Dilly Beans: How to Pickle Green Beans

 Dilly beans are delightfully tangy, with a pleasant crunch.  My family enjoys them with all sorts of  meals, such as roast, baked chicken, turkey -- served in any manner, and hamburgers.  When I serve dilly beans, I never have to worry about someone not getting enough vegtables for the day.

 Dilly beans, sometimes called Dilled Green Beans, are easy to make, even if you have never made pickles before, and take relatively little time to process.    Pickling green beans is a great alternative to freezing them, especially if your freezer space is limited.

I am sharing my recipe in single jar amounts, so that you can customize it for the amount of beans you have on hand.

• Water Bath Canner, or Steam Canner
• Canning jars, rings and new lids
• Ladle
• Canning funnel
• Tongs or magnetic lid lifter
• butter knife or bubble remover
• Jar lifter
• Timer or clock
• Towel, to cool jars on

Note: If you are buying new jars, I highly recommend wide-mouth jars, as they are much easier to clean.

If your jars are used, check for hairline cracks in the bottoms of jars. If you find any, do not use that jar for this recipe, as the water canning might cause them to break. Save them for decrotive purposes, or recipes where inversion canning, as illistrated in this article, can be used.

This recipe is for 1 quart jar. Increase recipe according to the amount of beans you are pickling.

• 3/4 pound whole green beans
• 2 dried chilly peppers or 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 dill heads or 2 teaspoon dill seed
• 1 1/2 cups vinegar
• 1 1/2cups water
• 2 tablespoons salt

Method:

1. Wash beans, cut off ends.
2. Pack beans lengthwise into clean hot jars, leaving 1/4" head room.
3. Add garlic, dill head or dill seeds, and chilly peppers or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes to each quart jar.
4. Heat vinegar, water and salt to boiling. Pour over beans, boiling hot. Adjust lid(s) and process in Boiling-Water Bath 10 minutes.
5. Cool in a draft free areas, check seals, store any jars that did not seal properly in the refrigerator. Be sure to label with name and date.

Makes 1 quart jar.

It takes about 2 weeks for full flavor to develop.

This recipe is for 1 pint jar. Increase recipe according to the amount of beans you are pickling.

• 30-40 whole green beans
• 1 dried chili pepper or 1/4 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 dill head or 1 teaspoon dill seed
• 3/4 cups vinegar
• 3/4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon salt

Method:

1. Wash beans, cut off ends.
2. Pack beans lengthwise into clean hot jars, leaving 1/4" head room.
3. Add garlic, dill head or dill seeds, and chilly pepper or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes to each pint jar.
4. Heat vinegar, water and salt to boiling. Pour over beans, boiling hot. Adjust lid(s) and process in Boiling-Water Bath 10 minutes.
5. Cool in a draft free areas, check seals, store any jars that did not seal properly in the refrigerator. Be sure to label with name and date.

Makes 1 pint jar.

It takes about 2 weeks for full flavor to develop.