Are you looking for a unique and flavorful way to preserve your bounty of beans? I suggest you give pickled green beans a try.
Pickled green beans, or dilly beans, can be served as a side dish, on sandwiches, in salads, or as a snack. Once you open a jar of pickled green beans, you’ll find they quickly disappear.
These dilly beans are made with a head of fresh dill. One-half teaspoon dill seeds per jar can be substituted.
Regular green beans require a pressure canner for processing, but since this recipe is for pickled green beans, it can be processed in a water bath canner. The acidic vinegar makes it safe.
This recipe can be enhanced to suit your personal taste. To spice up dilly beans, you can add:
- mustard seeds – 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per jar
- crushed red pepper flakes – 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per jar
- ground cayenne red pepper – 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon per jar
After filling the six pint jars, I put all leftover ingredients in a glass jar with a lid, and store in the refrigerator for two or three days before eating.
Pickled Green Beans Recipe
Yields 6 pint jars
- 4 pounds fresh, firm green beans
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh dill
- 5 cups distilled white vinegar
- 5 cups water
- 1/2 cups canning and pickling salt (NOT regular table salt)
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Trim off ends, wash and cut beans to fit length of pint canning jar.
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Put 1 garlic clove and 1 or 2 dill heads into sterilized jar.
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Put beans in jar vertically until full. Tip: Lay jar on its side.
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Combine vinegar, water and salt in saucepan, and bring to boil. This is your brine.
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Pour boiling liquid over beans. (Beans should be covered and leave 1/2-inch headspace.)
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Remove air bubbles with a plastic knife or other small tool.
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Wipe rim of jar clean and screw on sterilized lid and ring.
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Process in boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for higher altitudes.
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Cool on counter after process. Wait at least 1 week before eating.
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Store sealed jars for up to one year in a cool, dark place.
