Canning Chili

First off let me say that I'm new to canning.  I have helped my mom can green beans during the summer but I was never allowed to actually DO anything except break and string beans.  My kids have great appetites and aren't really picky but I just can't open a box of processed junk and feed it to them, so I cook most things from scratch.  Scratch cooking takes a lot of time and there seems to be mountains of dishes to wash later!  Instead of freezing food that will eventually freezer burn or thaw in one of our common winter power outages I decided to try my hand at canning.

Project #1
Chili
We love chili and it isn't very difficult to make but when you're in a hurry having something like this already prepared can be the difference in eating out or eating in ($$$$$ saved.)

Recipe:
4 lbs lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 green peppers, diced
1stalk celery, diced
1 lb kidney beans
1lb pinto beans
2 Tbsp. chili powder (or desired amount)
1 Tbsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. salt
6 cups water

Sort and wash beans, cover with about 4 inches water above top of beans.  Bring to a rapid boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, let sit for one hour.

Brown ground beef, onion, peppers and celery, drain.

Combine all ingredients (add beans with water cooked in) in large stockpot.

Bring to a boil, simmer.

Ladle into quart mason jars leaving 1" headspace from rim.  Make sure to wipe edges of jars, add lids and rings.

Place prepared jars into pressure canner.  Canner must be full, mine holds 7 quart jars.  If you don't have enough jars to fill canner fill extra jars with water (1" headspace.)  Add water to canner until it is about halfway up on the jars.

Process at 15 pounds pressure for 1 hour and 45 minutes.

When processing is finished turn off heat, let cool about 2 hours. I use a silicone oven mit to remove the jars from the canner, jars will be VERY HOT!!!!

It seems like a lot to do at first but the more you do it the easier it gets!  Happy canning!

TIP:  I have an 8 quart stockpot that I fill nearly to the brim, this makes one canner full of chili, stew, whatever.  This is the easiest way I have found to make sure I have enough but not too much for canning.  If your pot isn't quite full add some water or tomato juice to fill it about 2-3 inches from the top.