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Pressure can green beans for 20 minutes if you’re using a dial-gauge canner at 11 PSI, or 25 minutes if you’re using a weighted-gauge canner at 10 PSI.
But those times only apply to properly prepared pint jars.
If you’re packing quart jars, you’ll need to pressure can green beans for 25 minutes with a dial-gauge canner or 30 minutes with a weighted-gauge canner.
The reason you pressure can green beans instead of water-bath canning them comes down to safety.
Green beans are a low-acid food, which means boiling water alone won’t kill the dangerous bacteria that can thrive inside a sealed jar.
Only the high heat of a pressure canner, reaching 240°F or higher, can destroy those spores and keep your green beans safe to eat.
In this post, we’ll walk through exactly how long you pressure can green beans, why those times matter, and how to get the process right so your pantry stays stocked and safe.
Let’s dig in.
How Long Do You Pressure Can Green Beans?
The short answer is that you pressure can green beans for the times listed above, but several factors change those numbers.
Here’s what actually determines how long you pressure can green beans.
1. Your Altitude Changes Everything
If you live at sea level, you pressure can green beans using the standard times and pressures.
But once you climb above 1,000 feet, you’ll need to adjust your canner’s pressure upward to keep the internal temperature high enough.
At higher altitudes, water boils at a lower temperature, so you have to compensate by increasing the PSI.
This is why two people can pressure can green beans using the exact same recipe and get different results if they live in different states.
2. Jar Size Matters More Than You Think
Pint jars heat through faster than quart jars, so you pressure can green beans in pints for less time.
Quarts hold more food, which means the heat takes longer to reach the center of the jar.
That’s why you pressure can green beans in quarts for an extra 5 minutes compared to pints.
Never guess on this one, because under-processing quarts is one of the most common mistakes home canners make.
3. The Type of Canner You Own
Dial-gauge canners and weighted-gauge canners require different pressures, which affects how long you pressure can green beans.
A weighted-gauge canner holds a steady 10 PSI at sea level, so you pressure can green beans for 25 minutes in pints.
A dial-gauge canner needs to be maintained at 11 PSI, so you pressure can green beans for 20 minutes in pints.
Always check your canner’s manual and have your dial gauge tested yearly, because an inaccurate gauge can throw off your timing completely.
How to Pressure Can Green Beans Step by Step
Knowing how long to pressure can green beans is only half the battle, so here’s the full process.
1. Prep Your Green Beans Properly
Wash your green beans, trim the ends, and cut them into whatever size you prefer.
You can leave them whole, but many people cut them into one-inch pieces because they pack easier into jars.
Raw pack or hot pack both work, though hot packing helps you fit more into each jar.
Either way, always add salt for flavor if you like, but salt is optional for safety.
2. Fill Your Jars Correctly
Pack your green beans tightly into clean, hot jars, leaving one inch of headspace at the top.
Cover them with boiling water, still maintaining that one-inch headspace.
Run a bubble tool or plastic spatula around the inside of the jar to release trapped air.
Wipe the rims, add your lids, and tighten the bands to fingertip tight.
3. Load the Canner and Vent It
Place your filled jars on the rack inside the pressure canner with two to three inches of hot water in the bottom.
Lock the lid and turn up the heat until steam starts flowing steadily from the vent pipe.
Let it vent for a full 10 minutes, because skipping this step traps cold air inside and throws off your pressure.
4. Bring It to Pressure and Start Timing
Once venting is done, add your weighted gauge or close the petcock and watch the dial.
When you hit the right pressure for your altitude, that’s when you start counting how long you pressure can green beans.
Keep the pressure steady the whole time, adjusting the heat as needed but never letting it drop.
If the pressure falls below your target, you’ll need to bring it back up and restart the entire timing process.
5. Let It Cool Down Naturally
When your timer goes off, turn off the heat and let the canner cool on its own.
Don’t rush this by removing the weight or opening the lid, because that can cause jars to break or seal improperly.
Wait until the pressure reads zero and the canner is cool enough to touch, then open it slowly.
So, How Long Do You Pressure Can Green Beans?
You pressure can green beans for 20 to 25 minutes in pints and 25 to 30 minutes in quarts, depending on your canner and altitude.
Those times keep your green beans safe, shelf-stable, and ready for winter meals.
Get the pressure right, vent properly, and never cut the processing time short.
Once you’ve done it a few times, you’ll know exactly how long you pressure can green beans without even checking your notes.