Home-Canned “Better Than Bush’s” Baked Beans

 

Sweet, smoky, tangy, and perfectly tender — these homemade baked beans are incredible, and can be safely canned for shelf-stable convenience. Perfect for BBQs, weeknight dinners, or adding protein to quick meals.

Ingredients (Makes 7–9 pints)

Beans

• 2 pounds dried navy beans (or great northern beans)

Sauce

• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup ketchup
• ½ cup molasses
• ¼ cup yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cayenne (optional, for heat)
• 4–5 cups boiling water or bean cooking liquid

Optional Add-Ins

• 6–8 slices diced bacon
• ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
• Additional brown sugar for sweeter beans
• More mustard for tangier beans

Canning Safety Note

Baked beans must be canned using a pressure canner, not a water-bath, because they contain low-acid ingredients (beans + sauce).
Processing times are included below.

Instructions

1 Sort, Rinse & Soak the Beans

1. Pick through the beans to remove stones or debris.
2. Rinse thoroughly.
3. Choose one soaking method:

Overnight soak (Preferred)

• Cover beans with 3× their volume in water.
• Soak 12–16 hours. Drain and rinse.

Quick soak

• Boil beans 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat, cover, rest 1 hour.
• Drain & rinse.

2 Par-Cook the Beans

This keeps beans tender after canning.

1. Add soaked beans to a large pot.
2. Cover with fresh water.
3. Simmer 30–40 minutes, until the beans are just barely tender — not mushy.
4. Drain, reserving 4–5 cups of liquid if you want extra flavor.
5. Tip: Under-cook slightly. Beans finish softening inside the jars.

3 Make the Sauce

In a separate pot:

1. Sauté onion and garlic until soft.
2. Add:
   • brown sugar
   • ketchup
   • molasses
   • mustard
   • Worcestershire
   • smoked paprika
   • pepper & salt
3. Add 4–5 cups boiling water (or bean liquid).
4. Simmer 5–10 minutes until blended and slightly thickened.

Taste and adjust:
✔ more sugar → sweeter
✔ more mustard → tangier
✔ more paprika → smokier

4 Prepare Jars for Filling

Sterilize 7–9 pint jars.
Heat flat lids and rings.
Keep everything warm so jars don’t crack during canning.

5 Fill the Jars

For each jar:

1. Add ¾ cup par-cooked beans.
2. Add optional bacon if using.
3. Ladle hot sauce over beans, leaving 1 inch headspace.
4. Remove bubbles using a chopstick.
5. Adjust headspace again.
6. Wipe rims, add lids, tighten finger-tight.
7. Ratio Tip: Beans expand during canning — don’t overfill!

6 Pressure Can the Baked Beans

Processing time for PINTS:

75 minutes

Processing time for QUARTS:

90 minutes

Pressure:

• 10 PSI for dial-gauge canners
• 11 PSI for weighted-gauge canners
  (Adjust for high altitude as needed.)

7 Cooling & Storage

1. Turn off heat and let pressure return to zero naturally.
2. Remove jars and let them sit undisturbed for 12–24 hours.
3. Check seals.
4. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

How to Use Your Home-Canned Beans

• Serve with BBQ chicken or ribs
• Add to chili
• Bring to picnics or potlucks
• Serve with breakfast
• Use as a base for bean casseroles

Just open, warm, and eat!

Flavor Variations

1. Bush’s Sweet Heat Style

Add:

• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1 tbsp sriracha
• Extra brown sugar

2. Bush’s Homestyle Style

Add:

• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ tsp ground mustard
• A touch of blackstrap molasses

3. Maple Baked Beans

Replace half the sugar with pure maple syrup.

4. Smoky BBQ Baked Beans

Add:

• ½ cup BBQ sauce
• ¼ tsp liquid smoke
• Diced bacon