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Ontario, Canada
I am a wife, mother and grandma who enjoys the many aspects of homemaking. A variety of interests and hobbies combined with travel keep me active. They reflect the importance of family, friends, home and good food.
Cook ingredients that you are used to cooking by other techniques, such as fish, chicken, or hamburgers. In other words be comfortable with the ingredients you are using.
--Bobby Flay

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Sunday, January 28, 2007

Pork & Beans and Old Fashioned Vermont Beans

Beans are one of the easiest and most economical things to can especially when you buy your beans on sale or in bulk. Better still is the flavour of homecanned beans of any kind. I like keeping a good stock of home canned pork & beans, old fashioned vermont beans and kidney beans but can other beans to have on hand too. The nice thing is beans can be canned anytime of the year. I'm down to my last four jars of pork & beans so will be canning up a batch this week. The picture is from the last batch.

home canned pork and beans
Pork & Beans

Pork & Beans
source: Jean Paré, Company's Coming Preserves, 1994. Pp.112

3 lb dried navy beans
water to cover well

1 1/2 lb ham, diced
1/2 c onion flakes
2 c ketchup
1/2 c molasses
2 tsp coarse pickling salt

Soak beans in lots of vvater oVernight in large heavy saucepan. Drain next mornig.Cover with water again. Bring to a boil, stirring on medium heat. Cover. Cook about 1 hour until tender too soft. Bite into a bean to check if cooked. Stir often while

Add remaining ingredients. Stir. Return to a boil. Pour into jars to 1 - inch (2.5 cm) of top. Secure lids. Process in pressure canner 10 pounds pressure for 80 minutes per pint, 100 minutes per quart. Makes 10 pints or or 5 quarts.

Note: for a different spin, reduce ketchup to 1 3/4 c and add 1/2 c maple syrup (aka Old Vermont Beans)


10 food lovers commented:

Unknown said...

Dear Mrs. Gnome

Perhaps I should call you by your first name of Garden, however I was told that I must not assume....
The more I read your posts, the more I wish I hadn't gotten rid of all of my canning stuff.... I think I might have the LARGE pressure canner yet though.
Your bean recipe sounds so good, may we expect an invitation soon?
Will we be having home made rye bread with them? Shall I bring an apple pie?
sm

Garden Gnome said...

You can call me whatever you like :) Honestly, I answer to Mom, Mummy, Dear, Honey, Hey You and likely a few more. Once in awhile my Given Name. I can easily go for days without hearing my actual name!

Garden Gnome came about in rather a funny way. My youngest saw the irony between me being vertically challenged and in the garden so called me a garden gnome and the nick sort of stuck so I anwer to that to.

The bean recipes are good and yes I will be making rye bread as well as rye sourdough starter. Invitations are always a given :)

Garden Gnome

pokey said...

I am greatly impressed by the kitchen talents you have Garden Gnome. My wife makes a version of the soup you mention which was a hand me down from my mother. I absolutely love it! Only the range of ingredients is not as large as yours. I tried canning tomatoes years and years ago and it worked out ok but I never continued with it. I have a sister who lives in northern NY who used to can a great deal and makes the best home made bread ever! The bread and butter pickles she put up makes my mouth water as I think of them. LOL They even raised their own meat. All you folks who do for yourselves are rare indeed. Pokey

Shreela said...

Neat thanks! Hubby loves Pork and Beans, but I can taste the metal in the cans. I'll try these to see if I can make both of us happy. I'm adding this post to my del.icio.us so I can find it wherever I'm surfing from.
Sherri

Pat said...

where can I find canning lids cheaper than a grocery store?

Garden Gnome said...

Hi Pat, it really depends on your location. My cheapest supply is the dollar store that works out to be 8¢ per lid.

kARENA said...

I'VE JUST NEW TO CANNING, AND I BOUGHT A MORE CONVENTIONAL WATER CANNING UNIT. IS IT POSSIBLE TO CAN THE BROWN BEANS USING THAT UNIT INSTEAD OF A PRESSURE COOKER? IF SO, WHAT LENGTH OF COOKING TIME WOULD THEY REQUIRE?

Garden Gnome said...

Hi Karena, thanks for visiting and welcome to the wonderful world of home canning. No, you cannot can these beans using a water bath canner which is what you have. The beans are low acid so must be pressure canned. A BWB canner is not "conventional" for anything other than high acid foods. It cannot be used for low acid foods.

Anonymous said...

Do you drain the beans after they are cooked,or do you add the remaining ingredients to the beans and liquid?

Anonymous said...

question -- you said 80 minutes per pint -- so if you have 5 pints in canner you process for 400 minutes?