Canned Dilly Beans Recipe
2 lbs. green beans, stems and blossom ends removed
4 garlic cloves
4 teaspoons dill seed or 8 sprigs fresh dill heads
4 teaspoons canning salt
2 1/2 cups white distilled vinegar
2 1/2 cups water
1. Review the guidelines for water bath canning. Prepare jars and lids. Fill a large bowl or sanitary sink with ice water.
2. Fill a large pot with water and place over medium high heat; bring to a boil.
3. Add the green beans to the pot and begin immediately timing 3 minutes. When 3 minutes have passed, drain the water from the green beans and plunge immediately into the prepared ice water.
4. Wipe pot clean. Pour the vinegar and 2 1/2 cups water into the pot. Place over medium high heat; do not allow to boil. This liquid is your brine.
5. Once the beans are completely cool, take a single hot jar and to it add:
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon dill seed (or 2 sprigs of fresh dill heads)
1 teaspoon salt*
6. Pack the jar with beans, being sure to leave 1/4 in. headspace. (If needed, cut the beans to make them fit. If there is room at the top of the jar, add chopped beans.)
7. Pour the hot vinegar-water brine over the beans, maintaining a 1/4 in. headspace. Bubble. Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp cloth. Add a lid and a screw band and place in the canner.
8. Repeat steps 5-7 until all the green beans are used up (or all the jars are filled).
9. Process pint jars for 10 minutes in a water bath canner.**
Makes about 4 pints.
NOTE: If you live at a high altitude, read this important information about adjusting canning times.
* Canning salt prevents the liquid in the jar from becoming cloudy. However, processed salt (including canning and table salt) are now linked to autoimmune disorders. Therefore, I recommend using real sea salt. (Just be sure to use fine sea salt; if you use coarse sea salt, there will not be enough salt in your brine, which is a safety issue.)
** Only pickled green beans may be processed in a water bath canner. If they are not pickled, green beans must, for safety's sake, be processed in a pressure canner.