Canning Three Bean Salad

It's bean season here at the homestead and although we are eating them fresh in salads, hot in side dishes, and even giving some away to our friends, we still have an overabundance, but that is just fine with us. Today we are canning three bean salad.

First the ends are removed and the beans are broken into pieces about one and a half inches long. Then they are rinsed and drained.

The three beans we will be canning today are green beans, wax beans and canned kidney beans. To the bean mixture, we will add some celery chunks and sliced onions.

The pickling liquid consists of vinegar, sugar, pickling salt, mustard seed and celery seed.

The beans are put into a large pot and boiling water is added. The beans are then cooked for 5 minutes.

The pickling liquid is also brought to a boil in another pot.

When the beans finish cooking they are drained into colanders and spooned into the hot canning jars. The jars are filled to within 1/2 inch of the top, first with the beans, then with the hot pickling liquid. After wiping the jar rims, the lid is applied, then the band is tightened and the jars are put into a boiling water canner. The next jar is removed from the canner where it has been sterilized, and filled the same way.

When all the jars are filled and the water in the canner comes to a boil, they are boiled for 15 minutes.

These are the finished jars, ready to provide some garden goodness in the middle of winter.