Canning Greenbeans

Greenbeans are probably the one vegetable we can the most of each year. It is so good and so easy to put up. From garden to canned in the same day most of the time.

First, you need to get your jars ready. If they are new or if they have been put up but not covered with a lid or plastic wrap, you will need to sterilize the jars. This is done by washing them in the dish washer or by hand.

Also, if this is an old canner, make sure the seal (in the lid) is still good and nothing is blocking the spout. You can run some water through it to make sure it is cleared.

Now it’s time to start on your fresh greenbeans. If they are really dirty, go ahead and rinse them off with water and let them air dry. We usually spread them out an newspaper to dry .

Next, you need to string and snap the beans. Not all Greenbeans will have a string. The white 1/2 runners do have strings, but some varieties of the bush beans do not. In those cases, you still need to take the ends off.

After you have them strung and snapped to the size you want, you need to “wash” them. I do this with regular tap water. I rinse them a minimum of two times until the water doesn’t look dirty anymore.

Now we can get these in the the jars and then in the Pressure canner. For canning greenbeans, you will need the following:

Greenbeans

Pressure canner

Jars

Lids and rings

Jar funnel (not mandatory but can be helpful)

Salt & measuring spoon

Water ( tap water is fine)

A tool to take the jars out of the hot canner

A tool to take lids out of boiling water

Pan to boil water in

The canner I use takes 7 quart jars. I get out my jars and lids. I put the lids in the pan with some water to boil. Just bring it up to a boil and turn it off. You don’t have to do this step, but it gets the lids warmed up and you have a better chance of them sealing on the jars.

Now we can put beans in the jars.

After the jars are filled, put 1 teaspoon of salt per quart jar.

Next, add tap water leaving about 1/2 inch or so head space.

My canner calls for 3 quarts of water. (Make sure to follow your canners instructions.). Sometimes I put the water in first and sometimes last. When putting it in first, I put the water in the pressure canner and then put each jar in, as I get them ready. I also go ahead and turn the stove on high so it can be warming up while I am doing this step. It doesn’t matter what jar goes in what position or what goes where first. Just put them all in the pressure canner once they are ready to go. (You can even put the jars in first and then add the water and then turn it on. It really doesn’t make a Difference at all.)

A few years after I had my canner I wrote on the inside lid of the box how long I needed to leave the Greenbeans under pressure and at what pressure because we did do so many beans and I wanted to make sure I was doing it right without having to take the book out every time.

So, I leave it on high letting the pressure start building. Once a little steam starts coming out of the spout, I put the weight on. I don’t know why I wait, you can really do it before. I guess it’s because I know it is getting close and time to take notice.

Once it has enough pressure to start building pounds of pressure, the other spout will come up.

I then let the pressure build and keep it between 10 to 15 pounds of pressure for a full 15 minutes (I actually set a timer) and then once the 15 minutes are done, turn it off and let it cool down.

While your are watching the pressure canner, you will have to adjust the heat along the way. I know, on mine, when I need to turn it to medium and when I can turn it off and it will still stay warm while continuing to be at the pressure point for the time I need. (I have a glass top stove.). You will learn your pressure canner and stove too, the more you use them.

Once the pressure is back at zero and the spout has gone back down, you can take the stopper off and make sure that no other pressure is in there.

Now you can open the lid and take out the jars. I use a tool to take these out. Some use an oven mitt or towel.

I put the jars on a newspaper or towel, when taking them out, to protect my countertops.

Now you wait for the pop. These jars may still be boiling and that is okay. Once they start cooling and sealing, the lid will make a pop sound which shows that it has just sealed. The lid will no longer have a little jump in the center and will be flat all the way across. Remember these are extremely hot, so please don’t touch them yet. Once they are cooled, if you have any that didn’t seal, put them in the frig and eat them.

That’s it! You are now good to go! Oh…. one more tip. I always write the date on the lid and/or the box, if you store them in a box, so that the oldest are eaten first.

Good luck on your canning! I know you will enjoy having put some up to eat later. They are so tasty!