Baked Beans Canning isn’t just about preserving food; it’s about creating a cornerstone of comfort cuisine that’s always ready when you are. This guide delves into how to achieve perfectly preserved, flavorful baked beans, ensuring you have a hearty, satisfying meal waiting in your pantry, ready to be enjoyed with minimal effort.
Key Ingredients for Baked Beans Canning
- 2 pounds dried navy beans, sorted and rinsed thoroughly
- 1 pound bacon, diced
- 3 cups ketchup
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons dry mustard powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Water, as needed for soaking and processing
How to Make Baked Beans Canning
This recipe for baked beans canning offers a simple yet deeply satisfying way to enjoy classic baked beans. The magic lies in the slow cooking and the perfectly balanced sweet, tangy, and savory flavors. With just a few hours of hands-on time and then the canning process, you’ll have a pantry staple that’s both economical and incredibly tasty. Preparation time for the initial cooking is approximately 30 minutes, with 4-6 hours of simmering.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Soak the Beans: Place the rinsed dried navy beans in a large pot and cover them with plenty of cold water, about 3-4 inches above the beans. Let them soak overnight, or use the quick-soak method: cover beans with water, bring to a boil, and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans.
- Precook the Bacon: In a large, oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, cook the diced bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the pot.
- Sauté Aromatics (Optional but Recommended): If you wish to add a deeper flavor, you can sauté finely diced onion or garlic scraps in the bacon fat for a few minutes until softened.
- Combine Sauce Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, apple cider vinegar, dry mustard powder, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
- Layer the Beans: In your oven-safe pot, spread half of the soaked and drained beans. Layer the reserved crispy bacon over the beans. Top with the remaining beans.
- Add the Sauce: Pour the prepared sauce mixture evenly over the beans and bacon. Add enough water to just cover the beans (you may not need all the water from the soaking, or you might need a little extra). Stir gently to distribute the sauce.
- Slow Cook (Pre-Canning): Cover the pot tightly and place it in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C). Bake for 4 to 6 hours, or until the beans are tender and the sauce has thickened beautifully. Stir occasionally, adding a little more water if the mixture seems too dry.
- Prepare for Canning: Once the beans are tender and the sauce is perfectly thick and delicious, let the mixture cool slightly so it is easier to handle.
- Sterilize Jars and Lids: While the beans are cooling, prepare your canning equipment. Wash and sterilize your canning jars, lids, and bands according to manufacturer instructions. This typically involves boiling them. Keep jars hot until ready to fill.
- Fill the Jars: Ladle the hot baked beans into the sterilized jars, leaving a 1-inch headspace (the space between the top of the food and the rim of the jar). Remove any air bubbles by sliding a non-metallic spatula or bubble remover around the inside of the jar. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth to ensure a good seal.
- Apply Lids and Rings: Center the flat lids on top of the jars. Screw on the bands fingertip-tight – not so tight that air cannot escape.
- Process the Jars: Place the filled jars into a large canning pot (or a water bath canner) filled with enough boiling water to cover the jars completely by at least 1 inch. Bring the water back to a rolling boil. Process the jars for the recommended time for baked beans in a water bath canner, which is typically 75 minutes for pint jars and 90 minutes for quart jars, adjusting for altitude if necessary.
- Cool and Check Seals: Carefully remove the canner from the heat and let the jars sit in the hot water for 5 minutes. Then, carefully lift the jars out of the water and place them on a towel-lined surface to cool completely, undisturbed, for 12-24 hours. You will likely hear a “ping” as the lids seal.
- Inspect and Store: Once cool, check that the lids have sealed. The center of the lid should be concave and should not flex when pressed. Remove the bands, wipe the jars clean, and store them in a cool, dark pantry.
Why You’ll Love This Baked Beans Canning
You’ll fall head over heels for this baked beans canning recipe because it delivers that beloved, slow-cooked baked bean flavor with unparalleled pantry convenience. The star is the perfect balance of sweet molasses, tangy ketchup, and smoky bacon goodness that defines this classic comfort food. Not only does this homemade version taste infinitely better than any store-bought alternative, but the cost savings of canning your own supply are significant, turning a humble batch of dried beans into dozens of ready-to-eat meals over time.
Imagine the satisfaction of opening a jar of these rich, flavorful baked beans on a weeknight, knowing you’ve transformed simple ingredients into a hearty dish that rivals any restaurant’s. Unlike the often-too-sweet versions you might have tried, our baked beans canning recipe strikes that perfect savory-sweet chord, with a texture that’s tender yet holds its shape. So, gather your ingredients and get ready to fill your pantry with this incredibly versatile and delicious staple – you won’t regret it!
Storing and Reheating Tips
Proper storage is key to enjoying your baked beans canning creations for months to come.
- Storage: Once processed and sealed, store the jars of baked beans in a cool, dark, and dry place, such as a pantry or cellar, at temperatures between 50-70°F (10-21°C). Properly canned baked beans can last for at least 12-18 months and retain optimal quality for up to 2 years. Ensure jars are properly sealed before storing.
- Reheating: To reheat:
- Stovetop: Pour the contents of a jar into a saucepan. Heat gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. You may add a splash of water or broth if the beans seem too thick.
- Microwave: Transfer the desired amount of baked beans to a microwave-safe dish. Heat on medium power, stirring every few minutes, until heated through.
- Oven: For a larger batch or to achieve a slightly crisper top (if you added breadcrumbs before recommitting), you can transfer contents to an oven-safe dish, cover, and heat at 350°F (175°C) until thoroughly heated.
Final Thoughts
Mastering baked beans canning is a rewarding endeavor that brings incredible flavor and convenience to your kitchen. Embrace this tradition, and enjoy the satisfaction of having delicious, homemade baked beans ready for any meal, anytime.
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- Pickled Mixed Vegetables (Giardiniera)
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- our Pinterest
Baked Beans Canning
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Place the rinsed dried navy beans in a large pot and cover them with plenty of cold water, about 3-4 inches above the beans. Let them soak overnight, or use the quick-soak method: cover beans with water, bring to a boil, and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans.2 pounds dried navy beans, Water
- In a large, oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, cook the diced bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the pot.1 pound bacon
- If you wish to add a deeper flavor, you can sauté finely diced onion or garlic scraps in the bacon fat for a few minutes until softened.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, apple cider vinegar, dry mustard powder, salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.3 cups ketchup, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup molasses, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons dry mustard powder, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- In your oven-safe pot, spread half of the soaked and drained beans. Layer the reserved crispy bacon over the beans. Top with the remaining beans.2 pounds dried navy beans, 1 pound bacon
- Pour the prepared sauce mixture evenly over the beans and bacon. Add enough water to just cover the beans (you may not need all the water from the soaking, or you might need a little extra). Stir gently to distribute the sauce.Water
- Cover the pot tightly and place it in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C). Bake for 4 to 6 hours, or until the beans are tender and the sauce has thickened beautifully. Stir occasionally, adding a little more water if the mixture seems too dry.Water
- Once the beans are tender and the sauce is perfectly thick and delicious, let the mixture cool slightly so it is easier to handle.
- While the beans are cooling, prepare your canning equipment. Wash and sterilize your canning jars, lids, and bands according to manufacturer instructions. This typically involves boiling them. Keep jars hot until ready to fill.
- Ladle the hot baked beans into the sterilized jars, leaving a 1-inch headspace (the space between the top of the food and the rim of the jar). Remove any air bubbles by sliding a non-metallic spatula or bubble remover around the inside of the jar. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth to ensure a good seal.
- Center the flat lids on top of the jars. Screw on the bands fingertip-tight – not so tight that air cannot escape.
- Place the filled jars into a large canning pot (or a water bath canner) filled with enough boiling water to cover the jars completely by at least 1 inch. Bring the water back to a rolling boil. Process the jars for the recommended time for baked beans in a water bath canner, which is typically 75 minutes for pint jars and 90 minutes for quart jars, adjusting for altitude if necessary.
- Carefully remove the canner from the heat and let the jars sit in the hot water for 5 minutes. Then, carefully lift the jars out of the water and place them on a towel-lined surface to cool completely, undisturbed, for 12-24 hours. You will likely hear a “ping” as the lids seal.
- Once cool, check that the lids have sealed. The center of the lid should be concave and should not flex when pressed. Remove the bands, wipe the jars clean, and store them in a cool, dark pantry.