How to Can Dried Peas or Beans

How to Can Dried Peas or Beans

One of the advantages of keeping dried goods on hand is that they can last a long time, and they are cheap to buy in bulk.  However, it’s also practical to keep some of them hydrated or incorporated into different canning recipes for easy access when needed.  Let’s take a look at an easy way to rehydrate, process and can beans or peas for storage in your stockpile.  You’ll be happy you did when you want to grab some ready-to-eat beans instead of planning days in advance to prepare dry goods beforehand.

Getting Started

The first thing is to open the dried beans or peas and sort through them in order to remove any that are defective or in less-than-ideal condition.  Give them a good rinse before placing them into a large pot of cold, filtered water, and let them soak for around 12-18 hours.  Drain and rinse the beans.  You can also take advantage of a faster method, but the beans may not be as firm as the slow-soak.  Place the beans in a pot and bring it to a boil for 2 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let the beans rest in the water for about an hour prior to draining. 

Drain the beans and add in some fresh water and boil for an additional 30 minutes no matter what method you choose to use.  Prepare your water bath canner as well as the canning jars.  You want to transfer the hot beans or peas and liquid into preheated jars in order to reduce the chances of having them crack or deform.  You may also want to consider heating the lids and bands as this can help them to provide a better seal over the course of time.

Processing the Beans

When everything is ready to go, ladle out equal amounts of beans or peas into each mason jar before filling with the water they were cooking in.  Take the handle of a spatula or wooden spoon in order to remove any air bubbles that may have formed before adding liquid as necessary in order to maintain an inch of headspace.  Finally, add in a pinch of salt (to taste) before wiping down the rims with a damp cloth and attaching and tightening the lids.

Place the jars in your canner and make sure that they are completely submerged in at least an inch of water.  Process pint jars for about 75 minutes and quarts for an hour and a half.  When finished, remove the jars from the canner and place them on the counter or table that has been lined with a towel or cloth.  Let the jars cool at room temperature for 12-24 hours before checking the seals and condition of the jars. 

Remember that you can use this recipe on all kinds of different beans.  Common examples are lima, pinto, navy and chickpeas.  You can also use this method on any variety of peas as well. Label, date and store the sealed jars in a cool, dark place.  Properly-sealed beans or peas can have a shelf-life in excess of a year. 

While canning these items may seem redundant, this recipe gives you access to a product that is ready-to-eat, which makes it ideal in circumstances when water, heat or time may be in short-supply.