Canning green beans is easier than you might think, and it’s the best way to preserve summer’s bounty! Learn how to can green beans at home with this simple step-by-step guide.
Table of Contents
There’s something so satisfying about lining your pantry shelves with homemade canned green beans, jams, and preserves. Whether you grow an abundant garden, take advantage of the local produce at your farmer’s market, or purchase in-season veggies at your grocery store, canning green beans is a great way to enjoy the taste of summer all year long.
Equipment Needed
- Pressure canner: low-acid foods like green beans require a pressure canner for processing, rather than a water bath canner. Pressure canning relies on temperatures higher than you can achieve with water bath canning to safely preserve these low-acid foods by killing any spores of Clostridium botulinum that might be present. I have the 23-quart Presto pressure canner and cooker, which I love. You can find it at Walmart and on Amazon. If you’re in the market for a new pressure canner, be sure to check out our top picks for the best pressure canners on the market.
- Canning tongs: these are incredibly helpful when taking the hot jars out of the canner.
- A sterilized funnel: this tool makes it easier to get the water inside the jar without spilling; however, it’s fine if you don’t have a funnel — you can carefully ladle the water into the jars.
- Stockpot or electric kettle: to simmer the water that you add to the jars. A big stockpot does the trick, but my friend Barbara swears by her electric kettle to make canning green beans even easier.
- Sterilized pint-size mason jars with lids and bands: I prefer the wide-mouth jars, which are easier to fill. Always use new lids and bands when canning.
How to Sterilize the Jars and Lids
It’s a good practice to sterilize the jars and lids before canning in order to kill any bacteria, fungi, or yeast. There are a variety of ways to sterilize the jars (here’s a helpful article with different options). I typically use the dishwasher, or just boil them for 10 minutes in the same big pot of water that I’ll use for the green beans.
Ingredients
The ingredients required for canning green beans are about as simple as it gets!
- Green beans: you can use any fresh green beans that you prefer. A general rule of thumb assumes that 1 lb. of fresh green beans equals about 1 pint jar canned. That said, you may find that 1 lb. of fresh green beans actually fills closer to 1 ½ – 2 jars. This recipe is written for 6 lbs. of green beans, but you can adjust the quantity for as many as you have. For instance, cut it in half and can just 3 lbs. of beans, or can a much larger batch of 12 lbs. of beans. If you have enough jars, go ahead and can as many beans as you want!
- Canning salt: each 1-pint jar requires ½ teaspoon canning salt. Do not substitute with kosher salt, table salt, or other varieties. Canning salt is best for canning green beans because it is free of additives like iodine and anti-caking agents, which can cause cloudiness or discoloration in preserved vegetables. Additionally, canning salt dissolves more easily and evenly in the hot water, ensuring consistent flavor.
- Hot water: for filling the jars and processing in the canner.
How to Can Green Beans
Canning green beans at home is a fun summer project that provides ongoing rewards throughout the year. Detailed directions are included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here’s the overview:
- Wash and snap the green beans. To snap and trim green beans, start by rinsing them under cold water. Take one bean at a time, hold it between your fingers, and gently snap off the stem end. You can do this with your fingers or with a paring knife. Repeat this with each bean, working in batches. If desired, line up several beans at once and cut them into 1-inch pieces.
- Simmer a big pot of water (it should be 180°F). Keep this water hot, since you will use it to fill your jars.
- Pack the raw beans tightly in hot sterilized pint jars, leaving 1-inch of headspace at the top of each jar.
- Add ½ teaspoon of salt to each jar, if desired.
- Pour the hot water into the jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe the rims clean with a paper towel. The proper amount of headspace is important to ensure a vacuum seal.
- Add the lids and bands. Place the jars in a pressure canner that has about 1-2 inches of hot water. Your canner’s instruction manual will specify the proper quantity of water for your equipment.
- Process pints at 11 pounds of pressure for 20 minutes.
- Allow the jars to cool according to your canner’s instructions, remove them from the canner with tongs or a jar lifter, and let the jars sit undisturbed at room temperature for 12-24 hours before checking the seals and storing.
Altitude Adjustments for Pressure Canning
To be sure that you are canning safely, first find out what your altitude is. If you are pressure canning a 0-1000 feet above sea level, then no changes are required. If you are canning at an altitude over 1000 feet, refer to the chart below to understand how to change the pressure according to your specific altitude. Pressure canners have either a weighted-gauge or a dial gauge (shown in this post).
Storage
Store properly sealed canned green beans in a cool, dark place (like a pantry). Conventional wisdom suggests that home canned green beans will be good for up to 1 year. That said, the USDA recommends that as long as the jars and lids are in good condition, these low-acid canned goods will be shelf-stable for at least 2-5 years.
Once opened, transfer the green beans to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Serving Suggestions
Canned green beans are delicious in casseroles, salads, and soups. They’re also a great side dish. Prepare them Southern-style with bacon, or simply heat them in a skillet with about half of the canning liquid. Add 1 tablespoon of butter, salt, pepper, and seasoning to taste (such as garlic powder or onion powder). Simmer, stirring regularly, until most of the liquid evaporates. Serve warm.
Tater Tot Casserole with Green Beans
Tips for Success
- I add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to the water at the bottom of my pressure canner to prevent water marks on the side of the jars. This is totally optional, but it definitely works!
- Every pressure canner is slightly different, so always follow the operating instructions from the user manual that comes with your specific equipment.
- While canning salt isn’t necessary for preservation, it adds flavor to the green beans and is highly recommended. You can adjust the amount used according to your taste.
- I like the ease of the raw pack method (shown here). If you prefer to hot pack your beans, blanch the green beans in boiling water for 5 minutes before filling the jars. Use the same hot water to fill the jars.
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Canning Green Beans
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Canner
- 6 sterilized pint mason jars with lids and bands
Ingredients
- 6 lbs. fresh green beans
- Water
- Canning salt, optional
Instructions
PREP
- Wash the beans under cold water; drain. Remove the string and trim the ends. Cut or break into 1-2 inch pieces.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer (180 degrees F). Keep the water hot.
FILL
- Pack the raw green beans tightly in hot sterilized jars, leaving 1-inch of headspace at the top of each jar. Add ½ teaspoon of canning salt to each pint jar if desired. Ladle the hot water over the beans, leaving 1-inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles.
- Wipe the rim clean with a damp cloth, then secure the lid and band so that the band is fingertip-tight.
PROCESS
- Follow directions on your pressure canner to prepare the canner with a rack in hot water (for instance, my canner calls for 3 quarts of water, no matter how many jars I’m canning).
- Place the filled jars on the canning rack immediately after each jar is filled.
- For pint jars, process at 11 pounds pressure for 20 minutes (higher elevations will require more pounds of pressure). Turn off the heat and cool the canner to zero pressure. After 5 minutes, remove the lid. Let the jars cool for 10 minutes in the canner.
- Remove the jars from the canner. Do not tighten bands if loose. Let stand, undisturbed, for 12 hours at room temperature. Check the seals after 12 hours. Properly sealed jars will keep in a cool, dark place for at least 1 year. Refrigerate after opening.
Notes
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- I add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to the water at the bottom of my pressure canner to prevent water marks on the side of the jars. This is totally optional, but it definitely works!
-
- Every pressure canner is slightly different, so always follow the operating instructions from the user manual that comes with your specific equipment.
-
- While canning salt isn’t necessary for preservation, it adds flavor to the green beans and is highly recommended. You can adjust the amount used according to your taste.
-
- If you prefer to hot pack your beans, blanch the green beans in boiling water for 5 minutes before filling the jars. Use the same hot water to fill the jars.
- A general rule of thumb assumes that 1 lb. of fresh green beans equals about 1 pint jar canned. That said, you may find that 1 lb. of fresh green beans actually fills closer to 1 ½ – 2 jars. This recipe is written for 6 lbs. of green beans, but you can adjust the quantity for as many as you have. For instance, cut it in half and can just 3 lbs. of beans, or can a much larger batch of 12 lbs. of beans. If you have enough jars, go ahead and can as many beans as you want!
I recently read that if you add a 50mg zinc to jar of green beans before pressuring, will retain the nice green color.
That’s an interesting tip, Sherrie. Thank you! I haven’t heard that before.