🏺 Pressure Canned Baked Beans
Homemade, Smoky, and Shelf-Stable!
📌 In This Article
📦 Ingredients
🫘 For the Beans
- 🫘 3-4 lbs Navy or Great Northern Beans – Use 3 lbs for saucier beans
🍅 For the Sauce (per batch)
- 🍅 2 quarts tomato juice
- 🍅 1 quart tomato sauce
- 🧅 1 cup chopped fresh onion
- 🍬 2 cups brown sugar – Adjust to taste
- 🍯 1/2 cup molasses
- 🍋 2 tbsp cider vinegar
- 🔥 1-2 tbsp liquid smoke
- 🌿 2 tsp dry mustard
- 🌿 1 tsp allspice
- 🧂 1 tsp salt
- 🌿 2 tsp black pepper
💡 Pro tip: "Adjust sweetness to your taste — add extra vinegar and mustard to cut the sweetness."
📝 Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 – Prepare the Beans
- Sort, rinse, and drain the beans. Remove any debris or shriveled beans.
- Cover with fresh water in a large pot.
- Bring to a rolling boil.
- Turn off heat and let soak for 1 hour.
- Drain the beans and discard the soaking water.
- Add fresh water to cover the beans and bring to a boil.
💡 Pro tip: "Soaking beans helps them cook evenly and reduces gas."
Step 2 – Prepare the Sauce
- In a large pot, combine all sauce ingredients.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Let the sauce simmer while you prepare the jars.
💡 Pro tip: "Simmering the sauce helps the flavors meld together."
Step 3 – Prepare Your Equipment
- Prepare your pressure canner according to manufacturer's instructions.
- Sterilize jars, lids, and rings in boiling water for 10 minutes.
- Keep jars hot until ready to fill.
💡 Pro tip: "Always start with hot, sterilized jars for a good seal."
Step 4 – Fill the Jars
- Fill each jar ~2/3 to 3/4 full with the prepared beans.
- Ladle the hot sauce over the beans.
- Leave 1 inch headspace.
- Use a bubble remover or chopstick to remove air bubbles.
- Wipe rims clean with a damp cloth dipped in vinegar.
- Add lids and rings — finger-tight.
⚠️ Important: "Don't overfill — leave 1 inch headspace for proper sealing."
Step 5 – Pressure Can
- Place jars in the pressure canner.
- Follow your canner's instructions for venting and pressurizing.
- Process at 10 lbs pressure (adjust for altitude):
- Quarts: 90 minutes
- Pints: 75 minutes
⚠️ Important Safety Warning
Beans MUST be pressure canned. Water bath canning is NOT safe for beans. The temperature needs to reach 240°F to kill pathogens, which can only happen under pressure.
Always follow USDA-approved pressure canning guidelines.
Step 6 – Cool and Store
- Allow pressure to naturally release to 0 PSI.
- Wait 10 minutes before opening the canner.
- Remove jars and cool on a dishtowel for 12-24 hours.
- Check seals — the lid should be concave and not flex.
- Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.
💡 Pro tip: "Listen for that satisfying 'pop' — that's the sound of a perfect seal!"
🍅 Canning Leftover Sauce
This recipe makes 3½ pints of leftover sauce in addition to the beans. You can can the sauce separately for later use.
📝 Instructions for Sauce
- Prepare sterilized jars (quarts or pints).
- Ladle hot sauce into hot jars.
- Leave 1 inch headspace.
- Wipe rims, add lids and rings — finger-tight.
- Pressure can at 10 lbs pressure:
- Quarts: 25 minutes
- Pints: 15 minutes
💡 Pro tip: "Tomato-based sauce without meat is safe to pressure can for shorter times."
🥫 How to Store
- 🏠 Pantry: Up to 1 year in a cool, dark place
- 🧊 Refrigerator after opening: Use within 1 week
- 🔥 Reheat: Stovetop or microwave
💡 Pro tip: "Label jars with the date and contents for easy identification."
💡 Pro Tips
- 🫘 Use 3 lbs beans for more sauce: A saucier consistency.
- 🍬 Adjust sweetness: Add vinegar and mustard to cut sweetness.
- 🔥 Liquid smoke: Adds authentic smoky flavor.
- ⏱️ Soak beans properly: 1 hour soak after boiling is key.
- 🫙 Use new lids: Old lids may not seal properly.
- 🏷️ Label everything: Date and contents on every jar.
- 🌡️ Altitude adjustments: Above 1,000 feet, increase pressure to 15 lbs.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Can I water bath can baked beans?
NO! Beans must be pressure canned to be safe.
❓ How long do canned baked beans last?
Up to 1 year when properly pressure canned and stored.
❓ Can I use pinto beans instead of navy?
Yes! Any bean works.
❓ Can I reduce the sugar?
Yes, adjust to your taste — I cut mine down.
❓ How many jars does this make?
6 pints and 3 quarts of beans, plus 3½ pints of leftover sauce.
❓ Can I add meat to this recipe?
Yes, but you'll need to adjust processing times.
❓ How do I can leftover sauce?
Pressure can for 25 minutes (quarts) or 15 minutes (pints).
❓ Why do I need to soak beans?
Soaking helps them cook evenly and reduces gas.
❓ Can I use Great Northern beans?
Yes, they work great in this recipe.
❓ Is this better than store-bought canned beans?
YES! Homemade is so much better and you control the ingredients.
📄 Printable Recipe Card
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║ PRESSURE CANNED BAKED BEANS ║
║ Homemade, Smoky, and Shelf-Stable! ║
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YIELD: 6 pints + 3 quarts + 3½ pints sauce
TOTAL TIME: ~2 hours | PROCESS: 75-90 min
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INGREDIENTS
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BEANS:
- 3-4 lbs Navy or Great Northern beans
SAUCE:
- 2 quarts tomato juice
- 1 quart tomato sauce
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 cups brown sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1-2 tbsp liquid smoke
- 2 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
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INSTRUCTIONS
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1. Sort, rinse, and drain beans. Cover with water, bring to a boil,
turn off heat, soak 1 hour. Drain. Add fresh water and boil.
2. In a large pot, combine all sauce ingredients. Bring to a simmer.
3. Sterilize jars, lids, and rings. Keep hot.
4. Fill jars ~2/3-3/4 full with beans. Add sauce to 1" headspace.
5. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, add lids and rings.
6. PRESSURE CAN:
- Quarts: 90 minutes at 10 lbs pressure
- Pints: 75 minutes at 10 lbs pressure
7. Allow pressure to naturally release. Cool 12-24 hours.
8. Check seals and store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.
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LEFTOVER SAUCE INSTRUCTIONS
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- Pressure can tomato sauce at 10 lbs pressure:
- Quarts: 25 minutes
- Pints: 15 minutes
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SHELF-STABLE PERFECTION! 🏺
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"Homemade baked beans from scratch — no preservatives,
no weird ingredients, just pure, smoky goodness." ❤️
© CanningRebels — Pressure Canned Baked Beans
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