And, we’re back! That should be the last hiatus from posts for awhile – thank goodness! So, to catch everyone up – the garden is going nuts, okra is producing daily, and I’m finally getting the hang of hide and go seek with the cucumbers – aka I’m starting to finally find them at a good pickling size! (However, I may intentionally let a few go a bit longer so I have an excuse to make cinnamon pickles. I am just as wary as you – I’m sure – but I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews and, to be honest, they remind me too much of Sweedish Fish to say no!)
So Thursday night’s canning adventure was Lemon-garlic green beans! We had just over 2lbs of green beans picked from the garden that I wanted to use before they went bad (major no-no in my house!) so after going back and forth on a number of ideas, we decided to try something new! (We already have Dilly Beans and Balsamic Beans in stock.)
Lemon-Garlic Green Beans
[Yield: (2) Quarts or (4) Pints]
Materials: (all materials can be found on The Necessities for reference)
- 2 quart jars (plus flat lids and bands/rings) [Hint: I usually add an additional jar or 2 just in case.]
- 1 pressure canner*
- 1 funnel
- 1 pan (to heat broth)
- 1 jar lifter
- 1 large bowl
- 1 dish towel (large enough for the jars to cool on)
*Yes, we are finally delving into the pressure canning world! As I stated in The Necessities, there are a number of varieties of pressure canners. The one seen in the pictures below is a Presto 16 quart weighted canner. The process of using a weight is slightly different than if you were using a gauge but I will do my best to explain both methods!
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs green beans, washed
- 1 tsp ground black pepper*
- 2 tsp salt*
- 1 tsp lemon zest (Guilty – I used an orange, it is what I had on hand!)
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp white vinegar **
- Chicken or vegetable broth
*Remember, dry herbs do not affect the pH of a recipe. Because of this, you can adjust quantities as desired (or even add additional flavors!)
**The vinegar in this recipe is not for the food! When pressure canning it is recommended to use 2tbsp of vinegar in the water of the canner to help avoid mineral build up and discoloration of the canner however, this is not required.
Process:
- Inspect each of your jars for cracks, chips, and/or any other questionable markings before use.
- Inspect pressure canner per Inspecting your Pressure Canner.
- Place canning rack into bottom of the pressure canner. Note that this is different from what we use on the water bath – it is a single metal disk that lays at the bottom of the canner to keep the glass jars off the bottom.
- Pour 3 quarts of water (and 2 tbsp of vinegar if using) into the pressure canner and then place on burner to warm jars (simmer but do not boil). (No matter how many jars you can safely fit in the canner, you will always use 3 quarts of water. As the pressure builds up, it creates steam and will cook the food to safe internal temperatures and does not require the jars to be submerged.)
- Pour broth into a pan and bring to a boil on the stove while preparing steps 6-7.
- First, cut off the stem of each washed green bean and then, snap into 2″ pieces and place in large bowl.
- Add in all remaining ingredients in large bowl except broth and stir together.
- Remove empty jars from pressure canner by using jar lifter.
- Tightly pack green bean mixture into each heated jar leaving 1in head space. [Head space is the distance from the top of the jar to the food filling the jar.]
- Pour boiling broth in over packed green bean mixture maintaining 1in head space. (The amount used is determined by how tightly you pack the ingredients)
- Wipe the rim of each jar with a damp cloth ensuring that the rims are clean.
12. Place flat lid and screw band on jar and finger tighten. [Hint: Place the jar on a towel and using only your fingers, tighten the band until your jar spins on the towel.]
13. Once finger tightened, return to pressure canner to avoid thermal shock. [Thermal shock is the cracking of jars from an extreme temperature swing such as putting hot food into a cold jar.]
14. Place lid on canner (Note, if using a weighted pressure canner, do not place weight on lid vent pipe. If using a gauge pressure canner, only have the gauge in place, do not put pressure regular on vent pipe), return to medium-high heat.
15. After a few minutes, the vent pipe should start expelling steam. Adjust temperature on stove top to maintain a steady stream. Once achieved, set timer for 10 minutes.
16. After 10 minutes, place weight (10 lbs) or pressure regulator on vent pipe.
For both methods, verify elevation using Elevation Rules and adjust accordingly.
17. Weighted pressure canner: adjust heat until weight rocks at a slow stead pace. Once rocking, set timer for 20 minutes (pints) or 25 minutes (quarts). If weight stops rocking, this indicates that you are below temperature and processing time must restart.
Dial gauge canner: adjust heat until gauge reads 11 psi. Once pressure is achieved, set timer for 20 minutes (pints) or 25 minutes (quarts). If the gauge ever drops below pressure, this indicates that you are below temperature and processing time must restart.
As the pressure builds, the lid lock should popup indicating that pressure is building and that the lid is safely locked in place.
For both methods, verify elevation using Elevation Rules and adjust accordingly.
18. After 20/25 minutes, turn off heat and let canner cool on its own. Do not remove regulator or weight until canner is cool, lock is down, and no pressure remains in vessel. (This can easily take upwards of a half-hour if not more).
20. Once the canner is cool and no pressure remains, remove regulator or weight and wait an additional 10 minutes.
21. Remove canner lid (careful to open away from you) and use the jar lifter to remove your filled jars and place on a towel in a cool & draft-free location.
22. Wait 24 hours before touching the jars. After 24 hours, remove the bands and pick up each jar from the flat lid (this will help ensure that each jar is truly sealed). Once the seal is verified, you may wash the exterior of the jars, dry, label, and store for future use.
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