Pressure Canning "Bush" Beans Recipe

Well this Pinto Beans post turned into three others. I wanted to give the beans a try. So in my usual over the edge way I went to the local organic store and got pounds and pounds of various beans. Look go Big or go Home~

I started with pinto and red beans I made a Mock Bush's recipe from a few links I found on line. The one thing I and every one else in America loves is the Bush Beans and I think I came pretty close to duplication them

Here is the "Secret" recipe

Soaking beans

 Take your dried beans and soak them over night while you gather the other ingredients. Put your beans in a bowl large enough to give the beans about three inches of room they expand. You will add more water and they will keep growing. But once they stop just make sure they have water covering them until you are ready to can.




Mock “Bush” Baked Beans
Makes 7 quarts

4 pounds of dried beans ( I used red and pinto)
One finely chopped onion
3 pieces of crisp cooked bacon chopped

Liquid for Beans

4 cups of liquid from beans cooking
( Keep reserve liquid from beans as extra if needed )
¼ cup dark molasses
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup tomato sauce or ketchup
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground fresh pepper
1 tablespoon dry mustard

Secret Sauce tee hee

Simmering beans

Take 8 cups of your soaking beans and put them into a large stock pot and simmer until you get a foam on top. I skim the foam like jam also take out any floating beans or shells.  Also look for icky ones and remove them. Once the beans have been simmered turn off the heat and set them aside.






Prepare your liquid you may end up with extra but you should not come up short. Combine all your liquid ingredients and bring them up to a soft boil. Taste it after about 10 minutes of simmering to make sure you have the taste you like. You can add more of any ingredient but keep in mind you cannot take ingredients out once added. 
You want just keep the liquid the beans have cooked in so you have enough to fill the jars.

Chop your cooked bacon

Have your chopped onion and bacon in a small bowl ready to add to the jars. I add these to the top of the  jars once I have added the beans prior to the liquid. Do not worry it is raw onion and cooked bacon the onion will cook in the pressure canner.

Fill you clean warm jars with less than 3/4 of the beans because you will top each jar off with a bit of onion and bacon. Make sure the ingredients fill the jar to 3/4 full you will need the extra room during the pressure cooking process. The beans grow and use up room and thicken the sauce. If you fill more than it will not seal. Fill the jars with the liquid leaving a little more then one inch from the rim with the liquid. Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean cloth. Now put your two piece top and screw band on and place carefully into you pressure canner. Seal and go!

Do not crowd your jars

Bring the Pressure canner to a steady steam flow for 10 minutes it clears the air out of the canner. Once 10 minutes has passed pop on the pressure cap and pressure for 65 minutes at 11 to 13 pounds of pressure.  Once the time has passed let your canner cool until the presume is down to ZERO and the steam cap has fallen. Turn and take your top off tipped away from you and let the jars sit in the cooker for about 15 minutes then remove and place on a heat safe counter and let them cool for 24 hours. Once cooled room let the twist part of the top wipe clean and store in a cool place for up to 9 months. .

NEVER LEAVE YOUR PRESSURE CANNER UNATTENDED WHEN CANNING

Disclaimer: This is not an all inclusive recipe for making jam. You should have a basic knowledge and understanding of the canning process before proceeding. Please consult your local Center for Home Preservation for additional information and available classes.