PREP: 1 hour 30 minutes STAND: 1 hour COOK: 30 minutes PROCESS: 1 hour 30 minutes COOL: 10 minutes MAKES: 6 quarts
2 lb. dried black beans (5 cups)
1 cup finely chopped onion
4½ tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1½ tsp. crushed red pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced
Shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, sliced green onions, and/or lime wedges (optional)
1. Rinse beans. In an 8- to 10-qt. pot combine beans and 4 qt. water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain beans. Return beans to the pot and add 4 qt. fresh water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Stir in onion.
2. Add ¾ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. cumin, ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper, and 1 clove minced garlic to each of six hot sterilized quart jars. Ladle hot beans and liquid into jars, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids and screw bands.
3. Process filled jars in a pressure canner, at 10 lb. pressure for weighted-gauge canner or 11 lb. pressure for dial-gauge canner, 90 minutes, adjusting for altitude (start timing when canner reaches 10 or 11 lb. pressure). Allow the pressure to come down naturally. Carefully remove canner lid: cool jars in canner 10 minutes. Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks. Check lids for seal. (Canning tips, pages 461–466.)
4. To serve, place contents of one jar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rapid boil. Boil, covered, 10 minutes (add 1 minute for each 1,000 feet of elevation). If desired, top servings with shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, sliced green onions, and/or lime wedges.
PER 1¼ CUPS SOUP: 267 cal., 1 g fat (0 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 743 mg sodium, 49 g carb., 12 g fiber, 17 g pro.