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ksprairie_gw

time between picking and canning green beans

KSprairie
9 years ago

Can anyone give advice on how long your green beans can sit (refrigerated) before you can them? If you don't wash or trim them, are they OK refrigerated for a day or more or will quality decrease considerably? Could you wash and trim them, dry off briefly and put them back in the fridge until you get enough? I'm slow at washing and trimming so I'm wondering if I do that a day before canning.

I picked about 9# this morning, but will probably get another 5 or 6# tomorrow, enough to make a full canner load of qts.

I have never pressure canned green beans before, this will be my first try. I need to do a trial run w/ water in the jars tonight to make sure I will understand the process. Also, I haven't ordered my 3-piece weight set yet, (need to do that) so I will be using the dial-gauge as my guide.
If I don't feel comfortable with the process, I guess I will just blanch and freeze this batch and keep practicing.
thank you!

Comments (8)

  • 2ajsmama
    9 years ago

    I haven't PCed green beans (we prefer them frozen) but they will definitely keep a couple of days - so refrigerate the ones you picked today, not washed or trimmed, you can wash them if you have to tomorrow after you pick more, but I wouldn't trim them until right before you wanted to can them. Washing them right before would be best, but if you have to do it the night before I'd wrap them in towels to dry, I don't know about your fridge but I've got 1 spot in mine (ice through the door) where anything wet just freezes and goes mushy.

    Have you had your dial gauge checked this year? There isn't a time for 15 psi, I wouldn't trust the gauge if it hasn't been tested, and with just a 15 psi regulator processing for the 10psi time (10 min or more depending on altitude) I'd be afraid they'd be mushy.

    If you haven't had your gauge checked I'd recommend freezing instead - you may want to try pickling a few pounds and BWBing.

  • digdirt2
    9 years ago

    I don't wash, just pack them in a zip lock bag with a damp paper towel and store in the veggie bin until ready to can them.

    I have never pressure canned green beans before, this will be my first try. I need to do a trial run w/ water in the jars tonight to make sure I will understand the process. Also, I haven't ordered my 3-piece weight set yet, (need to do that) so I will be using the dial-gauge as my guide.

    Green beans are not something I'd recommend new or inexperienced pressure canners tackle right off. More problems and risk associated with them if not done correctly than with some other foods. At least use the hot pack method. Won't make them any safer but it will reduce the siphoning problems.

    So you are just going to assume your gauge is accurate? I'd suggest you at least do the counter-weight test on it by running up your pressure to the point where the 15 lb counter-weight on it rocks steadily and then see what your gauge reads.

    Dave

  • twolips
    9 years ago

    I didn't think it was safe to do green beans in a hot water bath? Am I wrong in thinking this? I bought a pressure canner just for this purpose!

  • malna
    9 years ago

    You're correct. It is not safe to BWB plain green beans. However, ajsmama was referring to pickled beans, like dilly beans, which are safe to BWB due to the vinegar added.

  • twolips
    9 years ago

    Thank you maina!

  • KSprairie
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you all for the advice. I am blanching and freezing these green beans.
    I had planned to get my gauge checked out at the Ext. office this week and completely forgot.! Once I realized that (thank you ajsmama and Dave for the reminder), I decided to freeze some more beans!

    I've made a batch of pickled dill beans already, but might make a few more. I was following NCHFP's Dilled Beans recipe, and although it is not listed as an ingredient, I wanted to add Pickle Crisp, but forgot.

    Once my 3 piece weight set arrives, and my guage is checked out, what would be a good recipe to try for my first batches of pressure canning? I will definitely run some water batches w/ food coloring so I can check for siphoning and get comfortable with the process first. Much thanks for all of your help.

  • digdirt2
    9 years ago

    Once your 3 piece weight set arrives you don't need to have the gauge checked. That is the main reason for getting the weights. You can by the weights and ignore the gauge completely just as if it wasn't even there.

    Start with pressure canning some tomatoes. Easy to do and almost as good as using colored water to see if you are getting siphoning. Or some dried beans/peas like pintos if you have some. Soups are the easiest IMO.

    Dave

  • KSprairie
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you Dave. I'll start with some tomatoes. I would like to can some tomato sauce, pizza sauce, etc. so maybe I can graduate my way up the scale.
    For canning sauces, is it OK to use tomatoes you have frozen? My tomatoes are ripening in small batches, so I am washing, coring, and freezing with skins on until I get enough to work with.

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