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Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Canning Pork N Beans


My garden is pretty much finished, still getting a little okra and peppers once in awhile, but nothing to can... so when I got the itch to can something recently, I headed towards my dry bean stock... Pork 'n' Beans!

Here's what I did...

I recently learned from a reader that there is an easier way to can beans than to soak overnight, cook part way and can... this is so easy and turns out so nicely, I'll never go back to the traditional way ever again!

For 8 pint jars of pork 'n' beans...

I used about 2 pounds (+ or -) of dried Navy beans...

In each hot, sterilized pint canning jar, I added

1/2 cup Navy beans (just dry, straight out of the bag! Well, actually, I DID rinse and sort through them)

I chopped two medium onions and divided them evenly among the 8 jars (something like 2-3 Tablespoons of onion per jar)

In a large stainless steel saucepan I mixed my sauce using...


2-15 oz. cans tomato sauce (you could use homemade)


1/4 cup brown sugar


3/4 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard


2 tablespoons molasses (you could use honey, corn syrup... or any other liquid sweetener)
3 cups water

I brought this mixture to a boil, stirring to make sure everything was dissolved.




I added one cup of the sauce to each pint jar of beans. At this point, 1/2 teaspoon of salt could be added to each jar, I chose to leave out the salt because I added, instead, a small piece of salt pork to each jar (fatback or bacon can be used)


Next I filled the remainder of each jar with boiling water, leaving a generous one inch headspace.

I wiped my jar rims with a damp cloth and tightened on my hot lids to fingertip tightness, then processed the jars in my pressure canner at 10 lbs. pressure for 75 minutes.

After processing, I allowed my canner to cool naturally and the pressure to drop to zero... then waited 10 more minutes before removing the weighted gauge and taking the lid off the canner.

Then I removed the jars from the canner using my jar lifter... setting them on a folded dish towel on the counter to cool and to listen for the PING of each successfully sealed jar. Yay!


Pork 'N' Beans! Great with so many things... an easy side dish for an easy quick meal!

For a printable copy of this recipe, click here.

156 comments:

  1. Wow, I never thought to can pork n beans. We eat a lot of them. Your method does sound easy, no soaking? I need to do this once my garden quits.

    Although I am still new to using my pressure canner and when I canned stewed tomatoes this past weekend I was so nervous during the 15 minute processing, 75 minutes might give me a heart attack! lol

    I've never heard of salt pork, where do you find it in your grocery store?

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    Replies
    1. I find salt pork (or fatback) with the cured meats like country ham, etc. You won't have a heart attack... if you can do 15 minutes, you can do 75! LOL! ~~Granny

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    2. Just finished pc my pork and beans and they turned out beautiful except I left out one little thing and it was the molasses.I will just add a little to each jar when I open them I am vision challenged and I did not see that part. How do I know cause the molasses was setting on the counter unopened. . thank you for such a wonderful recipe. I also just did plain navy beans and they looked so good I wen ahead and opened a jar. All I need was corn bread, but at 2 am I an not firing up the oven to cook.

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    3. Dear Granny: I used your recipe and have just finished with eight pints of beans. I opted not to use and pork as I do not eat it. I used honey for sweeter. My only error was not adding enough water to the sauce. I ran a little short on sauce. However I think 4 cups of water is better and will use that next time. I weighed out the ingredients for each jar, as that's the way commercial canners do ingredients. I did four ounces of washed and sorted beans, 50 grams of chopped onions in each jar, then a cup of sauce which I tailored to my liking. I followed you instructions to the letter as to canning and ALL eight of my jars have now gone "ping." Thanks for a GREAT recipe for beans that I can eat on the diet I must follow.

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    4. Yes, don’t they call them Shellie beans? My very last green beans after I canned 25 qts, I left them on the plants for seeds after they got fat and stringy, but they produced a lot so I’m shelling some too.

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  2. Love this idea! I have a list of canned bean recipes from an amish cookbook that I want to try. I found pinto beans in 10lb bags for $2.10 a bag!!! Time to get canning. Thanks for the tutorial!!

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  3. I have been wanting to try canning beans, but your recipe sounds so much better. No soaking and they come out as if you soaked and canned them? I am going to have to try this, THANK YOU.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes! It's a wonderful time saver! Like I said, I'll never go back to soaking! ~~Granny

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  4. Pint jars - yes? They kind of look like quart jars...just want to be sure! Yum.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, these are pint jars... you could do quarts, just double all the ingredients and process for 90 minutes instead of 75. ~~Granny

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    2. Rihtaš mal? Rihtaš?

      Cooking a little? Cooking?

      Delete
  5. Thank you! My husband loves pork and beans but has high blood pressure and the store bought ones are so high in sodium that it runs his b/p through the roof. I would never have thought of canning them. I will now as I can control the salt.

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  6. The problem with canning them this way is: the soaking and pre-cooking is the way to release the gas so you don't suffer when you eat them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I suffer even when I soak them! LOL! But I eat them anyway! ~~Granny

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    2. Add a pinch of powdered ginger to each jar. Won't change the flavor and takes care of the gas!

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    3. Two more ways to avoid gas. per one pound dry beans-add 1 teaspoon white vinegar.
      If soaking add 1/8 teaspoonful baking soda per pound of beans.
      This applies to all dry beans.

      Delete
  7. I do not have a pressure canner, can I do this using a regular pot and boil for extra amount of time? Love your blog!!!!

    Jacqueline

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry Jacqueline, beans are low acid and MUST be pressure canned, no way 'round it! ~~Granny

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  8. I have the same question as Jacqueline - can this be done without a pressure cooker?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry Non-Stop, beans are low acid and MUST be pressure canned, no way 'round it! ~~Granny

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    2. Well, darn it then! I've been wanting to get a pressure cooker, but I just can't justify the expense right now. Maybe in a couple of months....

      Thanks! :)

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    3. Non-Stop ask around you will probably be able to find someone who has one they never use. Just replace the rubber seal and blow out plug.

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    4. the other day I got to thinking about the weiners and beans my mom used to can. We would buy a case of weiners (the ones that weren't good enough to sell in packs cause they were too long or too short or whatever)and my mom would can like 15 jars or more at a time. I came looking here for recipes cause I want to do it, and saw this question. My Mom never had a pressure canner, ever. All our canning was done in a regular canner pot. I don't remember her procedure or recipe, but whatever it was, they worked fine.

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    5. Then you're very, very fortunate t-anne. There is a reason why pressure canners were developed. Lots of people died of food poisoning and botulism back in "the day", and unsafe food preservation practices, such as using the "open kettle" method you refer to, was one reason why.

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  9. I can see me using the white green bean seeds that have matured in the garden and the tomatoes that I have run out of ways to can.
    As far as gas from this method, well you have to have some entertainment in the winter.
    Sounds like a good way to use some left overs out in the garden. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I agree, can we use a hot water bath instead of pressure cooker? Please let me know..Thanks Struttin_1948@yahoo.com (Sarah)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry Sarah, beans are low acid and MUST be pressure canned, no way 'round it! ~~Granny

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  11. I bought a pressure cooker years ago at a yard sale. I have never even used it because once I did some research online I got scared! It probably needs a new seal by now and I have no idea where to get one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Check at your local hardware store or Google the brand and model and you may be able to find replacement parts online. ~~Granny

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    2. Thanks; I will have to dig it out of the attic and see what I can find.

      How do I know if it needs to be replaced? (Other than visible cracks, of course!)

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    3. Visible cracks, of course, also if its flexibility seems dried out. You can have your local Ag extension office check it over or some hardware stores do canner checks. ~~Granny

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    4. Thanks again! I am looking forward to more of your emails! :)

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    5. Take the top of your canner to the local Ag Extension Office. They will test the seal, plug and gauge for you and tell you if it needs replacing (or how far the gauge is off so you may need to adjust your heat or time.)

      Judith Inge

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  12. Thanks for letting me know...just sorry I can't fix these..they sound sooo good!

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  13. wondering what they'd taste like with out the piece of pork? Hubby said he's game!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sure they'd be great without the pork... they just won't be pork n beans, LOL! They'll be beans in tomato sauce? Go for it! ~~Granny

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    2. Misty, I would just call them Pork-less Beans!!! that's how a new recipe is born!

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  14. I put bacon in my beans...How much raw bacon can I chunk up and put in my jars and does it effect the processing time?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The process time is the same as that for meat... so bacon away! However much you want to add won't affect the process time at all. ~~Granny

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  15. This looks great. I really appreciate your "ministry" with those of us who have never learned to can from our granny! I hope you don't mind, but I posted a link to your blog over on mine for a post I did on preparedness.
    Blessings,
    Gayle from Behind the Gate

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Gayle! And yes, please share wherever you wish! I appreciate it. ~~Granny

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  16. Thank you for posting this one! I used your chicken canning recipe last night for my first pressure canning adventure and they came out great! Your post on chicken gave me the confidence to tackle it! Good to know that I can now make pork & beans to go with that chicken. By-the-way, how long do canned meats last? Some sites say 6 months, others 12????

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Canned meats will keep at LEAST a year... probably more like 2-5 years... as long as they are processed and stored properly. ~~Granny

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  17. Ingenious!

    You've been nominated for a Beautiful Blogger Award. :-)

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  18. I want to tell you I am just thrilled to see this recipe. I have been wanting to make my own pork and beans for a long time...Everyone would say,"Just open a can from the store". I found your site a couple weeks ago and am so excited to be learning so much. Thank you "Granny"!!

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    Replies
    1. You are welcome Mary Ann and Thank YOU for stopping by! ~~Granny

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  19. a pressure cooker is on my wish list...will have to wait as I just ordered a dehydrator. Wondering if someone call tell me how may lbs or cups a gallon of tomatoes is as I want to make the sloppy joe recipe, thanks in advance and love granny's recipes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Let's see, Sande, there are 2 cups in a pint... 2 pints in a quart, so that make 4 cups... and there are 4 quarts in a gallon... so that makes... 16 cups! (my math is not always good, but I'm pretty sure that's right!) ~~Granny

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  20. Every time I have tried to do pork and beans they turn out crunchy, like they have not cooked long enough. Is there any suggestions you might have?? The processing times are the same as yours and so are the beans. Btw love your blog!!!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! Mine turned out nice and soft... I don't know what could be happening to you! ~~Granny

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    2. If you are on city water, the chemicals can make it harder for your beans to process. ALSO, the older the beans the more they calcify. Maybe you are using very old beans..

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    3. Hey, Char. Sometimes salt can react funny with beans. If your beans are coming out too hard, skip salt pork and just add a little ham instead. Don't add any salt. Process and store. Then add salt to your taste when you open them up and heat them for eating. - Melanie

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    4. See my post below regarding safety of this method. Not all beans, depending on age of beans and other factors, will absorb the same amount of water and your beans may be underprocessed, making them unsafe to eat.

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    5. I just canned some a few weeks ago... mine were a little harder, (but glad they weren't mushy) so I just cooked on stopping email maybe 7 more or so minutes. Turned out great!!

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  21. Canning Granny...you are my hero. I am so going to try this.
    Thanks from another canning granny

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    Replies
    1. Aw shucks, Mamma Bear, tweren't nuthin'! ;-) Seriously, thanks so much! ~~Granny

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  22. Oh this looks so delicious! Great photos too. Thank you so much for linking up to our blog hop!

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  23. I wonder if this would work for ham bean soup, too... Just tossing in the dried beans and a little ham, then processing for 90 minutes?

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    1. Oh, yes, that sounds delicious! I'm sure it would work just the same. ~~Granny

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    2. Oh yes it works perfectly, I also can Cajun red beans with andouille sausage as well as great northern and navy beans with ham carrots onions and celery, and pink beans with little Smokie sausages.. My husband loves each of these equally especially if I mix up a quick batch of cornbread—Helen

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  24. I just made these and they don't have any liquid left in the jar when done. The tomato part looks more like paste in the jar. Is that the way it should look?

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    Replies
    1. A couple of mine look that way too... after they had cooled for a few days, I kinda shook them up a little and they were liquidy inside, the thick part was just against the inside of the jar. ~~Granny

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  25. Whew! okay! It was my first time pressure canning!

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  26. Cabbage canning recipes, not kraut? I prefer withcurry. For high altitude. 6500 . Don't know how long to to cook.

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    Replies
    1. Follow instructions for "Leafy Greens" pints would be 70 minutes at 12-13 psi (90 min for quarts)

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  27. I love this idea, I need a pressure caner but what a good reason to finally get it ! Thank you .Brenda

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  28. Awesomeness!!! I have a question Granny.....is it neccessary to allow the pressure canner to cool naturally? I usually remove the canner from the heat source....pull off the weight and then wait until the air vents drop before removing the lid. I haven't killed anyone with my cooking this way yet....but I don't want to either! If there is a reason I should be letting it cool naturally...I guess I should know :))) Thanks sooo much!

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    Replies
    1. Debbie, letting the canner cool naturally is partly for safety and to reduce the possibility of scalding yourself and to prevent possible jar breakage. It also helps prevent siphoning (liquid loss in the jars of food)... I find that beans tend to lose liquid quite easily and letting the canner cool naturally keeps siphoning to a minimum. ~~Granny

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  29. What a timely idea. I am single and live alone. And,yes, I can. I believe in cooking once and eating 10 times. I've been looking for quick and easy recipes to fill up a pressure cooker when I make a smaller batch of something else. This fits the bill perfectly. I can pressure can 6 pints of beef stew and fill out the space with this recipe so not to waste the energy of 75 to 90 minutes of stove time. Thanks so much.

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  30. I made a small batch of these to try them the last week. I had a hard time believing the beans would cook through. To my suprise, they did. I had a few jars that the tomato sauce had turned to paste, and there was no liquid in the jar. I used these first, and just put a bit of water in the pan when I heated them. They were fine. My husband loves these. He's requested them for dinner every night.

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  31. Hi Granny. I live at 4000' so what do you know of my Altitude adjustments to can these? Looking forward to your reply and to try these. Thanks.

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    1. You'll need to add 1/2 pound pressure for each 1,000 feet over 1,000... so... for 4,000 it would be 11.5 lbs. pressure... same amount of time. ~~Granny

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    2. Thanks so much..I am going to try these..Live in the middle of no-where and no salt pork..but have a hunk of ham..so that will have to do. thannks.

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  32. When I make my baked beans, I always use Great Northern Beans, I picked up some GNB yesterday, and reread your recipe, and found out you use Navy beans. Is there a difference of what beans we use? Thank you again.

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    Replies
    1. Any bean will work Candy, not problem. ~~Granny

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  33. Thank you for sharing this! I had come across a dry bean recipe a few months ago, then couldnt 'find it again. So, today I did beans with pre-soak and boil. Next time, i can save some time! LOL

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  34. After you placed the besns and sauce and water,in the jar do you stir them or leave alone? Thanks! Love your blog!!!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Becky! I left them alone, but you could stir them a little, might help with the clumpiness I got on top. ~~Granny

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  36. I made 11 jars of these pork n beans today and cant wait to try them. Do you have any other bean recipes? Ham n beans soups??
    Thanks for all your great ideas and wisdom:-)
    marlo

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  37. Hsve these in the canner as I type this, with the addition of cut up hot dogs, to make
    "beanies 'n weinies". One of the kids favorite "do it yourself" meals, so I figured this way, all they have to do is open a jar, and it's a perfect portion for just one! Thank you, again!

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  38. This looks great and easy! I made beans once and added the tomatoes to the beans before they were soft and they never softened no matter how long I cooked them. Are the beans a little tougher or soft and creamy? Thank you!

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  39. Mine all have no liquid left at all- some of the beans don't look "plump" either. I think next time I will try just 3/4 cup of beans. Hope if I add liquid when heating them thry'll be ok?

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    Replies
    1. Please see my post below about how this method is unsafe, and also note that others using same instructions have mushy split beans. I would not eat those beans that you canned.

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  40. I am SO glad I found you..thanks to Preparedness Pro! I read this recipe somewhere a few weeks ago and couldn't wait to get the beans and try it...well guess what...I could not remember where I read it and couldn't find where I had saved it...my beans have been sitting on the table and now I am SO SO SO happy! THANKS!

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  41. I am so trying this next week. I just got 3 boxes of the Ball Pint & Half Jars to try and this size will be perfect for pork and beans for us. Would I process these for 90 minutes if I use this new size jar?

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  42. I really wanted to try this method but decided to check with an expert first. Bad news: I spoke with a professor of food science today at the Washington State University who has assured me that he would never can beans without presoaking and that it is not a safe practice because you cannot determine the age of the beans and how much water they will absorb and that sooner or later you will be faced with an unsafe underprocessed batch of beans. Darn!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So PRESOAK them. Really with navy beans, which are a SMALL bean, if you are worried about it don't try it. BUT, the small beans take less time to cook. That said, I am going to try this with both presoaked AND just then some that are just rinsed and sorted. I will also most likely use 1/2 cup dry beans for the rinsed and 2/3 to 3/4 cup beans for the soaked. I am excited for this as we eat pork and beans like candy!!!

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  43. What is the liquid in the jars with the beans and onions?

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  44. Just tried this first time canning anything. Figure it was cheap and easy enough if I messed up I wouldn't be out much, plus I really like pork and beans. Found 2 lbs of beans to be enough for 9 pints and the sauce recipe only filled 7 so will adjust for the next batch maybe a extra small 8oz can of sauce and 1 more cup of water.

    They're cooling now and look great!

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  45. Mrs G..... do u think i could add hot dogs to the jars soo i would have franks and beans ready to go..? I would follow all of your steps but add a 1/4 to 1/2 cup sliced hod dogsss... any thoughts ladies.
    Thanks....maria

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    Replies
    1. Sure, hot dogs added would be yummy! Go for it! ~~Granny

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  46. Thank God... cause i wrote hod dogs.... but i'll go with the hot dogs i'm sure they're better...

    Thx...maria

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  47. What about using fresh beans or frozen beans. This would avoid the question of "just how old are these beans"?

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    Replies
    1. Sure, you could certainly use fresh or frozen beans. ~~Granny

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  48. way to salty so next time I won't use any salt other than that great. For some reason my jars boiled out liquid but still sealed

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  49. Hi...Have appreciated your help with prior stuff. Now,just put up some pints and quarts of beans with chunks of pork shoulder. The pints all came out clean. The quarts all leaked a bit in pressure process (both done 10 lbs, 75 min/pints, 90 min qts) and one didn't seal??? Perhaps more than 1" head needed or what ya think? Thx so much.
    Dane

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  50. I LOVE this idea and am trying it today. I too have the canning itch! I need to explore your blog more but can this method be done with plain water and salt? I love canned beans when I didn't think ahead to soak dried beans. But I would prefer my own canned beans. Can it be done?

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    1. Yes, plain water and salt works nicely. ~~Granny

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    2. You have opened a whole new world to me. My first pressure canning adventure was your pork and beans which came out AMAZING! not that I've eaten them yet but they look perfect. since then I've done beef soup, lentil soup and split pea with ham is today. Thank you so much! I have 10lbs of black beans that will be next.

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    3. hmmmm Creative Chaos is also me Vanessa Tarasuk. I must be signed into my blog or something. I just started it and am clueless so I didn't mean to shamelessly plug my site here.

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  52. WhooHoo- I've got a batch in the pressure canner at this very moment. Since I soak my beans in whey, it looks like I should have added more beans? I'll know by this afternoon. If it is not perfect, I've got enough soaked beans for another batch.

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    1. 2/3 full if using soaked beans. Fill the rest with your liquid of choice, leaving 1" headspace. I use bacon and tomato sauce. Using soaked beans turns out way better...speaking from years of experience here. :)

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  53. I just got a pressure cooker and can,t wait to get started !!! Think i will try this for my first experience with pressure canning. The recipe sounds great. I would like to use bacon in it.. Does the bacon have to be cooked or do i add it raw ????

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  54. You can add your bacon raw Phyllis, no problem. ~~Granny

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Granny... Can't wait to try this !!!!

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  55. I did this and they turned out horrible. I was so sad. No sauce...was like a paste and they tasted very "tinny." Any suggestions?

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  56. Your recipe turned out great for me. The family loves them and I'm off to make a new batch now. Thanks so much for all you do!

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  60. Hi Granny!

    My husband LOVES the black canned ranch beans.
    I have a recipe that I use can I can these the same way?
    Thank you for your help.
    Kjslady99

    Here is the recipe so it may help you to answer I believe it's from Food.com

    Ranch Style Beans Recipe #325127


    8 hours | 2 hours prep

    SERVES 6 -8

    1 lb dry pinto beans
    5 cups cold water
    2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
    4 ounces ham hocks
    1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
    1 1/2 tablespoons combination of california chili powder (New Mexico, Hungarian
    Paprika. All Mild)
    1 tablespoon brown sugar, plus
    1 teaspoon brown sugar
    1/2 teaspoon black pepper (for spicier beans add another 1/2 Tsp)
    1/4 teaspoon cumin
    1/2 teaspoon oregano
    1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, minced or 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
    1 1/2 tablespoons onion powder, chopped or 1 medium onion, chopped
    1 teaspoon seasoning salt (add in the last 30 min only)
    1/4 cup tomato puree (add in the last 30 min only)
    Wash beans and place in a large pot or kettle. Add water and remaining
    ingredients (except salt and tomato puree, which should be added in the last 30
    minutes before beans are done). Cover and simmer for several hrs on LOW in crockpot or stove.

    Check liquid
    level occasionally and add more water (add boiling water, never cold) as needed
    to keep beans covered.
    If cooked in a crock pot, (you will need extra cup of water if you did not
    pre-soak) and cook them on the low setting. It also may take a little longer
    than the 5 to 6 hours.
    Note: You can reduce cooking time by soaking beans overnight or using or (1 Hour
    soak method).

    Adjust salt and sugar to your liking.

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  61. Okay, I followed the intructions to the T. I processed the beans at 15# pressure for 75 min because we live between 2500-3000 ft. The jars look great! However, the beans are still hard. Is there anyway that I can save these beans? Can I pour them all into a large pot and cook them for awhile and then reprocess?

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    1. I would think they would soften the longer they sit on your shelves.

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    2. I was wondering if the beans had enough time to cook. When I make bean soup, I soak beans overnight and still have to simmer them for 1 1/2 hours until they're soft enough. I think I'm going to try a batch with soaked beans......hopefully they don't turn into mush!

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  62. Can you use white beans for this? I don't have navy. Can't wait to try it.

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  63. I was wondering if this recipe could be doubled and made in quart jars.......we eat so many beans around here that making pints would take twice as much time!!

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  64. I was just going to ask the same question as the previous blogger, about making these in quart jars......what do you think Granny?

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  65. Sure you could do them in quarts... process for 90 minutes. ~~Granny

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    1. Well, I ended up making them in pints jars and they actually came out fine! Was worried the beans wouldn't have time to soften, but they did. I like a little more flavor in my beans, so would it be ok to up the amount of molasses, brown sugar and mustard? I don't want them to burn........

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    2. Sure, you can add all the spices and extras you want, be sure the liquid is really liquidy (is that a word? LOL!) because it will thicken quite a bit as the beans absorb the liquid. Mine turned out a little bland too, I've been spicing them up as I open them. Next time I'll definitely add more flavor. ~~Granny

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    3. Ok thanks. I'm beside myself with excitement.....the local store is selling "scratch and dent" I guess you'd call them, 106 oz cans of tomato sauce for $2 each(they look like they fell off the truck!), and I found navy beans at the Amish store for 66 cents/lb......think of all the jars of beans I can make for under $10!! We LOVE beans!

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  66. I am the newbie asking questions again, I don't eat pork but here we have a beef bacon that is wonderful do you think I could cubed a bit and add instead of the pork, it makes sense to me but like I said I'm to new at this to make major decisions yet. Oh yes it does have fat streaks in it just like pork bacon. Thanks for bearing with me . LOVE your site

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    1. Certainly you can use the beef bacon instead, sounds yummy! ~~Granny

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  67. I'm a canning granny too, but I've never canned pork n beans....until today! I used your recipe, and it was super easy! Waiting for the pressure cooker to cool down now so I can see what they look like. Thanks for the recipe!!

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  68. OK, I'm a canning Granny too. I just made this recipe today. I've canned beans before but never with the pork n beans sauce. So.... my beans are hard, not all, but enough to make the eating of them unpleasant. Not tender as they usually are when I just can them with water. I used home made catsup, instead of sauce. I suspect the home canned tomatoes are too acidy. I have read before that there is a component in the beans that won't break down in the presence of acid. And hard water too may cause them not to soften during cooking. Anyone else experienced this? Or know of a fix so I can use home canned tomato sauce for this recipe?

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    1. I've made these 3 times now, and every batch turned out great. I use navy beans because they are smaller than great northern beans....maybe that's the difference? I also use just a little less than the cup of sauce and that way there's more room for the boiling water. Hope that helps!

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  69. My mom and I want to make this recipe. She doesn't like tomato sauce in the beans. Any suggestions for a substitute? We like Boston baked bean flavor but I don't want to bake them and then can them (Yes, I am totally lazy ;-P) Could we increase the molasses and water and vinegar to make up the difference?

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    1. Yes you certainly can... I actually did a few jars with just molasses, water, vinegar and they turned out great. ~~Granny

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  70. Can u use tomato juice instead of sauce and water

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  71. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  72. And if so how much per 8 pints

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    1. Sure, you can use tomato juice... I would add one cup per pint, so that would make 8 cups of tomato juice. ~~Granny

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  73. I ran onto this recipe and discussion. It looks really interesting. However, I am having a disconnect in the value of doing this from an economical perspective. A 15 oz. can of pork and beans on Amazon is only $.86. The navy beans would need to be well under $2/pound to make this economical. I am seeing them cost anywhere from $2.5o to $5/pound. I didn't even add in the cost of the other ingredients nor the energy to process for 75+ minutes. Unless one is doing it to reduce salt, sugar, etc. I really don't see the value. Would appreciate comments though.

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    1. At that price, you're right. However, you should check at places like grocery outlets, Dollar Stores, bulk grocery stores, etc. You can also substitute beans with the same characteristics. You will need to do a little research first to find them, but it will be worth it in the end. I got a bunch of Roman beans at 50 cents a pound at an outlet store. When I find them like that, I buy LOTS. I use the Roman beans in place of others - kidney, pinto, etc. and they turn out great.

      The other thing to consider is flavor. Many times canning can come out to cost the same as getting some things at the store on sale. HOWEVER - the flavor of canning your own is sooooo much BETTER! Deciding what is worth putting time into is a personal decision, though.

      Good luck! :D

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  74. Just made these today. (First time pressure canning). Mine didn't turn out like yours though. My liquid is about an inch lower than the beans. :( do you think they'll dry out? I followed your directions, just don't know where I messed up. Thanks in advance. And look forward to making more of your yummy looking recipes. :)

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  75. Beans are notorious for absorbing liquid... they should be fine, when you heat 'em up just stir the dryer ones back into the liquid... it'll all even out. ~~Granny

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  76. Thank you so much. That really settled my mind. I can say I didn't have the self control and did pop a can open. O boy are they good. Yum.

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  77. OK.....I'm not a mathematician, but 2-15 oz. cans of tomato sauce is not sufficient for 8 pints, if you use 1 cup per pint! So disappointed to have gotten all my jars ready.....should have realized it when reading over the recipe. Am I missing something????

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    1. 2 cans of tomato sauce plus the other ingredients for the sauce, including 3 cups of water... it's enough, I promise! ~~Granny

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  78. I was wondering if ketchup can be used instead of tomatoe sauce?

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  79. I was wondering if ketchup can be used instead of tomatoe sauce?

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  80. I made your recipe today filled with trepidation and worry that it might not turn out. What a wonderful surprise! Delicious! I did alter your recipe a little, using the measurements as my guide. I used my own canned tomatoes rather than purchased tomato sauce. I increased the molasses to 3 tablespoons. In my next batch, I'll increase it by one more tablespoon again. There was only enough liquid for seven pints, however, so I'll increase that by 2 cups in my next batch. I used bacon rather than salt pork. In my next batch, I'll use thick cut naturally smoked bacon. Thank you for getting me started with this. One pint serves the two of us (my Husband and I) perfectly.

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  81. I don't know if anyone has addressed this, but this is not a safe way to can beans. The reason you must hydrate your beans first is that the processing times given for beans are for fully hydrated beans. The heat must be able to penetrate the bean and kill any botulism spores. When you use dry beans, it is not long enough to both penetrate and hydrate the bean and kill any botulism spores. Other than that, the recipe looks good.

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  82. Can I use Anasazi beans?? I have the worlds known supply....the above post in interesting. Would an overnight soak work and make it safe

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    1. You can use pretty much any dry bean and soaking would work great. ~~Granny

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  83. How many pint jars does this recipe make? I'm afraid of my pressure cooker so this will be my first time using it (yikes!)..

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  84. Good morning :) I have a bean related question.... I normally can up pinto beans to use on taco night....open a jar, get them nice and smoothed and then add taco seasoning....I was wondering if you've come across a recipe for refried beans to can....my original though was to stir a few packs of taco seasoning in the pot before I separate the beans among the quart jars....do you think that would work and be safe?

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  85. Dear Granny,

    Your recipe is so good and it worked PERFECTLY. I love Pork n Beans, but don't like all the "stuff" they add to the cans. So, I made your recipe with some slight modifications. Well, I opened my first jar today after pressure canning my beans earlier this week! The beans are better than any commercially canned product. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe and instructions for canning! ~Mike

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  86. Can you use a hot water bath? I don’t have a pressure canner? If I can how long in the hot water bath?

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