Dill Pickled Green (and purple!) Beans

Yum!  The pickled green beans turned out delicious.  We picked a bagful of fresh green beans, some were green, some were purple.  Sadly the purple ones turn a dull grayish green after they’re boiled.  It’s super easy to pickle your own beans, they make a yummy snack and I love the way my jaw muscles clench up when I take a bite of their crunchy, dill and pickled goodness.  Normally canning beans requires pressure canning because beans don’t have enough acidity.  But when you pickle them you can simply use the water bath method, which I love because I don’t need any special equipment.

My CSA also gives me dill each week, so I’ve been using it a lot in recipes and for pickling.  I LOVE dill!  I also love vinegar.  At some point when I was a kid, I saw an actor doing shots at a bar on TV.  I think it might have been a western or something.  I asked my mom what it tasted like she said it’s terrible, like drinking vinegar.  So I sneaked a bottle of vinegar into the bathroom, lined up some dixie cups on the counter and poured a little into each one.  Then I tossed each one down my throat and reveled in the tingling burn of vinegar and trouble.  I’ve loved both vinegar and trouble ever since!

Pickling has been a lot of fun.  I’ve pickled carrots, cucumbers, beans, zucchini and beets.  So far I’ve made up my own recipes, but I just got a book called The Joy of Pickling from the library and am excited to try some of theirs.  You can expect lots more canning and pickling recipes through the fall.  I’m working really hard to use the fresh,  in season, SUPER AFFORDABLE produce available right now and store it up for the winter.  Our shelves and freezer are packed!

I’m especially excited to have a canning party on August 29th.  I’ve got some berries frozen for making preserves, will be getting apples, peaches and picking a ton of plums for free at my work.  I’m also considering just walking around my neighborhood and knocking on doors of people who have apple trees in their yard to ask if I can pick some.  Maybe make some neighborhood apple pie.  Do you do any canning or pickling?  What’s your favorite food to can?

Dill Pickled Green Beans

Ingredients

2 handfuls green beans
2 pint canning jars with lids
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup water
2 TBS kosher salt
2 cloves peeled garlic
2 sprigs fresh dill
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions

Cut stem from green beans and trim to be 1/2 shorter than your jar.  Rinse them well.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Using rubber coated tongs, lower your jars and lids into the pot.  In a smaller pot add vinegar, water, salt, and garlic.  Bring mixture to a boil.

After jars have boiled 10 minutes, carefully remove with tongs.  Put a sprig of dill and half the red pepper flakes in each jar then place beans in jars on end.  Pour vinegar mixture into jars to cover beans.  Use tongs to remove lids from boiling water.

Using potholders or towels, screw lids tightly onto jars.  Use tongs to put full jars into boiling pot.  Process (low boil) for 10 minutes, remove from pot with tongs, and let cool on counter.
If you press the center of the lid, it should not give.  If it does, you can try processing again, or keep jar in fridge and use it up in a month.

Approximate cost/serving: Vinegar is so cheap! I get 2 gallons at Sam’s Club for $3, the ingredients are only about 20 cents a pint. You can find jars cheap at garage sales or thrift stores.

Vegetarian/Gluten Free: No changes necessary!