First wash your lima beans with several rinses of clear water. Pick out any bad beans and debris.
Hydrate beans by either an overnight soak or quick soak.
Overnight Soak; put dried lima beans in a large pot and cover with water. Soak 12 to 18 hours in a cool place. Drain water.
Quick Soak; bring beans to a boil with plain water. Boil 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave in the water for 1 hour. Drain water.
Pre-cook Lima Beans
Next partially cook your beans with fresh water. Bring to a boil for 30 minutes.
Packing the Jars
Add salt to each jar if desired. 1/2 tsp per pint, 1 tsp per quart.
Fill jars with beans and the water you cooked them in. Leave beans at 1 1/2 inch headspace. Fill with cooking water to a 1-inch headspace. (There will be a little extra liquid above the beans to allow for expansion)
Remove air bubbles and check your headspace again. Adjust if needed.
Wipe rims of jar clean with damp towel or paper towel.
Add on your lids and screw bands.
Place jar in the canner. When all jars are filled, process according to the instruction and chart in the notes area below.
Processing with a Pressure Canner
Put the lid on the canner leaving the weights off. Bring to a boil. Watch for steam to start coming out the vent pipe in the lid.
Allow the steam to ‘vent’ for 10 minutes then put the weights on. Use the proper weight for your altitude (check the chart) This is when pressure will start to build.
When the pressure reaches your requirements, start your time. Process for the full time indicated, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain the correct pressure for the entire time.
When processing time is completed turn off the heat. Do not remove weights yet. Let the canner sit undisturbed until pressure comes back to zero. Do not try to speed up the cooling process.
Cool Down Time
Remove the weight and wait 5 minutes.
Open the lid to allow steam to escape. (carefully don’t let it hit your face or arms!) Leave the lid setting on top of the canner slightly ajar and wait 5 minutes again.
Take the lid off the canner and remove your jars. (optionally you can wait another 5 minutes if the contents appear to be bubbling so hard it is coming out of the jars).
Put the jars a few inches apart on a thick towel and allow them to cool to room temperature undisturbed. 12 hours is suggested.
When the jars are cool, remove the metal bands, check the seals, wash jars, dry completely, and store in a cool dark place.
Notes
Pressure canning instruction. Pay attention to the proper time for the proper equipment. Processing Time in a Pressure Canner. Pints are processed for 75 minutesQuarts are processed for 90 minutes.
Use the chart below for the style of pressure canner.
Check the altitude adjustments for your altitude.
Dial Gauge – Watch the dial on your canner to determine pressure.Altitude - Weight (pounds pressure)0-2000 - 11 lbs2001-4,000 - 12 lbs4,001-6,000 - 13 lbs6,001-8,000 - 14lbsWeighted Gauge – Watch for the weight to ‘jiggle’ to determine pressure.Altitude - Weight (pounds pressure)0-1000 ft - 10 lbsAbove 1000 - 15 pounds