As I strolled through the garden earlier this week, I noticed that our green beans are almost to the point that they are ready to be picked.  This glorious thought made my head spin.

I wondered how many bushels that we will be able to pick, how many jars of green beans we will can this year, and I also questioned if I was ready to get my pressure canner out of the storage cabinet?  Since it has been extremely hot and humid over this past week, the thought of the pressure canning ticking on top of the stove didn’t sound that appealing.

That is why I decided to make our Dilly Beans from the first picking this year. In order to safely can traditional green beans, you MUST use a pressure canner. However, if you pickle your green beans (aka Dilly Beans), it is safe to use a water bath canner.  As always, do not adapt recipes that require canning – as the change in ingredients or preservation techniques can cause serious health risks.

Dilly Beans (aka Pickled Green Beans) Recipe

Ingredients:
2 pounds green beans
2 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar (5%)
2 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon pickling salt
4 teaspoons dill seed
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
4 cloves of garlic

Instructions:

1. Prepare a boiling water bath canner and 4 pint jars. Place 4 lids in a small pot of water and bring to a very light simmer.

2. Wash and trim your beans so that they fit in your jar, leaving about an inch of headspace.

3. Combine vinegar, water, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.

4. Divide the dill seed, peppercorns, red chili flakes, and garlic cloves evenly between the four jars.

5. Pack the beans into the jars over the spices.

6. Pour the boiling brine over the beans, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.

7. Remove air bubble by running a plastic knife down the inside of the jar, around all sides.

8. Wipe rims, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. (Time starts after the water begins to boil after the jars have been inserted into the canner.)

9. Once the time is up, remove the jars from canner using canning tongs and place them on a folded kitchen towel to cool.

10. Once jars are cool enough to handle, test seals by pushing in the center of the lid. It should not move. If you are able to push in the lid, the jar did not seal correctly and you will need to refrigerate and eat those beans within a week. If it did seal properly, store in a dark, cool place for up to a year.

***IMPORTANT!!!!!!!  These beans will need to ‘rest’ for a least two weeks before eating, to thoroughly develop their flavor.

Enjoy!

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Mary and Jim