Green Bean Dish--precook beans?

16 years ago

One of the things I have been "assigned" to bring to our family Thanksgiving dinner is the standard green bean dish (I know you are all groaning and rolling your eyes):). My mother in law has given me some of her home canned beans to use. My question is this, do I have to cook the beans as I normally would first, before baking in the dish? She has always told be to be sure and simmer the beans for 20 minutes or so before eating and I'm thinking that in this dish, they are in the oven long enough to just get heated, not really cooked as well as when simmering on the stove top. I know I may be over thinking this but beings they are home canned, I just want to make sure.

Thanks for any advice any of you may have!

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Comments (7)

caliloo
16 years ago
I have no idea how to make the home canned green beans, I just wanted to add that we LOVE the famous Green Bean Casserole!

Alexa
Nancy
16 years ago
The recipe I tried uses fresh or frozen green beans, baked 35 minutes. I used frozen last year, they were not done as well as I would have liked at only 35 minutes. Since yours are canned beans & have been in a processor, plus not frozen, I think you will be fine just baking them.
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dirtgirl07
16 years ago
How long is the casserole in the oven and at what temp?

There are a lot of home canners on this forum that I hope will answer this for you. There is a safety issue with the home canned foods being 'cooked' before serving them. I believe it's a precautionary procedure but they would know best what to do.

Good luck!
pris
16 years ago
You would use home canned just like you would "store bought". The process is the same. Canned veggies are already cooked. You could conceivably eat them right out of the can.
kel3
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for the responses! The casserole is to bake for 30 min. at 350 degrees. The fact that my mother in law (who does the canning) has always been admamant about simmering the beans before eating is what had me question the process. It's easy enough to do, but thought if I didn't have to, I wouldn't as it seems they may just turn to mush!

And yes Caliloo, my family likes it too:)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
jessyf
16 years ago
I think its a matter of how cooked you want your beans. Right out of the jar is cooked but still has some 'al dente' to it - but some folks like their veggies cooked to near mush, as you said. I'd keep checking from start to finish.
annie1992
16 years ago
Kel, the USDA says that even if vegetables are not properly canned, they can be made safe by boiling them for 20 minutes, that's probably why your FIL says that.

Now, if they have been properly pressure canned, they are safe to eat right out of the jar. If you don't know, then I'd heat them for 20 minutes and then assemble the casserole.

If you are confident that your FIL follows safe and up to date canning methods, then use them just like you'd use commercially canned or freshly cooked green beans.

I also make the dreaded green bean casserole and I use my home canned beans. Because I am confident in my canning process, I just drain the beans, assemble the casserole and bake it.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Annie