How to Can Pinto Beans and Ham for Easy Meals

Canning pinto beans and ham is a tasty way to create quick and easy meals from your pantry. With canned beans and ham on hand, you can throw together soups, chilis, casseroles, and more with minimal effort. Follow these simple steps for canning perfect beans and ham at home.

Ingredients

2 pounds dry pinto beans
1 meaty ham hock or 1 pound cubed ham
8 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
6 pint-sized canning jars with lids and rings

Equipment

Large pot with lid for cooking beans
Slotted spoon for removing beans
Ladle for filling jars
Pressure canner
Jar lifter
Bubble removal tool
Clean towels

Step 1 – Soak the Beans

Place dry beans in a large pot and cover with 2 inches of water.
Let soak overnight on the counter or quick soak for 1 hour in boiling water.
Drain and rinse soaked beans.

Soaking ensures the beans fully hydrate and cook evenly.

Step 2 – Cook the Beans

In the pot, combine drained beans, ham hock or cubed ham, 8 cups fresh water, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes to partially cook.
Remove ham hock, cool and cut ham meat into chunks. Discard bone.
Drain cooking liquid from beans but reserve for canning.

Parcooking the beans before canning allows them to finish cooking in the jar properly.

Step 3 – Fill the Jars

Ladle 1 cup beans into each sterilized jar.
Add 2-3 chunks of ham to each jar.
Pour reserved bean liquid over beans and ham, leaving 1 inch headspace.
Remove any air bubbles and wipe rim clean.
Seal jars with heated lids and rings.

Proper headspace and bubble removal prevents food spoilage during canning.

Step 4 – Process the Jars

Place sealed jars in pressure canner and cover with 2 inches of water.
Follow manufacturer instructions to reach required pressure based on your altitude.
Process pint jars at 11 pounds pressure for 75 minutes.
Allow canner to depressurize naturally according to instructions.

Pressure canning kills any bacteria and creates an airtight seal for shelf-stable beans and ham.

Step 5 – Test the Seal

Remove jars from canner and allow to cool completely undisturbed for 12-24 hours.
Check that the lid has sealed tightly to the jar. Press down – it should not flex up and down.
Store properly sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.
If the seal fails, refrigerate beans and use within 5 days. Reprocess unsealed jars with new lids.

Double check the seals before storing to ensure your beans and ham are safely preserved.

Serving Suggestions

Canned pinto beans and ham make quick and easy meals. Try them in these recipes:

Bean and Ham Soup – Puree 1 jar beans and ham with 4 cups broth. Season and garnish.
Ham and Bean Chili – Sauté onion and peppers. Add contents of 1 jar, tomatoes, and spices. Simmer.
Cowboy Beans – Combine 3 jars with barbecue sauce. Bake until thickened.
Ham and Bean Omelet – Sauté 1 jar of beans with ham. Fold into beaten eggs and cook as an omelet.
Bean Salad – Drain and rinse 1 jar. Toss with diced veggies, olive oil, vinegar, and seasonings. Chill.

With the steps above, you’ll have delicious homemade baked beans and ham ready anytime. Just open a jar, heat, and enjoy!

how to can pinto beans and ham

What You Will Need

4 lbs Northern Beans (8 Cups Dried)
1 Ham Hock, De-boned, Fat Trimmed, Cubed
4 Cups Brown Sugar
4 Tbsp Dried Mustard
2 Cups Maple Syrup
4 Cups Ketchup
2 Cups Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tbsp Ground Black Pepper
10 cups of water (beginning with bean water and adding more tap water as needed)
Large Stock Pot
Dutch Oven
19 Pint Jars, Cleaned and Hot
Lids and Rings
Pressure Canner and Canning Tools

1. Place the beans into the large stock pot and cover beans with 2-3 times as much water. Hydrate your beans using either the quick soak method, or the overnight soak method. To use the quick soak method, bring the beans to a boil and let them boil for two to three minutes. Then take them off the heat, cover them, and let them cool for one hour. For the overnight method, leave the beans on the counter for 12-18 hours. To dry the beans, strain off the water and add 2 inches of fresh water on top of each bean. Heat the beans to boiling temperature (100 C or 212 F) then start a timer for 30 minutes. Once done, remove from heat.

2. Place your pressure canner over a medium heat and add the recommended amount of water. In the dutch oven, add the brown sugar and the mustard then stir together. Add the maple syrup, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, black pepper and water. Stir thoroughly and place over medium heat until the sauce begins to bubble. Place the lids in a bowl of hot water.

3. Place 1 heaping cup of par cooked beans into each hot jar. Split the ham hock into small pieces and put them in each jar. Then, add about 1 1/4 cups of sauce or until there is an inch of headspace. Empty the jars, clean the edges, and put the lids and rings on so they fit snugly. Then, put the jars in a pressure canner. Heat pressure canner as instructed by the canner manufacturer to the pressure needed for your elevation. Process pints for 75 minutes and quarts for 95 minutes. Put hot jars on a counter lined with towels and let them sit for 24 hours. Then follow the manufacturer’s instructions for letting the extra pressure out. The remove the rings, wipe the jars with a wet towel, label and store.

Pressure Canning Dried Pinto Beans | No Soak Method | Rebel Canning l Inspired by Kneady Homestead

FAQ

Can you can ham and pinto beans?

Place 1 heaping cup of par cooked beans into each hot jar. Add the diced ham hock evenly between the jars, then fill with about 1 1/4 cup sauce or until until 1 inch head space is reached. Remove any bubbles, wipe the rims, add the lids and rings to finger tight, then place into pressure canner.

Can cooked pinto beans be canned?

Cover beans soaked by either method with fresh water and boil 30 minutes. Add my spice mix above to each cleaned pint jar. Fill jars 3/4 full with beans and add cooking water to 1-inch headspace. Pressure Can Pints 75 Minutes / Quarts 90 Minutes.

Do you have to soak pinto beans before canning?

This is the main reason that while popping some dried beans in a jar, covering it with water, and going straight to the canner looks easy, I’d rather take the time to soak them overnight, and rinse them well before I can them. The other reason is just a safeguard against over filling jars.

How long will home canned pinto beans last?

Canned foods can be stored virtually indefinitely, but both taste and nutrition may suffer as the years tick by. Store canned foods in a cool, dry place; dependable recommendations typically indicate that good storage will maintain quality for 2 to 5 years.

How do you make pinto beans & ham?

Pinto Beans and Ham is an easy, economical way to make a big pot full of tasty, filling, pinto beans and shredded leftover ham, flavored with onion and garlic! Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks! Rinse the pinto beans in a strainer. Place beans into a large stockpot. Cover completely with water. Add ham bone (or chopped ham).

Are pinto beans healthy?

Pinto beans are extremely nutritious. They are primarily composed of carbohydrates, protein and fiber. In particular, they boast plenty of thiamine, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. Antioxidants such as polyphenols and flavonoids are present in pinto beans which protect the cells against damage free radicles. Kaempferol present in pinto beans may provide anticancer benefits.

What is pinto beans & ham?

Pinto Beans and Ham (cheap and filling) / The Grateful Girl Cooks! Pinto Beans and Ham is an easy, economical way to make a big pot full of tasty, filling, pinto beans and leftover ham, flavored with onion and garlic! Well, here’s my first post in 2015. Nothing fancy or glamorous, but this meal is sure inexpensive, FILLING, and delicious!

Can you can pinto beans?

Winter is such a great time to fill your pantry shelves with convenient home-canned food, and this guide for canning pinto beans will help you do exactly that! You might wonder why can pinto beans, when they keep so well dried. Well… it’s all about convenience.