Preheat & Prepare the Beans:

Before you can enjoy these delicious baked beans, the navy beans need some prep.

• Start by rinsing your navy beans thoroughly, removing any debris.
• Cover the beans with water in a large pot and bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, remove the pot from heat, cover it, and let the beans sit for 1 hour. This helps soften the beans for the cooking process.
• After an hour, drain and rinse the beans again. Refill the pot with fresh water and simmer the beans for 20 to 30 minutes until they’re partially cooked. You want them to be tender but not mushy since they’ll cook more during the canning process.

Prepare the Sauce:

• The sauce is where all the magic happens! This rich, flavorful sauce brings out the best in the beans, creating that iconic baked bean flavor.
• In a large pot, combine tomato juice, tomato sauce, chopped onion, brown sugar, molasses, apple cider vinegar, allspice, ground mustard, salt, and black pepper.
• Simmer the sauce over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure everything is well combined. This will allow the flavors to meld together.

Fill & Prepare the Jars:

Now it’s time to start filling your jars. Make sure your jars are clean and sterilized to avoid any contamination.

• Fill each quart jar with 1 ½ cups of partially cooked beans.
• Pour the simmered sauce over the beans, making sure to leave a 1-inch headspace to allow for proper sealing.
• Remove air bubbles by gently tapping the jars or using a spatula.
• If needed, top off with more sauce to maintain the headspace. Wipe the rims of the jars clean to ensure a good seal.

Seal & Process in the Canner:

The final step is canning your jars to make sure they’re preserved and safe to store.

• Place the lids on the jars and screw the rings on securely, but don’t overtighten them.
• Process the jars in a pressure canner at 10 pounds of pressure. This ensures that all bacteria, including Clostridium botulinum, is killed during the canning process.
  • For quart jars, process for 90 minutes.
  • For pint jars, process for 75 minutes.

Cool & Store:

After processing, allow the jars to cool completely. Once cooled, check that the lids have sealed properly by pressing on the center of each lid—there should be no give. Store your home-canned better than Bush’s baked beans in a cool, dark place for up to a year.