Canning beans at home is a great way to preserve beans to enjoy all year long. Canned beans are versatile, nutritious, and can be stored for up to a year when properly processed. While traditional water bath canning is effective, using an Instant Pot can make home canning quicker, easier, and more convenient. The Instant Pot functions as an electric pressure cooker, allowing beans to be safely canned at higher temperatures to kill bacteria and microorganisms. This results in shelf-stable canned beans that are prepared right in your own kitchen.
Benefits of Canning Beans
Canning beans at home has many advantages:
- Preserves fresh beans to enjoy all year long
- Saves money compared to buying canned beans
- Customize flavors with your own seasonings
- Control sodium content
- Make large batches for meals and storage
- Provides shelf-stable pantry staple
- Canned beans last up to a year when properly processed
Having a supply of canned beans enables you to quickly make soups, chilis, tacos, bean salads, and more using home-preserved ingredients.
Safety Tips for Canning Beans
When canning any low-acid foods like beans, it is important to follow proper procedures to prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum bacteria and its toxins. Here are some key safety tips:
- Use a tested canning recipe and follow instructions precisely
- Use a pressure canner for proper heat processing
- Start with high-quality dried beans
- Inspect jars and lids for defects before using
- Wash and sterilize jars before filling
- Use new lids each time you can
- Allow for headspace in jars as directed
- Process filled jars at required pressure and time
- Check jar seals after processing
- Label jars with contents and date
- Store properly, away from temperature extremes
- Check for spoilage before eating
Following validated recipes and procedures prevents the growth of bacteria that cause botulism, ensuring the safety of your home canned beans.
Choosing Beans for Canning
You can preserve most types of dried beans by canning with an Instant Pot. Some good options include:
- Pinto beans
- Black beans
- Kidney beans
- Garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
- Cannellini beans
- Navy beans
- Great northern beans
- Lima beans
Avoid canning fresh shell beans or soybeans at home. Dried beans are shelf-stable and easier to process. Pick over beans and rinse before soaking and canning.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Canning beans in an Instant Pot follows a similar process as stovetop pressure canning but without needing a dedicated pressure canner. Here are step-by-step instructions:
1. Soak beans
– Pick over dried beans, discarding any stones, debris or damaged beans. Rinse well.
– Place beans in a large pot and cover with water by 2-3 inches. Soak 8-12 hours or overnight.
– Drain and rinse soaked beans.
2. Prepare cans
– Wash canning jars in hot, soapy water. Rinse well and place in a large pot with enough water to cover them. Bring to a simmer and heat for 10 minutes to sterilize.
– Leave jars in hot water until ready to fill.
– Heat new lids in a small pan of hot (not boiling) water to soften rubber sealing compound.
3. Cook beans
– Add drained soaked beans to the Instant Pot inner pot.
– Fill pot with water until beans are covered by 1-2 inches.
– Secure lid on pressure cooker. Select high pressure setting and set cook time according to bean type:
– Black beans: 25 minutes
– Kidney beans: 30 minutes
– Pinto beans: 45 minutes
– Navy beans: 55 minutes
– Great northern beans: 60 minutes
– Allow natural pressure release. Remove lid.
4. Fill jars
– Remove jars from hot water with jar lifter tongs. Ladle hot beans into jars leaving 1 inch headspace.
– Add boiling water from cooking liquid if needed to fill in around beans, leaving headspace.
– Remove air bubbles by sliding a chopstick down the sides of the jar. Wipe jar rims with a clean, damp cloth.
– Center lids on jars and screw on bands just until fingertip tight.
5. Pressure can
– Place filled jars in Instant Pot inner pot using a jar lifting rack.
– Add 2 cups of water to pot. Lock lid in place.
– Select high pressure setting and set time based on jar size:
– Pints: 75 minutes
– Quarts: 90 minutes
– Allow pressure to fully release naturally.
– Carefully remove jars from pot and let sit at room temperature 24 hours.
6. Test seals
– After jars have cooled 24 hours, check seals by pressing down on center of each lid. Lid should not flex up and down.
– Remove screw bands. Try lifting jars by their lids. Sealed jars will stay together, while unsealed jars will separate from their lids.
– Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used within 2-3 days. Reprocess unsealed jars using new lids if desired.
7. Store
– Wipe down and label sealed jars with contents and canning date.
– Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight for up to 1 year.
– Check for spoilage before eating and discard any leaking, bulging or damaged jars. Enjoy your homemade canned beans!
Tips and Variations
– Add seasonings like onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin or oregano to the bean pot for extra flavor.
– Try a small batch first to get the hang of canning beans in an Instant Pot before making large batches.
– Allowing beans to soak longer than the minimum recommended time can help them become more tender during pressure canning.
– Glass canning jars can be reused if properly cleaned and sterilized between uses. Always use new lids.
– Use caution when opening lid after pressure canning, asContents will be very hot.
– Let pressure fully release and allow jars to cool before handling to prevent boil overs or burns.
– If desired, canned beans can be stored without their screw bands to inspect seals, but bands help protect the seals during storage.
– Be sure to vent and clean the Instant Pot sealing ring regularly when using for canning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you need to pressure can beans?
Beans are low-acid foods, meaning they have a pH higher than 4.6. This environment allows the growth of the Clostridium botulinum bacteria which can produce toxins leading to botulism poisoning. Using a pressure canner heats beans to 240-250°F, high enough to kill this bacteria and make the beans shelf stable.
Can all types of beans be canned using an Instant Pot?
Most common varieties of dried beans can be successfully canned with an Instant Pot, including pinto, black, kidney, garbanzo, cannellini, navy and more. Avoid canning soybeans or fresh shell beans.
Is it safe to modify the processing time or pressure?
No, it is not recommended to make any changes to the prescribed processing time or pressure in a canning recipe. Increasing or decreasing the processing time or pressure could lead to improperly canned beans and increase the risk of foodborne illness. Always follow trusted recipes exactly.
How do you know if your canned beans have sealed properly?
After processing and cooling jars for 24 hours, check that jar lids are concave and do not flex up and down when pressed. Try lifting jars by their lids – properly sealed jars will stay together. Unsealed jars can be refrigerated for short term use or reprocessed with new lids within 24 hours.
Can you substitute pint jars for quart jars or vice versa?
No, substitutions cannot be made between pint and quart jar sizes as the processing time differs between sizes. Use only the jar size specified in the recipe and adjust processing time accordingly for best safety.
How long will properly canned instant pot beans last?
Home canned beans that have been processed correctly will last for up to 1 year when stored in a cool, dark place. Always inspect jars for signs of spoilage prior to use and discard any that look damaged or improperly sealed.
Conclusion
Canning beans using an Instant Pot is an easy, convenient method for preserving beans to enjoy all year. Following proper canning procedures allows you to safely can beans at home with minimal equipment. Pressure canning beans enables them to be shelf stable while maintaining their nutrition, flavor, and versatility in recipes. With some simple instructions, you can stock your pantry with Instant Pot canned beans full of homemade taste.