Canning green beans

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We had several cans of green beans to can - we got them blanched and packed in jars and went to process them in our brand new pressure canner but it malfunctioned and we couldn't get it to work. And we didn't know anyone else with one and it was special-ordered for us from the hardware store so they didn't have any more. The question is, what to do with the beans in the jars??? They've been sitting on the counter, warm, for several hours - is that bad? Are they ruined forever? We're going to try the old-fashioned waterbath for 3 hours method and just keep them in the fridge...and boil them nice and long before we eat them, but does anyone else have a better idea? In case this ever happens again...

-- Christine young (christine_young16@yahoo.com), July 25, 2001

Answers

Christine,

If they haven't been sitting on the warm countertop for half the day already just put them in the refrigerator until you're ready to eat them. At that time give them a little boil to heat them.

Did the lids seal at all?

What was the nature of the malfunction?

={(Oak)-

-- Live Oak (oneliveoak@yahoo.com), July 25, 2001.


Christine, just water bath them for 3 hours, and when you open them, just bring them to a boil and hold them for 15 minutes at that temp. Those beans will be perfectly safe, though overcooked. My mom never used a pressure canner when we were growing up, and yes, those beans on the counter are fine. If they smell ok, they are ok.

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), July 25, 2001.

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