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
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.