I’m celebrating today because my first book is hitting the book stores! Please enjoy this preview of the contents of the book, and when you’ve done that, scroll to the bottom for a giveaway!
Oh my goodness, guys. Today is going to stand in my memory as one of the most exciting days of my life. Today is the day my book hits the stores and is officially for sale. To celebrate, I want to share one of my family’s favourite recipes from the book: Instant Hummus in a Jar. We are talking about chickpeas canned with lemon juice, garlic, and sesame seeds; everything you need for hummus in one pretty little package. Why is this a favourite of everyone in the house? For starters, we are hummus crazy. As a canner, I love it because it is ridiculously easy to make. As a mom, I love it because my three eldest can make a batch of hummus themselves as easily as cracking a jar, straining a little liquid, and plopping the contents into a blender or food processor. It doesn’t hurt that everyone who has tried it says it is some of the best hummus they’ve ever tried. I’d call that a win/win/win.
So let’s chat for just a sec about what makes “Not Your Mama’s Canning Book” a little different than all the other wonderful books on the market. It’s a modern take on canning, to be sure, with a globally inspired collection of canning recipes, but there is more to it; it also contains nearly 40 recipes to make FROM those goods you’ve just canned. Why? Because all the beautiful jars on the shelf don’t amount to any help at all unless you know how to use them!
Before I get to the recipe (because it is DEAD easy), I’d also like to share a couple of insider stories about the process of writing and photographing the book. My family was instrumental in getting this book done. Not only did they eat every single thing that went into the book, but they offered actual physical help in making it happen. They schlepped dishes out onto the porch (my preferred place to shoot photos) and back into the kitchen where they bravely volunteered to eat the beauty plate (translation: fought over who got to eat the prettiest plated food.) They held reflectors for me. And hilariously, they held a white board behind the shelf pictured on the cover so I could get a pristine, clean look. This they did 5 times in various permutations as I worked to meet the specifications laid out by my publisher. First, the jars and shelf were taken onto the porch and the board was held by my 16 and 18 year old. Next came my middle son and his best friend on 3 different attempts, one of which was in gale force winds, and -finally- my husband and my middle son held the white board for the money shot. I paid them in food. They did not complain.
And about this recipe specifically, I have a story. I had very limited time because I was finishing up recipe development during The Nutcracker season at Neglia Conservatory of Ballet where my son attends AND was in the middle of birthday season for my boys AND it was smack dab between Thanksgiving and Christmas and I generally felt like a crazy woman. It was the one day of the week I didn’t have to drive an hour and a half or make a feast or birthday cake, and I was prepared to put the finishing touches on the Instant Hummus in a Jar recipe by canning one last batch. I gathered my ingredients, went to the pantry, and realized with horror that I was completely out of dried chickpeas. Not a big deal if you live in the city, but friends… I’m in the middle of nowhere. The only place that would carry dried chickpeas for miles upon miles -the Amish bulk food store- was closed because it was Sunday. I was in trouble. I put out a Hail-Mary call for dried chickpeas on facebook, and my long-time, dear friend, Lisa answered with “I have them! I’ll send them home with your kids after youth group!” Oh my word, y’all. What would we do without good friends? Well, we’d be hummusless, for starters. Thank you, Lisa!
Onto the hummus!
Instant Hummus in a Jar
Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 1/2 pounds dried garbanzo beans picked over and rinsed
- water
- 1 1/2 cups toasted sesame seeds
- 18 large cloves garlic lightly smashed and peeled
- 1 1/2 cups lemon juice
Instructions
- Soak the garbanzo beans for 12 to 18 hours. Drain well, then transfer the beans to a large stockpot. Cover with water by 2 inches and bring to a full rolling boil.
- Add 1/4 cup of sesame seeds and 3 large garlic cloves to each of 6 pint jars. Use a slotted spoon and canning funnel to transfer the boiled beans into the jars, leaving a generous 1-inch of headspace. Follow this by adding 1/4 cup of lemon juice and then top off the liquid in the jar to witihin 1 full inch of headspace by adding the beans' cooking liquid.
- Use a chopstick to release any air bubbles in the jar and adjust the liquid level, if needed, by adding more bean cooking liquid. Moisten a paper towel with vinegar and use it to wipe the rims of the jars.
- Place the lids on the jars and fasten appropriately, whether it's turning a ring to fingertip tightness or fixing clamps in place.
- Process in a pressure canner according to the manufacturer's instructions at 10 pounds of pressure for 75 minutes. Let the canner come back to atmospheric pressure naturally, then open the lid and transfer to a towel-lined rack to cool undisturbed for 24 hours. Remove the rings, wash and label the jars, and store in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year.
To Make Hummus from Instant-Hummus-In-A-Jar:
- Pour the liquid from the jar through a fine-mesh sieve to prevent losing the seeds. Reserve the liquid and set aside. Pour the contents of the jar into a food processor fitted with a metal blade or blender. Use reserved liquid to thin, if desired. Add salt to taste.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
did you make this recipe?
Make sure to tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and #hashtag it #foodiewithfamily so I can check it out!
The Giveaway:
Well, hello. I’d love to give away 5 signed copies of “Not Your Mama’s Canning Book: Modern Canned Goods and What to Make with Them”! I’d also like to throw a new canning funnel with each of those books, if it’s okay with you!
Not Your Mama’s Canning Book Giveaway
Not Your Mama’s Canning Book: Modern Canned Goods and What to Make with Them is available to order through these fine retailers!
Reader's Thoughts...
Kelly says
I didn’t see how many pints this makes?
Elizabeth says
Can you use tahini insures of sesame seeds
Rebecca says
Hi Elizabeth! I’m not sure whether tahini is stable to can, so I’d probably stick with the sesame seeds.
Amy Werner says
Instead of sesame seeds I use tahini when making hummus. I have never done the canned. Question could I use tahini? Doesn’t seem like enough seeds as I use 1/3 cup tahini for one 16 oz can chickpeas. Thanks
Rebecca says
Hi Amy- I’d stick with the sesame seeds because I’m not sure how tahini behaves in the canning process. I’m not sure it would stay as stable as the seeds. You can always add a little more tahini to your hummus when you blend it!
Deborah says
Did you use fresh or bottled lemon juice? Can either be used?
Rebecca says
Hi Deborah- Great question! I use bottled lemon juice in all of my canning calling for lemon juice (unless otherwise specified) because it is a uniform acidity and there is some natural variation in fresh lemons!
Carol Larson says
Can you explain why the salt was left out … and added later
Rebecca says
The reason we add the salt in at the end is to help control the final salt-levels in your finished hummus. Basically, we’re mimicking opening a can of low sodium chickpeas that have sesame seeds added. 🙂
Cj says
I have to book not your mammas canning book
On PG 99
It says to boil for one minute. My pressure canning book says to boil for 30….I am not sure what to do.
I followed your directions from the book.
I
Rebecca says
Hi Cj. That first boil is just the beans in the pot. There is much more cooking that’s going to happen while the beans are in the jars processing for 75 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure. 🙂
Shanna Slater says
I got your book for Christmas and am SUPER excited to make this recipe today!! Thank you so much for the awesome recipes and inspiration
Rebecca says
Thank you, Shanna! I hope you love cooking from it!!
Jocelyn L says
Can you boil these if you don’t have a pressure canner? Would standard 10 mins work?
Rebecca says
Hi Jocelyn- You definitely cannot can these without a pressure canner, unfortunately. It would yield a product that was unsafe to store and eat.
Elly says
Hi, I followed this recipe, but the finished product ended up with air pockets. I did de-bubble with a chopstick before canning. All the jars sealed nicely, but will it still be ok? Thanks 😊
Rebecca says
I think you’ll be fine, Elly!!
Elly J says
Can quart jars be used for this recipe?
Rebecca says
Hi Elly- I’d stick with pints for food safety purposes. 🙂
Julie says
Followed the recipe for canning but now the jars look like a thick jelly like substance. Is this normal?
Rebecca says
Hi Julie- It should look translucent but thickened around the beans much like the way it looks if you open a can of navy beans. Without seeing it or being there, it’s hard for me to say with certainty, but if they fit my description, you should be fine.
Rachel Mayerschoff says
Hi! Can you use canned beans?
Rebecca says
Hi Rachel- Unfortunately canned beans won’t work here. They just disintegrate in the pressure canning process.
Tammy says
I may have missed the answer, but would like to know how long to boil beans.
Rebecca says
Hi Tammy- All you need to do is bring it to a full rolling boil then shut it off. The rest of the cooking will happen in the jars as you pressure can the beans. 🙂
Liz says
Do yo think we could leave out the sesame due to an allergy? Thanks!
Rebecca says
Hi Liz- Of course!! Hummus does traditionally have tahini (sesame paste) in it, but you probably are pretty well aware of that with your allergy. 🙂 Feel free to omit it entirely and just adjust the way you normally would for homemade hummus sans sesame!
Treasure Phillips says
Loving your book! Thanks…..question on the instant hummus….can I make it with garbanzo beans that are already in a can….like from the store….the bush’s garbanzo beans? Or does it have to be made with dry beans? I’ve got large #10 cans of garbanzo beans I’d love to turn into instant hummus!! TIA…:-)
Rebecca says
Hi Treasure! For canning, you’d need to start with dry beans, but I have some good news! You can make hummus with your #10 can now, portion, and freeze whatever you can’t eat straight away. The only thing you’ll want to keep in mind is you want to eat the thawed hummus within a week of removing it from the freezer. 🙂
Treasure P says
Thanks for the reply!! Follow up question: can I add tahini and garlic in the jar before canning?
Rebecca says
Hi Treasure P- I would not! Tahini is not usually an approved item for canning much in the same way peanut butter is not. It’s very oily which makes it unstable in the canning process and prone to going rancid.
lisa says
Hubby and I made this recipe and it was very bland…even after adding lemon and salt to the finished product. What can we add to save the remaining jars? I do not want to throw them out…thanks.
Rebecca says
Hey Lisa! You can add roasted garlic, fresh lemon juice, tahini to taste! Amp it up! There’s no reason to throw them out. 🙂
Mariah says
I like to add a little cumin to mine. My daughter prefers hers “pizza-style”. I add Italian seasoning, extra garlic, and a swirl of good olive oil on top for that one
Cate says
Wondering why the beans are brought only to a boil before canning, rather than the “rules” from the NCHFP that says to boil for 30 minutes before canning?
Thanks for the outstanding recipes…LOVE the canning book.
Verna’s Daughter says
I would like to know the answer to the boiling question as well. I made a number of pints of this today and I am wondering whether I should have boiled for 30 minutes first.
Thank you. Great recipes in the book.
Abby’s OP says
Love your cookbook! Use it all year round.
Rebecca says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you love it!
John Masters says
What a great idea, nearly instant hummus. I am new to canning. I have only been canning about a year afterbath canning but only recently got a automatic canner. It is small only 4 qt. jars at a time or 6 pt. jars. I am going to try this recipe. Would it be ok to add some roasted red peppers to the jar to be canned?
John Masters says
waterbath, sorry, spell check decided to change it for me.