned pinto beans every time:
1. Soak the Beans
Soak dry pinto beans for 12-24 hours prior to cooking and canning. This softens the beans, shortens cooking time, and improves digestibility.
Sort through the beans to remove any debris. Rinse them well. Place in a large bowl and cover with cool water by 2-3 inches. Let soak overnight.
2. Cook the Beans
Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Place them in a large pot and cover with fresh cool water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer until beans are fork tender, about 30-60 minutes.
Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and add more water if needed. Beans are done when easily crushed between two fingers.
3. Prep the Jars and Lids
While beans are cooking, prep your canning jars and lids. Wash them in hot, soapy water and rinse well. Place jars in a large pot of simmering water to keep hot until filling.
Simmer the lids in a small saucepan of water to soften the sealing compound. Leave in hot water until ready to use.
4. Fill the Jars
Once beans are cooked, drain and set aside. Fill canning jars with hot beans leaving 1 inch of headspace. Add 1 tsp salt to pints or 1⁄2 tsp to quarts, if desired.
Ladle hot cooking liquid or water over beans, maintaining 1 inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles with a chopstick. Wipe rims with a clean, damp cloth.
5. Apply Lids and Bands
Remove lids from hot water one at a time. Center lid on jar and screw band on just fingertip tight. Do not over tighten.
6. Process in a Pressure Canner
Place filled jars in canner fitted with 2-3 inches of simmering water in the bottom. Fasten lid securely.
Allow steam to vent 10 minutes before closing vent. Allow canner to reach designated pressure based on your altitude. Start timing when pressure is reached.
7. Cool and Test Seals
When processing time is complete, turn off heat. Allow canner to depressurize naturally. Wait 10 minutes before removing lid.
Remove jars from canner and cool undisturbed 24 hours. Check seals, then store jars in a cool, dark place up to 1 year.
How Long to Process Pinto Bean Jars
Processing time depends on jar size and your altitude. Follow these guidelines:
For dial-gauge canners:
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0-2,000 ft: 11 lbs pressure, 75 min for pints, 90 min for quarts
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2,001-4,000 ft: 12 lbs pressure, 80 min for pints, 95 min for quarts
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4,001-6,000 ft: 13 lbs pressure, 85 min for pints, 100 min for quarts
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6,001-8,000 ft: 14 lbs pressure, 90 min for pints, 105 min for quarts
For weighted-gauge canners:
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0-1,000 ft: 10 lbs pressure, 75 min for pints, 90 min for quarts
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Above 1,000 ft: 15 lbs pressure, 75 min for pints, 90 min for quarts
These processing times ensure the beans reach the 240°F needed to kill bacteria. Adjusting for altitude prevents jar breakage.
Tips for Success
Follow these tips for safely canned beans with perfect texture:
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Inspect canner, jars, and seals for defects before each use.
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Use new lids each time and allow jars to seal naturally.
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Cool jars completely before testing seals or removing bands.
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Handle filled jars carefully to prevent siphoning or jar breakage.
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Store properly sealed jars in a cool, dark place up to 1 year.
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Consume within 1-2 days after opening. Don’t re-can opened jars.
Enjoy Your Home Canned Pinto Beans!
Now you know exactly how long to process pint and quart jars of pinto beans in a pressure canner for safe, shelf-stable results. Pressure canning does require some special equipment and attention to detail. But with these instructions, you can successfully can beans for economical, home-cooked meals and sides your whole family will love.
Dry Canning or Pre-Cooking Beans for Canning
Once your beans are sorted and rinsed, its time to pre-cook them. For some people, the best way to dry beans is to put them in a jar, fill it with water, and pressure can it. I personally don’t like this method.
For one, you miss out on the benefits of soaking beans, which not only unlocks nutrients but also makes them much easier to digest. And for another thing, you risk overfilling your jars and having a jar break in the canner.
Because I don’t like throwing away food and I want my family to eat healthy food, I soak and cook our food ahead of time.
To soak beans, just put them in a pot of fresh water (we use filtered Berkey water) and let them sit there for 12 to 24 hours. I usually just soak them “overnight” which means about 5pm until after breakfast the next day.
Soak your beans, then drain them, put them back in the pot, and add clean water on top. This will pre-cook the beans. At every check, I like to make sure they have at least an inch of water around them. Also, dry beans lose a lot of water while they’re cooking, so make sure you check on them several times.
After adding enough water to cover them, bring the pot to a boil. Then, lower the heat to a simmer and let it cook for another 30 minutes.
This step of pre-cooking helps the beans reach their full size before they are canned, so they don’t grow much (if at all). This way, you can accurately fill your jars without having to worry about the beans spilling over, so you get more beans per jar!
Now your beans are ready to be canned! Put them in clean, hot jars, cover them with hot water and salt, and then pressure can them for 75 to 90 minutes, depending on the size of jar you are using.
If you are canning at more than 1,000 feet youll need to adjust your canning pressure. Whether you use a weighted or dial gauge pressure canner, you will need to make the following changes.
I’m using an All American Pressure canner, which uses a weighted gauge, and I’m also well below 1000 feet, so I can beans at 10 pounds pressure, but just in case youre at a different elevation, I wanted to include any changes you will need to make!
See the table below for altitude adjustments for canning dry beans:
How to Can Dry Beans
There is only one way to can dry beans, whether they are black beans, pinto beans, navy beans, or something else. If youve never pressure canned anything before, its a pretty simple process.
Ill break out each step in more detail, but heres a quick overview of canning dry beans:
- After sorting and washing the beans, put them in fresh water to soak overnight (12 to 24 hours).
- Strain and add fresh water to a pot of beans.
- Boil the beans, then let them cook for 30 minutes.
- Add the beans to the jars, then fill them up with water and a little salt. Finally, put on the two-part lids.
- Put the beans in a pressure canner, not a cooker, and process them for 75 minutes for pints or 90 minutes for quarts. *See the notes below for pressure settings based on altitude.
Please also enjoy this video on canning dry beans as well!
Pressure Canning Dried Pinto Beans | No Soak Method | Rebel Canning l Inspired by Kneady Homestead
FAQ
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