Yesterday morning I soaked a 2 pound bag of white navy beans in my big crockpot. It turns out that this is slightly too many so I had to remove a quarter of them into a different pot. The small pot I added some seasoning to, a few of my garden tomatoes, salt, pepper, garlic and and onion and made a good heartily soup. I got four large meals and two small jars (only one is pictured here) from the first quarter. The other 3/4 of the beans were turned on last night and I salted and canned them earlier this afternoon. I got four full quarts plus a little. They will be used later for a recipe that calls for beans – or to make another soup, whatever. The bag of beans cost me $2.50 Canadian; a lot of food for very cheap and very little work. As a matter of fact boiling the jars to make them sterile was the toughest part.
The best part, is that I get the satisfaction of hearing the cans pop! Silly as this is, it even beats the cheap cost, and feeding myself slow food, with no preservatives and good taste and quality. Did you know that when you can beans yourself there is no slime in the jar at all? What is that slime in canned beans?
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! 😀
Tiny House Ontario 
Laura – what is it about this time of the year that brings out the desire to eat bean?. I, too am in a bean cooking mode, in my case, it’s black beans which i will process and freeze in small quantities – to toss in salads, to make soup, beans and rice, vegetarian chile, and stuffed peppers with black beans and barley. Your idea to can a whack of beans is brillliant – and so smartly frugal. Enjoy, and a happy New year to you. G
I can food, too, and I know exactly what you mean about the simple pleasure of hearing those lids pop! Very satisfying…
I love this, I did not know there was no slime! I am going to have to learn how to can and get my butt in gear!
Hi Macy!
Seriously, with beans there is nothing to it. Soak, boil (beans take a long time chickpeas take almost no time) then salt. Boil your jars, pour the beans while boiling hot in the jars. Use a sterilized cloth to wipe the top of the jar if any food got on there and then put the lid on tight. About an hour or so after you can them, you will hear as many “pops” as you have jars. It is so easy, you won’t believe that you have been buying the expensive cans all along!
xo
L
I like it, I did not know there was no slime! I am going to have to learn how to can and do some food up!