Wash the canner, the jars, the lids, and all your tools with hot soapy water. Set the tools aside to air dry.
Fit the trivet in the pressure canner and place the jars upright. Add water to the jars (about halfway) and about 3 inches of water to the canner. Bring to a soft boil over medium heat, reducing to a simmer to keep warm while you prepare the green beans.
Prepare the beans
Select young, crisp fresh green beans and discard any bad ones. Trim ends and cut or break into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces. Wash the beans well and drain. Note: for the raw-pack method, continue with packing the jars.
For the hot pack method, first, boil the beans. Place them in a stainless steel saucepan, cover completely with water, and bring to a boil. Cook for five minutes until just softened but still tender and crisp.
Remove the beans from the saucepan and reserve the cooking liquid for packing.
Pack the jars
Pack the beans into the hot jars, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) headspace for a proper seal. Add the correct amount of canning salt to each jar.
For the hot-pack method, pour the reserved cooking liquid from the beans into the packed jars. For the raw-pack method, add fresh boiling water to the packed jars.Leave 1 inch (2.5 cm) of headspace between the top of the water and the rim.
Use a bubble popper or a blunt knife to press down on the beans to remove any air bubbles. If needed, add extra liquid to adjust the headspace.
Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean kitchen towel. Then center the lids and screw on the band until finger-tight.
Pressure can
Place the jars in the warm pressure canner, ensuring they don't touch each other, then adjust the water level. Lock the lid and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. First, allow the steam to vent for 10 minutes, then close the vent.
For a Dial Gauge Pressure Canner, once the gauge reaches 11 PSI (for altitudes up to 1,000 ft), start the processing time - 20 minutes for pint jars or 25 minutes for quart jars. For higher altitudes, adjust the pressure as necessary.For a Weighted Gauge Pressure Canner, heat until you achieve 10 lbs pressure for altitudes up to 1,000 ft. Then, maintain the pressure for another 20 minutes for pint jars or 25 minutes for quart jars. If you're at a higher altitude, you need to adjust the pressure to 15 lbs. Start the processing when the gauge begins to wiggle.
Once the processing time is done, turn off the heat. Then, let pressure return to zero naturally and wait a couple more minutes before opening the vent. Remove the canner lid, wait for 10 minutes, and then finally remove the jars from the canner. Set them aside to cool for 24 hours undisturbed.
Check the seal on the jar. The top of the lid should be concave (sunken in) so it doesn't pop back when you press it. If a jar isn't properly sealed, use it right away, keep it in the fridge for a short time, or re-can it. Label the jars and store them in a cool, dark place like a pantry or a cupboard.
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Notes
When you want to eat the canned beans, check the jar upon opening it. The jar should make a popping sound when opened as the pressure is released. Check there is no mold and no foul smell and, if needs be, taste the beans to make sure they have been properly preserved.Check the blog post for more tips!