Pressure-canned green beans safety at a glance
| Requirement | Tested specification |
|---|---|
| Method | Pressure |
| Pack styles | Hot or raw pack |
| Jar sizes | Pints or quarts |
| Headspace | 1 inch |
| Process time | Pints 20 minutes; quarts 25 minutes |
| Salt | Optional |
Processing details
Method: Pressure
Tested source
Tested recipe source: National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP)
Pressure-canned green beans timeline at a glance
- Prepare: Select tender, crisp pods; wash, trim, and leave whole or cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Choose one pack: Boil beans 5 minutes for hot pack, or pack raw beans tightly.
- Fill: Add optional salt and boiling liquid, leaving 1-inch headspace.
- Process: Pressure-can pints for 20 minutes or quarts for 25 minutes at the pressure required for the gauge and elevation.
Equipment for this recipe
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- Pressure canner with a dial or weighted gauge
- Pint or quart
canning jars with lids and bands - Large pot for hot-pack preparation
- Canning funnel, jar lifter, bubble-removal tool, and headspace gauge
Method limit: Plain green beans require pressure
Visual guide to the tested method
- Trim sound, tender beans and leave whole or cut into 1-inch pieces.
- For hot pack, cover with boiling water and boil 5 minutes; for raw pack, pack the uncooked beans tightly.
- Fill jars, add optional salt, cover with hot cooking liquid or boiling water, and leave 1-inch headspace.
- Vent the pressure canner and process with the correct gauge, jar-size, and altitude schedule.
- Allow the canner to depressurize naturally before removing jars.
The written NCHFP directions and WPRM recipe card remain authoritative.
Safety essentials
Safety boundary: Do not process plain green beans in a boiling-water canner. Use a pressure canner and the exact pressure required for your gauge type and elevation.
What are snap and Italian beans?
This tested procedure covers fresh snap and Italian beans, including green and wax beans, packed whole or in 1-inch pieces.
Before you begin
- Select filled but tender, crisp pods and discard diseased or rusty pods.
- Identify whether your pressure canner uses a dial gauge or weighted gauge.
- Know your elevation before choosing the processing pressure.
- Choose either the tested hot-pack or raw-pack procedure and follow it completely.
Pressure and processing schedule
| Jar | Time | 0–2,000 ft | 2,001–4,000 ft | 4,001–6,000 ft | 6,001–8,000 ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pints | 20 min | 11 psi | 12 psi | 13 psi | 14 psi |
| Quarts | 25 min | 11 psi | 12 psi | 13 psi | 14 psi |
| Jar | Time | 0–1,000 ft | Above 1,000 ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pints | 20 min | 10 psi | 15 psi |
| Quarts | 25 min | 10 psi | 15 psi |
Snap and Italian Beans — NCHFP
Ingredients
- 14 lb fresh snap, Italian, green, or wax beans for a 7-quart canner load; about 9 lb for 9 pints
- 1 tsp canning or pickling salt optional, per quart
- boiling water enough to cover beans and maintain 1-inch headspace
Equipment
- 1 Pressure canner Use a dial- or weighted-gauge pressure canner appropriate for altitude.
- 7–9 Canning jars Pints or quarts, according to the tested schedule.
- 7–9 Two-piece canning lids Prepare according to manufacturer directions.
Directions
- Wash beans, trim ends, and leave whole or cut into 1-inch pieces.
- For hot pack, cover beans with boiling water and boil 5 minutes. Fill jars loosely, leaving 1-inch headspace; add optional salt and cover with hot cooking liquid.
- For raw pack, fill jars tightly with raw beans, leaving 1-inch headspace; add optional salt and boiling water.
- Adjust lids and process in a pressure canner: pints 20 minutes; quarts 25 minutes. Use the correct pressure for gauge type and altitude.
Recipe Notes
Private Notes
Questions or results?
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Tried this recipe?
Share your results how it turned out.How to serve canned green beans
Drain and heat the beans for side dishes, soups, casseroles, or seasoned vegetable dishes. Refrigerate after opening.
Pressure-canning green bean questions
Can I use a boiling-water canner?
No. NCHFP states that there is no safe boiling-water option for plain green beans.
Can I use pint or quart jars?
Yes. Process pints for 20 minutes and quarts for 25 minutes at the correct pressure.
Is salt required?
No.
Can I choose hot pack or raw pack?
Yes. Both are tested when their respective preparation and filling directions are followed.
Plain canned beans versus pickled beans
Plain green beans are a low-acid food and require pressure
Pressure-canned green beans troubleshooting
What if the pressure drops during processing?
Bring the canner back to the required pressure and restart the full processing time from the beginning.
Why did liquid leave the jars?
Rapid pressure changes, incorrect headspace, trapped air, or temperature changes can cause liquid loss. After cooling, check the seal and do not store an unsealed jar at room temperature.
What if a jar does not seal?
Refrigerate and use promptly, freeze in a suitable container, or follow an authoritative reprocessing procedure within the permitted time.
Source & provenance
Typical canning season
Season: Summer, Fall
Months: July, August, September
How much of the main ingredient should I grow?
15–30 lb of Beans per person per year
This is an annual planning range that includes preserving and typical fresh use. Plant, row-foot, and square-foot estimates are shown only when compatible cited yield or spacing data is available.
Garden yields vary by cultivar, climate, soil, pests, and care. Always measure the exact prepared ingredient amount required by the tested canning recipe.