Canning Chili Con Carne

5 from 2 votes

Canning chili con carne puts a full pot of beef and bean chili on the pantry shelf, nine pints at a time. It is the USDA's own tested recipe, and once it is canned all you do is open a jar and heat it.

Prep Time1

Cook Time30

Canning Time1 15

Total Time2 45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: canning chili con carne, chili canning recipe, ground beef canning recipe, Meal in a Jar, meal in a jar canning recipe, pressure canning chili

Servings: servings, Makes 9 Pints

Author: Ashley Adamant

Equipment

Pressure Canner
Canning Jars, Lids and Bands

Ingredients

3 cups dried kidney beans or pinto, see notes
5 1/2 cups water for the bean pre-cook
2 tsp canning salt for the bean pre-cook water
3 lbs ground beef
1 1/2 cups onion chopped
1 cup peppers chopped, sweet or hot, optional
2 quarts tomatoes whole or crushed
3 tsp canning salt for the chili
1 tsp black pepper ground
3-6 Tbsp chili powder to taste

Instructions

Wash the beans and put them in a large saucepan. Add cold water to a level 2 to 3 inches above the beans and soak them 12 to 18 hours, then drain and discard the water.
To quick soak instead, cover the beans with water, bring them to a boil, boil 1 minute, then take the pot off the heat and let them stand 1 hour before draining.
Combine the drained beans with 5 1/2 cups fresh water and 2 tsp of the salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Drain again and discard that water.
Prepare the pressure canner, 9 pint jars, lids and bands. Put the trivet in, add 2 to 3 inches of water following your manufacturer's directions, and bring the canner to a gentle simmer with the jars warming inside it.
Brown the ground beef in a large pan, then add the onions and peppers. Drain off the fat.
Add the remaining 3 tsp salt, the black pepper, the chili powder, the tomatoes, and the drained beans. Simmer 5 minutes. The mixture will look thin, which is correct. Do not thicken it.
Divide the solids evenly among all 9 hot jars with a slotted spoon, then ladle the liquid over them, leaving 1 inch headspace. Top up with boiling water if you run short of liquid.
Release trapped air bubbles, then check the headspace again and adjust to a full 1 inch.
Wipe the rims and threads clean, set the lids on, and apply the bands fingertip tight.
Load the jars into the pressure canner, fasten the lid, and vent a steady stream of steam for 10 minutes before adding the weight or closing the petcock.
Process pints for 75 minutes at 10 pounds pressure in a weighted gauge canner or 11 pounds in a dial gauge canner, adjusting for altitude (see notes).
Turn off the heat and let the canner depressurize on its own, then wait 5 minutes before removing the lid, opening it away from your face.
Leave the jars in the canner another 10 minutes, then remove them to a towel lined counter and let them cool undisturbed for 12 hours.
Check the seals, remove the rings, label the jars, and store them in a cool, dark place.

Notes

Source: USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning.

Pints only: Tested in pints only, with no published quart process. Half pints are fine at the full pint time. The batch is 9 pints and all 9 get filled.

Beans: The soak and the 30 minute pre-cook are both required, so the beans do not swell in the jars and break them. Kidney, pinto, black, navy, and chickpeas all work.

Canned beans: Use about 8 to 9 cups drained, roughly five 15-ounce cans, in place of the 3 cups dried. Skip the soak, the pre-cook, and the 2 tsp salt that goes in the bean water. Measure by the cup, since a drained can runs 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups.

Substitutions: Any ground meat swaps pound for pound, or use chunks, or leave the meat out. Any pepper, or none. Any dry spice. Tomato juice replaces the tomatoes in the same volume.

Do not add: Thickeners, dairy, rice, pasta, greens, cream style corn, winter squash, sweet potatoes, or zucchini.

Altitude adjustments: The canning time is always 75 minutes for pints, at any altitude. Only the pressure changes as you go up.

Dial Gauge Canners

0 to 2,000 feet: 11 lbs
2,001 to 4,000 feet: 12 lbs
4,001 to 6,000 feet: 13 lbs
6,001 to 8,000 feet: 14 lbs

Weighted Gauge Canners

0 to 1,000 feet: 10 lbs
Above 1,000 feet: 15 lbs

Storage: Rings off. Sealed jars hold quality 12 to 18 months, cool and dark. Some liquid loss is cosmetic. Refrigerate an open jar, use within 3 to 4 days.

To serve: Heat a jar through, about 10 minutes. Thicken in the pot with masa harina or cornmeal if you like. Top with cheese, sour cream, raw onion, or lime.

Nutrition