Canned Chili Con Carne
- Brianne Thomas
- Nov 6
- 4 min read
This pressure-canned, homemade recipe combines savory ground beef, a trio of beans, garden-fresh peppers, and aromatic spices, making it a fantastic addition to your collection of shelf-stable meals.
There’s something incredibly comforting about having a home-cooked meal stored in a jar, just waiting for something small like a hectic weeknight or during an emergency like a power outage. A simple mason jar filled with flavorful homemade chili con carne, free from any questionable ingredients or preservatives, brings a sense of calm to my busy mom brain. It’s ready to be enjoyed at a moment’s notice, making it an ideal addition to my collection of quick, ready-to-eat meals.
Why You’ll Love This Pressure-Canned Chili Con Carne Recipe
Shelf-Stable Meal. Ready to go at a moment’s notice. Simply heat and eat.
Affordable. Simple ingredients make this budget-friendly meal.
Versatile. This chili can be warmed and eaten as is or added to cooked rice or pasta to stretch a meal further.
How to Serve Chili Con Carne
Top a bowl of hot chili con carne with your favorite fixings like sharp cheddar cheese, green onions, and sour cream. This dish pairs beautifully with my homemade Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread!
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Helpful Tips for Canning Chili Con Carne
Thickening Agents. Using a thickening agent such as corn starch or flour is not recommended.
Know Your Canner. Read over your manufacturer’s booklet prior to canning to ensure you operate it properly.
Stick to the Plan. This recipe is the direct recommendation of the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Adding or omitting certain ingredients could affect the safety of the finished product.
Use the Correct Canning Method. This recipe uses all low-acid foods and is therefore not considered safe to water bath can. You must use a pressure canner to ensure a safely canned product.
Use the Correct Jars. This recipe has only been tested in pint-sized jars. Quart jars are not recommended.
How to Pressure Can Chili Con Carne
To prepare jars for canning, I like to place my clean, room-temperature jars into my canning pot with room-temperature water. I allow my jars and water to come to the same temperature at the same time. You don’t want boiling water; you’re just heating everything up.
Place a clean kitchen towel on the counter space you intend to place your hot jars once removed from the canner.
Once your chili con carne is ready for canning, carefully remove the jars from the pot using your canning jar lifter and empty the hot water back into the pot. Place the hot jars on the prepared kitchen towel and begin ladling in the chili.
This is an approved recipe from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Yield: Approximately 9 pints
Ingredients
3 cups (total, not individually) dried pinto, red kidney beans, and black beans
5 ½ cups water or beef stock
5 teaspoons salt, separated
3 pounds lean ground beef
1 ½ cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped green peppers
1-2 jalapenos, seeds removed and minced
1 teaspoon black pepper
5 Tablespoons chili powder
2 quarts crushed or whole tomatoes
Directions
Wash beans thoroughly and place them in a 2 qt saucepan. Add cold water to a level of 2 to 3 inches above the beans and soak 12 to 18 hours. Drain and discard water.
Combine beans with 5 ½ cups of fresh water and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain and discard water.
Brown ground beef, chopped onions, and peppers, if desired, in a skillet. Drain off fat.
To the ground beef mixture, add 3 teaspoons salt, pepper, chili powder, tomatoes, and drained cooked beans. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Fill the jars with the hot chili mixture, leaving 1-inch headspace. Wipe the rims of each jar with vinegar to remove any grease or liquids that may prevent a proper seal. Add the rings to each jar and tighten using only your fingertips.
Carefully place the jars into the canner. Ensure the lid is properly secured in place and follow the manufacturer’s directions for your canner for pressure canning.
Process pints for 75 minutes according to your specific elevation level.
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What to Do After Pressure Canning Chili Con Carne
Once your Chili Con Carne has completed the processing time at the proper pressure, turn off the burner and allow the pressure to drop back down to zero. Do not remove the pressure regulator until the pressure is back to zero.
Carefully remove the pressure regulator and the canning lid. Remove the lid from the canner completely. Allow the jars to rest in the pot for about 5-10 minutes. This will allow them to adjust to having the lid taken off the canner.
Carefully remove the jars from the canner using your canning jar lifter and place them on the prepared kitchen towel. Allow the jars to rest on the counter for 24 hours and listen for pops of the lids (my favorite part).
Once the jars have completely cooled and rested for 24 hours, remove the rings from the jars and gently tap the center of the canning lid on each jar. If the lid pops back up, your lid did not seal properly, unfortunately. It happens! If it is just one jar, place that one in the refrigerator and use it within a couple of weeks. If it is several jars, remove all of the lids, wipe the rims of the jars with vinegar, add new lids, and reprocess again in the canner.
If your jars are all sealed properly (YAY!), use a little vinegar or soap and warm water to wipe the outside of the jars before storing.
How to Store Canned Chili Con Carne
Store jars in a cool, dark place.
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