How To Make And Can Baked Beans

You can make and can baked beans at home fairly easily, and the results taste far better than anything from a supermarket tin.
 
The process involves cooking dried beans until tender, simmering them in a sweet and savory sauce, then pressure canning the jars so they stay shelf-stable for months.
 
If you’ve been wondering how to make and can baked beans without a lot of fuss, this guide walks you through every step.
 
In this post, we’ll cover why homemade baked beans are worth the effort, how to make baked beans from scratch, and the exact steps for canning baked beans safely.
 
Let’s dive in.
 

Why Make and Can Baked Beans at Home

Learning how to make and can baked beans gives you control over every ingredient.
 
Here’s why so many home cooks make and can baked beans themselves:
 

1. You Control the Sugar and Sodium

Store-bought baked beans often pack in corn syrup and loads of salt.
 
When you make baked beans at home, you decide how much molasses, brown sugar, or maple syrup goes in.
 
That means you can make baked beans that fit your family’s taste and dietary needs.
 

2. Home Canned Baked Beans Save Money

Dried beans cost a fraction of what canned beans cost per pound.
 
If you make and can baked beans in batches, you’ll have ready-to-heat jars on your pantry shelf for pennies per serving.
 

3. The Flavor Is Simply Better

When you make baked beans slowly at home, the beans absorb the sauce instead of just sitting in it.
 
Home canning locks in that deep, rich flavor, so every jar tastes like it simmered all day.
 

How to Make Baked Beans From Scratch

To make baked beans, start with dried navy beans, great northern beans, or pinto beans.
 
Here’s the process for how to make baked beans step by step:
 

1. Soak the Beans Overnight

Rinse two pounds of dried beans and pick out any stones or shriveled pieces.
 
Cover them with cold water, leaving about two inches of water above the beans, and let them soak 12 to 18 hours.
 
If you’re short on time, do a quick soak by boiling the beans for two minutes, then letting them sit for an hour off the heat.
 

2. Simmer Until Tender

Drain the soaked beans and cover them with fresh water.
 
Simmer until the beans are tender but not mushy, which usually takes about 45 to 60 minutes.
 
Beans for canning should be fully cooked before they go in the jar, since the canning process won’t soften them further.
 

3. Mix Up the Sauce

While the beans simmer, stir together your sauce.
 
A classic combination includes molasses, brown sugar, mustard, ketchup, onion, garlic, and a splash of apple cider vinegar.
 
When you make baked beans, taste the sauce as you go and adjust the sweetness or tang to your liking.
 

4. Combine and Simmer Together

Drain the cooked beans and return them to the pot with the sauce.
 
Simmer everything together for 15 to 20 minutes so the beans soak up the flavor.
 
If you plan to eat some right away, bake them in a covered dish at 350°F for about an hour to thicken the sauce.
 

How to Can Baked Beans Safely

Canning baked beans requires a pressure canner because beans are a low-acid food.
 
A water bath canner simply won’t get hot enough to make baked beans shelf-stable, and skipping this step risks botulism.
 
Here’s how to make and can baked beans once they’re cooked:
 

1. Prep Your Jars and Canner

Wash your jars, lids, and rings in hot soapy water and keep the jars hot.
 
Fill your pressure canner with the recommended amount of water and start heating it while you fill jars.
 

2. Fill the Jars

Ladle hot baked beans into hot jars, leaving one inch of headspace.
 
For pints, fill with beans first, then add sauce until the liquid covers them.
 
Run a bubble popper or plastic spatula around the inside of each jar to release trapped air.
 

3. Wipe Rims and Add Lids

Wipe each rim with a damp cloth to remove any sauce residue.
 
Center a lid on each jar, then screw on the ring until it’s fingertip tight.
 

4. Process in a Pressure Canner

Load the jars into your pressure canner according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
 
Process pints for 65 minutes and quarts for 75 minutes at 11 pounds of pressure, adjusting for your altitude.
 
Once the time is up, turn off the heat and let the canner cool and depressurize naturally.
 

5. check Seals and Store

Let jars cool on a towel for 12 to 24 hours, then press the center of each lid.
 
If the lid doesn’t flex, the jar sealed properly, which means your home canned baked beans are ready for the pantry.
 
Label the jars and store them in a cool, dark spot, where they’ll keep for a year or more.
 
Remember, when you make and can baked beans, any jar that didn’t seal should go straight into the fridge and be eaten within a few days.
 

So, How Do You Make and Can Baked Beans?

You make and can baked beans by soaking dried beans, simmering them until tender, mixing them with a sweet and savory sauce, and pressure canning the filled jars for 65 to 75 minutes.
 
The process takes some patience, but the payoff is a pantry full of jars that taste homemade because they are.
 
Once you learn how to make and can baked beans, you’ll never look at store-bought tins the same way again.
 
Now you know how to make and can baked beans, so grab a bag of dried beans and give it a try.