Dilly Beans Food

DILLY BEANS

Steps:

• Trim the beans to fit in the jars - you want them to stand up on end. Trim them so you are leaving 1" headspace between the tops of the beans and the top of the jar.
• Sterilize 5 wide mouth pint jars by boiling them in water for 10 minutes.
• In a large saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, and salt, and bring to a boil. Stir well to make sure all the salt is dissolved. Cover and keep at a low simmer while you pack the jars.
• After sterilizing the jars, distribute the spices evenly among them. Place 1 sprig of dill, 1 clove of garlic,1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon dill seed, and 3 black peppercorns in each jar.
• Pack the jars with the trimmed beans, making sure to leave 1" headspace.
• Bring the vinegar/water mixture back to a boil, and ladle it into the packed jars, leaving 1/2" headspace. Use a chopstick or other thin, non-metal utensil to run around the sides of the jar to make sure there are no air bubbles left in the jar. Wipe the rims of the jars with damp paper towels to remove any brine which got on the rims or the threads. Place the lids and the bands on the jars, just tightening the bands fingertip tight.
• Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, then remove and let sit, undisturbed, for at least 12 hours before checking seals. It is important to let them sit undisturbed for 12 hours because the sealing compound on the lids is still cooling and hardening, completing the seal. While the jars cool, you will hear a "plink" type sound from each jar - this is the jars completing the vacuum seal as the final air escapes the jar. After 12 hours have passed, remove the bands and check the lids - press down in the center of the lid. If you cannot push the lid down any further, the jar is sealed. If the lid "gives" a bit, and you can push it down, the jar did not seal. You can either put the band back on the jar, and reprocess it for another 10 minutes, or you can just put it in the fridge and use it within 3 months.

REFRIGERATOR DILLY BEANS

Steps:

• You don't need any canning supplies for this project. You don't even need special jars. I reused a jar from store-bought sauerkraut for mine. Use whatever you have on hand, as long as it's glass and has a lid.
• Make your brine. This is the longest part of this process (and it only takes a few minutes!) so do this first. Add your water, vinegar, salt, sugar, and garlic (which you've minced) to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Once it is boiling, turn it off and set it aside to cool down to room temperature.
• Trim the beans. You want them all to fit in your jar with about an inch at the top so the brine covers them completely. You can trim both ends, or just the stem end. I think the pointy blossom end of beans are pretty, so I leave them. It's up to you.
• Blanch the beans. Bring a saucepan of water to a full boil, then dump the beans in and boil them for thirty seconds. Drain them, and quickly add them to a bowl of iced water to shock them and stop the cooking process. You want your beans to be brightly colored and still crisp.
• Drain the beans and set them aside. Add your onions, dill, red pepper flakes, and peppercorns to your jars.
• Now add your beans to the jars. They look prettiest standing upright, but don't worry about being perfect. The easiest way is to lay the jar on its side, or hold it horizontally, and place the beans inside.
• Go ahead and pour your brine in once it has reached room temperature. Fill the jar to 1/2 inch below the top of the jar, and put the lid on. Place the jar of dilly beans in the fridge, and let them sit for at least two days before eating them.
• They'll keep for up to six months in the fridge, but I'll bet you foldable money that you won't have them around nearly that long!

PICKLED GREEN BEANS (DILLY BEANS)

Steps:

• Clean and Cut beans to fit in tall Mason Jars. (one pint).
• Place ingredients 2-5 into each jar.
• Add beans to jar(s) until full.
• Bring to boil ingredients 6-8.
• Pour boiling liquid over beans.
• Tighten lids.
• Process in boiling water for 5 minutes. *Correction: Processing time should be 10-15 min, not 5.*.
• I use what ever amount of beans I have on hand and make the liquid accordingly.

DILLY BEANS

Steps:

• Sterilize 8 (1 pint) jars in boiling water for at least 5 minutes.
• Combine the water, pickling salt and vinegar in a large pot, and bring to a boil. When it begins to boil, reduce heat to low, and keep at a simmer while you pack the jars.
• In each jar place the following: 1 head of dill, 1 tablespoon of pickling spice, 1 tablespoon of mustard seed, 1 dried chile pepper, 2 cloves of garlic, and 1/8 teaspoon of alum. Pack beans into the spiced jars in a standing position.
• Ladle the hot brine into jars, leaving 1/2 inch of space at the top. Screw the lids onto the jars, and process in a hot water bath for 6 minutes to seal. Store for at least 2 weeks before eating.

DILLY PICKLED BEANS

Steps:

• Wash the green beans and trim their ends so that they are uniform. If needed, cut them further so that they will fit easily inside of the jars you are using to can them.
• Divide the beans into sterilized canning jars, along with the garlic, pepper flakes and dill seed. In a small saucepan, bring the vinegars, water and pickling salt to a boil, until the salt dissolves.
• Pour the pickling mixture over the green beans and cap the jars.
• Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Alternatively, allow to cool and refrigerate.
• Properly-handled sterilized equipment will keep canned foods in good condition for years. Sterilizing jars is the first step of preserving foods.

DILLY BEANS

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, heat water to boiling. Add beans. Cover and cook about 3 minutes or until bright green but still crisp; drain.
• In medium bowl, toss beans, dill weed and onion.
• In 1-quart saucepan, mix vinegar, oil, sugar, garlic and red pepper flakes. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour over green beans; mix well.
• Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes or until serving.

SPICY DILLY BEANS

Steps:

• Prepare jars for canning.
• Bring vinegar, salt and water to a boil.
• In the bottom each hot sterilized jar, put the garlic cloves, cayenne pepper, mustard seed, and dill.
• Pack jars with fresh green beans, packed lengthwise.
• Do not snap beans.
• Process for 20 minutes at 1000' altitude, or adjust time according to your altitude.

TANGY PICKLED GREEN BEANS

Steps:

• In each canning jar put the dill, garlic and red pepper flakes.
• Heat to a boil the water, vinegar and salt. Then set aside.
• Wash beans then cook for 15 minutes.
• Drain the beans then cut the ends off each bean. Cut each bean into pieces as desired that will fit into the canning jars.
• Note: The beans will be very soft at this stage but will later change to a perfect texture with a slight crisp.
• Fill each jar with the bean pieces.
• Fill each jar with the the liquid mixture.
• Seal each jar and boil entire sealed jar for 15 minutes.
• ADDITIONAL TIPS:.
• We let these sit in storage for 6 weeks before eating them. I'm not sure that is necessary to let them sit that long.
• When purchasing the green beans make sure they are fresh not frozen. I always purchase a little more than I need in case I run short at the very end.
• I usually end up making more of the liquid mixture as needed until all jars are full.
• The dill, garlic and pepper amounts listed are to fill PINT size pickling jars.
• Cooking the beans for 15 minutes does soften them initially but the canning process firms them up and they end up being perfect with just the right consistancy. Just trust me on this. I thought the first batch I made would end up being trash and have been surprised every since.
• I've been making these beans for years now. I've had cans sit on the shelf for over a year we've recently enjoyed and finished off. That part must be the boiling and sealing process that allows them to remain good for months like that.
• Recently I've started double and trippling the garlic pieces inside. The garlic ends up pickling too and is super good to eat right out of the jar.

DILLY BEANS

Steps:

• Stir salt and 1 gallon warm water in a large bowl until salt is dissolved. Let brine cool to room temperature.
• Layer beans with remaining ingredients in a large ceramic, glass, or stainless-steel mixing bowl. Add brine to cover. Pour remaining brine into a resealable plastic bag; seal and place on beans to submerge. Cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel. Let stand at room temperature until bubbles form around edge of bowl, 4-5 days.
• Spoon off any foam from surface of brine. Continue to let stand at room temperature, discarding foam as necessary, until beans are pickled, about 2 weeks.
• Using a slotted spoon, divide beans, herbs, and spices among 3 clean 1-quart jars. Set a strainer with 2 layers of cheesecloth over a large pitcher; pour brine through strainer. Pour over beans in jars, leaving 1/2" space on top. Cover; chill up to 2 months.