while i’m away relaxing on the beach, soaking up the sunshine with margarita in hand, i give you dilly beans.
canning dilly beans in your hot kitchen during the steamy summer months is kind of like sitting on the beach. minus the waves & margarita.
you can thank me later.
dilly beans are like pickles, but dare i say better? they’re delicious on the side of a salad or shared at a barbecue. a friend even mentioned that she tops fancy alcoholic drinks with her dilly beans! genius.
so grab those green beans & let’s get to canning!
dilly beans recipe
adapted from the ball complete book of home preserving
makes about 12 pint jars
6 tablespoons pickling or canning salt
6 cups white vinegar
6 cups water
5 lbs green beans, trimmed & cut into jar-length pieces
3 large bell peppers, seeded & thinly sliced
whole black peppercorns
1 sprig of fresh dill or 1 teaspoon of dried dill seed per jar
24 cloves garlic
1. prepare canner, jars & lids in preparation for water-bath canning. see this link for a detail description of water-bath canning preparation.
2. in a very large stainless steel pot, combine salt, vinegar & water. bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt. add green beans & peppers. return to a boil. once it has started boiling, remove the pot from heat.
3. place a pinch of peppercorn, 1 sprig of dill & 2 cloves of garlic to the bottom of each pre-heated jar.
4. pack beans & peppers into the jar. add vinegar liquid from pot, leaving a 1/2 inch headspace. remove air bubbles within the jar with a wooden spoon. wipe rim & place the lid on top. screw the band on until resistance is met.
5. place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered in water. bring to a boil & process for 10 minutes. remove the canner from heat, wait five minutes, & then remove jars to cool.
love,
natalie