How to can beans without a pressure cooker

Canning green beans as well as other types of vegetables and fruits is a great way to preserve a summer harvest. The good news is that even without a pressure cooker you can still can your green beans by simply following these steps below.

Contents

• 1 Thoroughly Wash the Green Beans
• 2 Salt The Jars
• 3 Packing
• 4 Immerse Your Green Beans In A Pickling Mixture
• 5 Release Trapped Air
• 6 Clean Your Jar Rims
• 7 Place Cans in Water Bath
• 8 Tips For Canning Green Beans

Thoroughly Wash the Green Beans

The first thing you should do before you can the green beans is to thoroughly wash the beans, whether or not you are using a pressure canner. Make sure that you thoroughly wash the green beans in cold or cool water. After washing the beans lift them from the wash water and throw away any garden debris. Do not hesitate to rinse the beans over and over again. Whilst you are at it break off the end, the top part, and the tail as you wash them. When you are done washing the beans, snap them to the size that you want them to be. If you do not like the bite sizes you can leave them as they are or break them to jar length if they are too long.

Salt The Jars

After washing your green beans the next step will be salting your jars. Before you salt them make sure that the cans are clean. Do a thorough wash and then salt the jars. Add about half a teaspoon of salt to pint sized jars or a quart-sizes jars. Keep in mind that adding salt is optional, but we highly recommend that you do so. Adding salt will help retain the natural colour and texture of your canned product. You can use pickling salt and if you do not have pickling salt you can use kosher salt. Kosher salt is widely available and makes a great substitute. Take note that kosher salt will take a little longer to dissolve compared to pickling salt.

Packing

There are two ways of packing to consider for canning green beans without a pressure cooker. These two methods are hot packing or cold packing. If you choose to use the hot packing method, you must first boil your beans in hot water for five minutes or so. After the green beans are ready, drain the water and place your beans into the prepared jars. Many people prefer the hot packing method. However, if you prefer cold packing, you must simply fill your jars with raw and uncooked beans. The cold packing method is simple plus it is a much shorter process than hot packing.

Immerse Your Green Beans In A Pickling Mixture

The next step will be to immerse your beans in a pickling mixture. If you were using a pressure canner, you would then put some boiling water into the jars before placing the jars into a pressure canner. However, the process is a bit different if you are not making use of a pressure canner. At this stage you should pickle the green beans. In order to make the mixture, simply add vinegar, water, and some pickling salt and then pour the mixture over the green beans.

Release Trapped Air

Another essential step is releasing trapped air. In order to do this simply press on the beans or the lid of your jar so that you release any air that may be trapped in your jar. Releasing the trapped air will help preserve the shelf life of your green beans. It is not uncommon for air to be trapped between the green beans and the jar. After packing the beans ensure that there are no air bubbles or pockets of air inside the jars. If so, they must be removed. The best way to remove air bubbles or pockets of air in the jars is by placing a non-metallic spatula or plastic knife inside the canning jar between the green beans and the side of the jar. Gently press the spatula against the green beans in order to create a path for the trapped air to escape. Repeat that process several times around the inside of the jar. Sometimes air bubbles may not be visible because they can be trapped between pieces of beans but they must be removed. It is best to use the spatula each time to remove any invisible or visible air bubbles.

Clean Your Jar Rims

It is important to clean your jar rims before you place the lids on your jars. You should also ensure that the rims are clean and that they do not have any residue on them by wiping them down with a cloth. If you do not clean your jar rims well you risk bacteria growth in your canned green beans.

Place Cans in Water Bath

The last step when canning your green beans is placing them in water bath. Before you place them in hot water make sure that they are sealed properly. When you are done sealing your jars, place them in a heating bath for a reasonable amount of time, based on the size of your jars and the quantity of your jars. The average amount of time can be as little as five minutes or so in hot water.

Tips For Canning Green Beans

It is best to sterilize the tools and materials you will use when canning green beans. If you can sterilise your jars, rims and lids the better. Preparing  the jars in boiling water is crucial from a sanitation point of view. Plus there are many recipes that require that you soap-wash or boil the rims and seals as well. It is best to take time with prepping your tools and jars so that your end product will be shelf-safe for a long time. Another important tip is using unused seals. The lids with their seals are only good for one use. Once you’ve consumed all of the vegetables from the sealed jar, toss them or recycle them. Lastly, do not forget to check your jar for cracks or chips because that will prevent your lids from sealing properly.