How To Can Beans

It’s canning season again, and today I will show you how to can beans. This time of year is my favorite because I get to go pick fresh vegetables from my gardens. When I start getting so many that we can’t eat fresh, I then start canning them to have for the rest of the year. Canning is a great way to preserve your fresh fruits and vegetables to have year round. Canning has been in my family for years and I hope to pass it onto my own children. Canning your own fruits and vegetables is a way to have fresh food and a fraction of the cost. Store bought fruits and vegetables in a can, is full of sugar and preservatives and not healthy for you. So today I will show you step by step how I can my beans fresh from my garden.

Before you begin, check your canner to make sure your seal is not cracked. Next, wash your canner with hot water. Wash all your jars and canning covers with hot water.

1.       After picking your beans start snipping off the ends.

2.       Cut or snap your beans into pieces and place in a colander.

3.       Rinse your beans off under the water.

4.       Put your cut beans in a large kettle with water and boil them for 5 minutes.

5.       While your beans are cooking boil another kettle of water to pour over your beans.

6.       After the beans have boiled for 5 minutes start filling your jars. Press your beans in your jars filling them to about ¼ inch from the top. Add your canning salt. I use ½ teaspoon of canning salt for each pint jar.

7.       Pour your boiling hot water over the top of your beans filling them to about 1/8 inch from the top. Place a knife done the sides of the jars to release the air bubbles.

8.       Boil your canning lids and place them on your jars and screw the covers on tightly.

9.       Place your jars in your canner and put in the correct amount of water for canning. (Check your canner directions for this).

10.   Place cover on tightly with the pressure gauge on the correct setting for canning beans. (Again check your canning direction book). My canner asked for 10 pounds of pressure for 20 minutes.

11.   Watch your pressure gauge and when it starts giggling start your timer. Make sure the pressure gauge giggles every 15 to 20 seconds to keep the pressure going.

12.   After 20 minutes remove canner from the burner and let stand for 1 hour before opening your canner. You want to let the canner cool down before opening. Take a pot holder and check that the pressure has been released before opening the canner.

13.   Use your can lifter and remove your jars. Place them onto some pot holder to cool. Let them stand for 24 hours before removing covers. Take a permanent marker label and date your jars. Place in a cool dry place to be eaten at a later date.

Canning is a great way to preserve foods. I use a Mirror Canner for large batches and a smaller Mirror Canner that was handed down to me from my grandmother. If your family is bigger this is a great way to save money on fruits and vegetables. Canning is a tradition in my family and I love growing and preserving what I grow. I hope you enjoyed my canning beans  from Suzie Homemaker.

How to Can Carrots

                Welcome back to another Suzie Homemakers helpful tips and ideas. Today I would like to show you how to can carrots. This time of year my canners are going non-stop so I can have fresh produce all winter long. I dug up my carrots a couple of days before I started processing them. I ended up with over two 5 gallon pails full. To make things easier, I pulled off all the tops and cleaned off as much dirt as I possibly could. Now it’s time for my hands to turn orange and to process my carrots.

Step#1

                Put your carrots in the sink and wash off any remaining dirt. Cut off the ends and any bad parts of the carrots. Next you can start peeling and cutting the carrots into thin or thick pieces. Some carrots I froze and some I left just for eating raw.

Step#2

                Wash your jars with hot soapy water and rinse well. Always check your jars for any cracks or chips by running your finger around the tops. Never use jars that are chipped or cracked because they will not seal correctly.  Put your cut up carrots in a big kettle and boil them for 5 minutes. While the carrots are boiling take another kettle and boil some water for pouring over your carrots in your jars.

Step#3

                Take a funnel to put into your jars this makes it easier for filling. I like to pack my carrots tight so I push them down inside the jars. Leave a good half inch from the top of your jars for space. Once you know how many jars you have to can boil your lids. Next I add ¼ tsp. of canning salt to each jar, depending on how much salt you want in your carrots you can always add more. Pour your boiling water into your jars to about a ¼ inch from the top to cover your carrots. Take a knife down the sides of the jars to release the air bubbles and add more boiling water as needed. Take your lids that have been boiling, put on your jars and screw on the covers tightly.

Step#4

                Take your sealed jars and place them in your canners very carefully. Check your canner's directions to see how much water is needed for processing your vegetables.  In my Mirror canners, I put enough water in so it comes to about half way up my jars. Again check your canning directions for Pressure temperature and time needed for canning carrots. My pressure temperature was 10 pounds for 25 minutes.

Step#5

                When your canner is done push off the burner and let stand for 1 hour before opening. Never open your canner until it is completely cooled down and the pressure is down. How I check if my canner is ready to be opened is by pulling up the pressure gage slowly to release the steam. Take off the canner cover facing away from you because the steam will be very hot. Use a can lifter to remove the jars and place on some pot holders to cool.  As the jars cool you will hear some popping this will tell you your jars are sealing. Let your jars cool for 24 hours before your take off the covers then press down on your jars to make sure they have sealed correctly.  Take your canned goods and put in a cool dry place to be eaten whenever you want.  To me, canning is fun and a nice way to save money.  This is just one of many vegetables that I can over the summer and early fall. This was one way I have my children help and learn all about canning and how to save money. Have fun canning from Suzie Homemaker.

Different Types of Canners

Pressure Cookers and Water Bath Canners

               

Hi, and welcome back to Suzie Homemakers helpful tips on canning. Today I would like to talk about different types of canners and when to use them. Canning is a fun and easy way to have fresh fruits and vegetables year round. I received my first canner from my mother, which was from my grandmother, and I still use it today. I was taught from a young age how to can and I still enjoy doing it today. Now, with the fruits and vegetables ready to pick soon, I would like to give you some of my helpful tips. In later blog posts I will be showing step by step how I can different fruits and vegetables.

Canning Jars

                

There are many kinds of canning jars you can buy or find at garage sales fairly reasonable. Some people like the wide mouth jars and some prefer the regular mouth jars.  If you buy them at a garage sale make sure you check the jars for chips or cracks, these you can’t use because they will not seal. I prefer the regular mouth jars because the lids are much cheaper.  Wide mouth jars are great for fruit. Depending on your preference you can use either pint of quart jars. I tend to use the pints for vegetable and the quarts for fruit.

Pressure Cookers

               

Use pressure cookers for nonacid foods- for processing meats and vegetables ,except for tomatoes which are acidy. There are many types of pressure canners to pick from it all depends on how much you want to spend. I have two Mirro Pressure Canners one for pints and one for quarts. Pressure canners can range from 50 to over 200 hundred dollars. Check your local Walmart or hardware store for cheaper models or go online to (http://www.pressurecooker-outlet.com/)

Water Bath Canners

               

Water bath canners are used for canning fruits and tomatoes. Check your local thrift shops of garage sales for these, just make sure they have a jar rack or pan for the jars to sit in. If you want a new water bath canner check Walmart, your local hardware store or go online to (http://www.freshpreservingstore.com/ball-freshtech-electric-water-bath-canner-and-multi-cooker-21-qt/shop/633895/)

Have fun canning and preserving your food.  Enjoy your fresh fruits and vegetables year round.

Happy Canning from Suzie Homemaker!