Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Dilly Beans

Perhaps one of my most favorite late summer/early fall treats is the canning of Dilly Beans. Or, closer to the truth, the eating of Dilly Beans!!! I like fresh beans- with a yummy dip, preferably. I could eat canned cut green beans all day. (I know some will object to that, but I can't help it! I like the watered down taste!) But, dilly beans. Sweet Googly-Moogly, they are the BEST. I mean it.

My recipe is from Grandpa George.

Ingredients:
3 lbs fresh green beans

For the Brine:
3/8 cup canning salt
3 3/4 cup vinegar
3 3/4 cup water

In Each Quart Jar:
1/4 tspn cayenne pepper
1 clove garlic
1 head of dill (or 1 tbsn dill weed)

I start by putting water to boil in my canning pot on the stove top. Then, I add all the brine ingredients to a medium saucepan to heat and dissolve the salt. While those are getting ready, I cut the green beans to size. You want to make sure that they are pretty uniform in length and that when you layer them into your mason jar, you leave 1/2 inch head room. When I am finished, I add the cayenne and dill to each jar. I add the beans next. (Tip: If you turn the jar slightly on its side, you can easily lay the beans in so they fit straight.) The beans should be a little snug, but do not over stuff them. I slice the garlic into two or three slivers and add them around the beans. At the point, you are ready to ladle the warm brine over the top of the beans. (Take care to leave that 1/2 inch head room!)
This recipe made 6 quart jars.

Invariably towards the end, some beans are not long and lovely. I chop these in 2-3 inch lengths and make up the last jar with these pieces. (They are the right size and taste great on Italian sandwiches!)

Once all the jars are ready, they can be placed in your canner to be heat-treated. Do not over process them or your beans will turn mushy. Dilly Beans should have crunch like a good pickle with a little bite at the end. I usually process mine for 5-10 minutes. To be honest, since the beans are in a brine of vinegar and salt, I am not entirely certain they need to be processed with a canner at all, but with my ingrained modern attitude about avoiding germs and botulism, I can mine, anyway. Any that fail to seal properly go into the fridge for immediate consumption. These are ready to eat in as little as 3 hours, but the taste develops more deeply, the longer they soak.

Of the 6 jars I canned last night, we have already disposed of one third of them! One has already been eaten- Alas! I am not the only one that loves them in this house! And, one has been promised to my Mother. I don't know if Daddy Dale has had the pleasure of trying dilly beans, yet, but if not, I want to introduce him to them. (I think they would be too spicy for Momma Twombly, though.) That leaves me with only 3 quarts for the pantry.
That won't do.

I definitely see more Dilly Beans being canned in this farm girl's future. ♥


5 comments:

  1. Looks good. I do not believe I have ever had dilly beans!

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    1. I can remedy that for you, if you want. Just let me know.

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  2. Never tried beans like that before! I haven't canned too much, but I really enjoy it when I have the time for it. It's fun to get a bunch of people together to help out!

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    1. You HAVE to make these. Really, Really.

      My friend, Cherie and I canned apples for sauce, cobler, and pie filling last fall. It was so much fun. I very much prefer when I have someone to can with me.♥

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  3. I've never had any either. Looks yummy!

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