Well, I would definitely worry about the beans. The problem with altitude is that as altitude increases the pressure (and therefore the temperature) inside the canner goes down. Taken to an extreme, it's almost like boiling water bath-ing your beans.

The fact that the jars sealed isn't an indicator of safety because botulism likes an anaerobic low-acid environment, so if spores are present, the sealed jar provides an ideal environment for the development of toxins.

Do you have the current Ball Blue Book? There's a chart on page 5 of altitude adjustments. At 2001-4000 you'd use the 15-pound weight or 12 psi on a dial gauge.

If it hasn't been longer than 24 hours, you can re-process the beans. They'd be softer but at least you'd have peace of mind.

I'm like you on the peach butter. I wouldn't worry about it. Compared to the beans it's a non-issue. I'd just move that batch to the front and use it first.

Carol

It has been longer than 24 hours on the beans. Should I toss them? I used to do BWB on beans without any issues. But I really want to can in a safe environment!

I would toss them but I just don't have any tolerance for risk when it comes to the low-acid stuff.

One alternative is to not touch or taste the beans out of the jar. Open, put your beans into the pan and boil for 20 minutes before consuming them. They'll lose texture, but if there are toxins a good boil will kill them. That's what the old-timers did; it's one reason they could open kettle can or boiling water bath low-acid foods and live to tell about it.

I am sorry. I know how hard it is to do all that work and then contemplate tossing it out. It's not fun. I hope the next canning adventure goes better for you.

Carol

I always boil open before tasting (I was trained by an old timer), but certainly don't want to risk it. My canner instruction book says"if altitude is 2,000 feet or over, add 1 pound of pressure for each 2,000 feet." I increased the 10 pounds to between 11 and 12 and would have no worries at all had I not bought that new box of jars! I'm going to contact our local extension service to see what they say, since we're right at 2800 feet. That sobbing and grinding noise you hear tomorrow coming from the mountain desert West, will be me any my garbage disposal.

A lot of people don't realize a 10-pound weight is actually machined for 10.5 pounds, so 11 pounds on a gauge is not really that much more than the 10 pound weight is anyway. They just call it 10 pounds because they think 10.5 is too confusing. Amazing. We can cook and bake with all kinds of fractions but apparently can't figure out a half-pound on a canner weight.

With a weighted gauge all you can do is go up to the higher weight, the 15-pound. It's the disadvantage of that kind of canner at altitude. With an accurate dial gauge you can go 12 pounds. That way you can balance safety with quality and use only the pressure necessary.

Carol