Dilly Beans or Pickles

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds green beans or cucumbers (enough to fill 4 Pint jars)

  • 2 1/2 cups white vinegar

  • 2 1/2 cups water

  • 4 tablespoons pickling salt

  • 4 medium cloves garlic

  • 5 teaspoons dill seed (or fresh dill)

  • 1/8 teaspoons red chili flakes per each jar

Directions

        • Prepare a boiling water bath and 4 regular mouth pint jars. Place lids in a small saucepan over very low heat to simmer while you prepare the pickles.

        • Wash and trim beans so that they fit in jar. If you have particularly long beans, cut them in half. Combine vinegar, water and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. While the pickling liquid heats, pack your beans into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch for headspace. To each jar, add 1 clove of garlic, 1 teaspoon dill seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes.

        • Slowly pour the hot brine over the beans, leaving 1/2 inch for headspace. After all the jars are full, use a wooden chopstick to work the air bubbles out of the jars. Check the headspace again and add more brine if necessary.

        • Wipe the rims, apply lids and rings and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Let pickles sit for at least one week before eating.

Makes about 5 quarts. I have used the same recipe for dill pickles.