How much head space did you leave between the liquid and the top of the jar? Improper head space and/or too-rapid temperature fluctuations are common causes of siphoning. Half the liquid gone? That's a bummer. Personally, I'd probably pitch 'em - beans are cheap. :-)

Even pre-cooked beans do absorb quite a bit of liquid in the canning process. I think of all the things I've canned, beans have proven the most challenging.

I've found I have to be very careful about proportions of beans to liquid. Any more I try to err on the side of too loose a pack as opposed to too tight and compensate with more liquid. The result is beans which are somewhat below the one-inch level with bean liquid or water to the fill line.

And absolutely siphoning can be an issue with beans as even pre-cooked ones will expand in the jar. If the beans are packed too tight they will not only absorb liquid but will expand against the lid and force liquid out.

I do think the current canning instructions are not sufficiently clear about this problem. I wish they'd give instructions similar to those for soups, indicating a proportion of solids to liquids. It would save a lot of people grief.

However, if the beans were properly processed according to current standards and are going to be used in cooked products like chili or soups instead of something like bean dip, then the beans should be OK. But I would mark that batch and consume them first.

Others may disagree, in which case you have to decide the choice which fits your comfort level. If it's discarding the beans, you should do that.

Carol

I agree with Carol that they are safe to use in cooking recipes. We do alot of dried beans and as she said they will absorb much of the water in the jar. But also make sure that your processing isn't causing siphoning. How did the water in the canner look when finished? Stained or clear?

And her tip of less beans and more water in the jars before processing is an excellent one. We only fill the jars 3/4 full of beans and fill the rest with the boiling water.

Dave

This was a problem for me also. Do you think more pre-cooking might help? This might cause less absorption of liquid when the beans are being processed - ???

I've shied away from beans for awhile until I can be reassured about this. Prefer to freeze them.

Bejay

If you don't mind a softer texture, there's no reason why you couldn't pre-cook for a longer period. I'm sure that would reduce the problem.

I also prefer a longer soaking time, especially if I'm working with commercial dried beans and I'm not sure of their age, so I go the 18-hour max time mentioned in NCHFP guidelines.

This year I finally got our garden shell beans right where I want them, but as I said, for me beans have been more of a "trial and error" product than any other food I can.

Carol

Dried beans like for making baked beans will soak up a LOT of liquid. I fill the pot with soaked overnight beans that ahve been partially cooked. They get covered with water in the pot and all that water is soaked up into them after a baking for about 6 hours. You may have found that if they were TASTED before you canned them, that they were still quite hard and chewy, which would require them to be cooked a bit longer prior to canning.

If you're not comfortable keeping them as canned beans, you can toss them in the freezer since you're still within the 24 hours since processing (assuming you posted fairly soon after finishing).

I would remove from the jar and freeze in ziplocs. I have "a thing" about putting glass jars in my freezer (not self-defrosting). I'm afraid they'll slip out and crash to the floor. Just me!

Deanna

I appreciate all the advice and hints. I did soak them for 18 hours, as it was late afternoon when I dumped them in the bowls. When I was ladling them I thought they seemed close to cooked, but I like the idea of cooking them a bit longer. I will also pack less into a jar, I just was afraid of not having enough, though I guess with the liquid it wouldn't make alot of difference.

I have been canning all of my life but took a several year vacation from it after my divorce. Now that life has settled down and I have a huge garden again I am back with full force but boy do I have alot of questions this time!

Thanks for your patience!

Simply soaking will not fully rehydrate them. A cooking for 30 minutes will also not do that. Longer cooking is necessary before canning.

The cooking time is limited to 30 minutes because the pressure canning further cooks the beans. The standard is aiming for a balance of texture and safety. If there's ample liquid then the 30 minutes pre-cooking is sufficient.

I've also canned bean soup. The risk with cooking until the beans are tender or fully cooked is that once the pressure canning is done, you end up with mush.

Carol

I noticed that the baked beans recipe bakes for 5-6 hours prior to canning. Why the extreme cooking time compared to plain beans?
Do different types of beans such as dried limas require less cooking time than, say pintos or kidney ? What about garbanzos, which will be pureed for hummus when the can is open?
I want to do dried beans but am a little afraid. Should I go for it or try some stock and soups first for experience?
Are methods in BBB or the NCHFP nearly identical or i S one better than the other?
I want to do plain dried beans first, limas and garbanzos. Then baked beans when I'm baking some tomato sauce, since the oven will on anyway.
What about crock pot for the baked beans?

Are methods in BBB or the NCHFP nearly identical or i S one better than the other?

NCHFP is the source that the BBB is based on. Same with all the other approved canning cookbooks. When in doubt then NCHFP is the ultimate source to go by.

I noticed that the baked beans recipe bakes for 5-6 hours prior to canning. Why the extreme cooking time compared to plain beans?

You are comparing different cooking methods. ;) For example, Baked beans done in a crockpot wouldn't be "baked", they'd be boiled or stewed.

Baking and boiling are much lower temp and slower processes than pressure cooking. For example one can cook a whole roast in 30 mins. in a pressure cooker vs. 4-5 hours in the oven.

Plus baked beans have all the other added ingredients and the desired end texture is very different from other dried beans.

Do different types of beans such as dried limas require less cooking time than, say pintos or kidney ?

No. All the same pre-cooking time and all the same processing time. Garbanzos would still need additional cooking time once the jar is opened before pureeing. All canned dried beans will require additional cooking prior to serving. The goal of canning them is to make them safe and shelf-safe, not ready-to-eat out of the jar.

I want to do plain dried beans first, limas and garbanzos.

Then pre-cook them as called for in the NCHFP instructions, then fill the jars 3/4 full with the pre-cooked beans, fill with boiling water, and process per the instructions.

However I don't think you will be happy with the color or the texture of the canned limas. Freezing is much better for them IMO.

Dave

Thanks Dave. So, no way to make anything like Bush's canned butter beans? We eat a lot of them and with concern over BPA safety, I'm trying to eliminate commercial cans from our diet.
I'd also like a recipe for pork and beans. And, spicy ranch type beans.

The beans in tomato sauce from NCHFP is like pork n beans.
I have never eaten spicy ranch beans, so can't give you a recipe for them.

Spicy Ranch Styled Beans
BEANS Chili Beans

2 lb dried red beans, pinto beans or pink beans
water for soaking
8 cups water
2 tsp salt
2 cups chopped onions
1/4 cup vegetable oil (or less if you can get by with it)
1 pint Green Chili Salsa (Note) or 2 - 8 oz cans Green Chili Salsa (or use your own home-made)
1 Tbsp chili powder (use a chili powder that reflects your taste for heat or use more or less again depending on taste).

Sort through beans discarding broken, discolored or damaged beans. In a large bowl cover beans with water until 3" above beans. Let soak 10 to 12 hours. Drain and discard soaking water.

In a 6 to 8 quart pot, combine beans, 8 cups water and salt.

In a skillet sauté onions in oil until tender but not browned. Stir sautéed onions and oil into beans. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 45 minutes. Drain beans reserving cooking liquid.

In a medium sized bowl combine 2 1/2 cups of reserved cooking liquid, salsa and chili powder. Return beans to pot and stir in salsa mixture. Bring to a boil over medium high heat then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Bring remaining reserved cooking liquid to a boil. Ladle beans into jars leaving a 1" headspace. Add enough liquid from pot to cover beans. If necessary add hot reserved cooking liquid to cover beans. Released trapped air.

Process at 10 lb pressure for 65 minutes. Adjust pressure according to altitude and / or style of canner.

Makes: 6 pints

So, no way to make anything like Bush's canned butter beans?

Sure, you can can butter beans if you grow butter beans - we grow our own as I have never seen them dried in the store.

Dave

I didn't compare the directions but there are separate directions for canning lima beans.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_04/beans_lima_shelled.html

Thanks Jim. I'll have to try them. And Melly, thanks for pointing me to the directions for limas.
Dave, butter beans are a Lima bean, dried and cooked. I think in the south they are limas dried and in other parts of the country they are butter beans. I always called them dried limas and the green frozen ones Shelly limas but hubby is from AZ and he calls them butter beans.
My upbringing is CO but dad is from TX so lots of southern influence in my family.
I never knew what a butter bean was until I met my husband. He eats Bush's butter beans and canned tuna as a major part of his diet. Or, he would if I didn't cook for him.