Canning Beans

Have you ever wondered how they do it? I mean, honestly. Look at Laura over at Heavenly Homemakers. She has 4 boys who eat huge amounts of food, which she mostly cooks from scratch every day. Add homeschooling those same boys every day. And writing a blog every day. And all the other stuff she does that we don't even know about. Every. Day. I look at what she accomplishes every day and I can't say I don't then look at everything I...don't.

It's easy to compare yourself to others who are doing what you feel like you should be doing, even if you aren't able. It's something that I have struggled with for years of being sick, first not even knowing I was sick, and even after learning what it was, of feeling like I should be able to do it even though I was sick. And even now when I am slowly (oh, so very slowly, grr!) getting better and having energy to do more, there is always more to do than I can possibly get done.

I make lists. Try to plan meals. Go shopping for said meals. And then hubby has a bad night where we are both up til dawn and I have yet another day where nothing gets done.

I bet you are thinking right about now, "hey, I thought this post was about canning beans?" Well, it is and it isn't. It's about doing what you can, when you can, and letting God handle the rest. I made tacos for dinner last night, and I put a jar of beans I'd canned a few weeks ago in them. They were delicious, thanks! And I was thinking that it really was nice to have that jar of beans. Obviously I could have bought a can of beans, like I have for most of my life, until a few weeks ago. But I think my jar tasted better than any can I've had before. And I was just thinking that it would be pretty easy to make some more in a few days. (By the way, have you ever thought it should be called "jarring" instead of canning?  Just saying...)

My house is a messy, half started renovation. My kitchen is a disaster. I don't have a huge freezer (yet). I don't even have a place to put my jars of beans (yet). Right now they live in a box on the floor of the living room, lol. But I can do something small. Something that makes a little difference. So I do. :)

Oh, and if you really did want to know how to can beans, try this.

The easy way to can beans
(This is NOT an in depth guide, it's more of a work flow mindset. If you don't know how to can or pressure can, please read this and this instead.  That is what I read to learn how to pressure can and I haven't blown anything up yet!)

Wake up at some point in the day. Measure 1 lb beans into a big bowl and fill the bowl with water and a splash of vinegar. Go do your day thing all day(ish). When you are done with that, after at least 8 hours, and at least 2 hours before bedtime, dump out the soaking water and rinse them a few times, then dump them in a pot with more water, but no vinegar. Bring to a boil, and boil at least 10 minutes. While you are waiting for the beans to heat up and boil, get the pressure canner set up and heating up too.  Keep an eye on the beans while they are boiling, they love to foam and boil over.

Use a slotted spoon and fill the pint jars with beans til 2/3 full. Ladle the cooking liquid into the jars, leaving 1 inch head space.  Wipe rims, place lids, screw on bands as tight as you close your mayo jar (unless you're afraid that mayo is gonna escape, then be gentler, ok?). Set jars in the pressure canner and close the lid. Turn burner on high (if it wasn't already) and clean up the bean pot til the canner starts to vent steam (unless cleaning doesn't take that long. Which is ok.) Set a 10 minute timer and continue puttering about. Or go read a book (me). Or go hug your hubby (also me).

When the timer goes off, put the weight on the canner and then putter around again while it comes up to pressure. I defaulted to 15 lbs, but I'm sure there's a guide involving complicated math somewhere that you can look up. At this point, I turn the heat down to medium low(ish) and go sit down. I can listen to the weight to hear if it needs adjusted as the canner settles into cooking. Cook for 75 minutes. This is a good time to read, or spend some (kinda) quiet time with hubby (that weight rocking is pretty loud, actually), but nothing too loud or distracting so I can hear if the heat needs adjusted.

Now comes the part I love, so pay attention. When the timer goes off, turn the heat off, (wait for it)... and go to bed! Cause I'm tired from all that day(ish) stuff. 'night...zzz

Yield: 4-5 pints
Active time, ~25 minutes