Canning Green Beans: From Garden to Canner

 We are busy with a bumper harvest this year in our garden. We have had more rain than usual and we are surely enjoying the rewards of it in our harvest. This is the earliest Green Bean harvest I believe we have ever had here in this location. We are so excited to be able to preserve the harvest and have it to eat next winter when the snow is on the ground. Canning has become a lost art in homemaking so as I told my young friend, I am doing my part to try and preserve the art and pass it along to the families who want to make it part of their life and memories.

Since my husband retired in January he has been able to spend more time in the garden and it really helps me out. We were picking our green beans, then heading straight to the kitchen to put up into fruit jars and then into the canner, fresh from the vine.

How To Can Green Beans In The Pressure Cooker

To answer some of the usual questions about my kitchen, yes the butcher block is an antique. I bought it at an auction over 40 years ago and have moved it from house to house with us. I hung the old Ice Tongs from the Ice House in my home town on the side and use it for paper towels. Also note that my cook stove has electric coil's and this is why I can continue to can in my big pressure cooker. We don't have natural gas in our area and one of those fancy glass tops will not support my cooker. Oh my goodness the things we compromise on in life.

Canning is one place that it really pays to be organized and have every step ready to move on to. Canning moves really fast, so it really pays to organize your tools before you begin. I have the green beans that have been washed, and snapped. Two different jar lifts, a nice funnel and tongs. The water is hot enough to sanitize so be very careful not to burn yourself, that is why you need these tools.

The first thing to do is check all of your jars and make sure there are no nicks in the top of the jar. Wash the jars and rinse them. I like to use my large roaster pan to sterilize the jars. Place the jars in a container and cover with water, bring the water to boil and boil for ten minutes. Keep the jars hot until ready to pack.

Wash your lids and rings then place them in a large pan cover with water. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes, this will sterilize the lids and rings. Keep warm until you pack and seal the jars.

When you take the jar out of the pan make sure you use the thongs so you don't contaminate the sterilized jar. Pack the green beans into the jar and push them down to make sure the jar is filled. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt over the beans. Pour boiling water into the jar, filling to within a inch of the top. With your thongs place the sterilized lid on the jar and then the ring. Twist the ring as tight as you can get it. 

Place the jars on top of the canning rack inside the pressure cooker. My cooker requires 3 quarts of boiling water to be poured into the cooker at this point. Then We close the lid.

It is very important to follow directions for your pressure cooker. My pressure cooker which is a Presto Canner and Cooker says that we should cook the Green Beans at 11 pounds pressure for 20 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let the pressure reduce naturally before removing the top. 

It is best to place your jars in a cool dry place to sit for 24 hours before removing them to store in the fruit and vegetable cellar or your pantry. Make sure that all the lids have sealed before storing for later use.

Yield: 7 Pints

Author: Miz Helen's Kitchen

Canned Green Beans

From the garden to the Pressure Cooker Fresh Greens Beans Preserved.

Ingredients

• 7 pints green beans, washed and snapped
• 3 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 7 pints boiling water for each jar
• 7 sterile canning jars, lids and rings

Instructions

1. Wash young, tender beans thoroughly. Remove stem and blossom ends or any strings. Leave whole or cut into 1-inch pieces.
2. Pack raw beans tightly in clean, hot canning jars, leaving 1-inch head space.
3. Place 1/2 teaspoon salt on top of the green beans.
4. Cover with boiling water, leaving 1-inch head space. Adjust jar lids.
5. Process at 11 pounds (for my pressure cooker) for 20 minutes for pints. 25 minutes for quarts.
6. Let the pressure go down naturally before opening the lid.

Notes:

It is very important to follow directions for your own pressure cooker, when using a pressure cooker.

Created using The Recipes Generator

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I am so happy you were able to spend some time in the kitchen with us today. I hope that you have been able to find some suggestions that will help you preserve your garden harvest, and pass along the art of canning.

Hope you have great canning days and come back to see us real soon!

Peace and Joy

Miz Helen

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