Canning Black Beans

Step 1

Pick through the beans and get rid of rocks and broken beans and beans with holes in them and rinse well under running water.

Step 2

Place rinsed beans in a large pot or gallon jar. Add1 tablespoon of baking soda.

Step 3

Add enough water to cover by 3 inches.

Step 4

Let soak for 10 to 12 hours.

Step 5

Prepare your jars and lids and keep them hot until needed. Check the air vent and overlock on the canner lid to make sure they are not blocked.

Step 6

Drain the beans and discard soaking water. Rinse under running water.

Step 7

Put the beans in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil.

Step 8

Reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer the beans for 30 minutes.

Step 9

Using your canning funnel, spoon the hot beans into hot jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Do not pack them in tightly or shake them down. The beans will still expand a bit during processing.

Step 10

If you are adding salt, use ½ teaspoon in pints, ¾ teaspoon in 1 ½ pints and 1 teaspoon in quarts.

Step 11

Ladle the cooking liquid over beans leaving 1 inch headspace. Release the trapped air with a thin knife or bubble popper.

Step 12

Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean dry cloth or paper towel. Place lid. Screw rings on finger tight.

Step 13

Put proper amount of warm water in canner, adding a splash of white vinegar if you have hard water.

Step 14

Place jars in canner. Seal the canner lid and turn heat to high.

Step 15

Allow the canner to vent for the specified length of time for your canner.

Step 16

Now put the regulator on the air vent and bring it up to pressure. Once it has reached the required pressure, start your timer.

Step 17

Process pints at 10 pounds pressure for 75 minutes, process 1½ pints and quarts at 10 pounds pressure for 90 minutes.

Step 18

Don’t forget to adjust the processing pressure for your altitude.

Step 19

When the processing time is up, turn off the heat and allow the pressure to return to zero.

Step 20

Once the pressure is zero, remove the regulator and wait another 5 to 10 minutes before unsealing the lid.

Step 21

Make sure the lid is facing away from you when you open the canner.

Step 22

After processing, remove the jars from the canner and allow to sit undisturbed for a minimum of 12 hours.

Step 23

After 12 hours, check the seals, wash and label the jars, and put them away.