Dilly Beans

We finally did it!!! We finally made a batch of pickles that tasted exactly like they were supposed to! For anyone who hasn't tried to make pickles, it sure seems easy to do. Let me tell you that is all a big fat lie! So far this summer, Joe and I have made at least 3 different batches of pickles and this is the very first recipe to turn out just right. Pickling is an art; a very difficult, finicky art. So to say I am proud that we made delicious pickles, is an understatement.


I've always loved pickles, but dilly beans are my all time favorite. I first had dilly beans (which are simply pickled green beans) at my grandmother's house. Once my grandmother stopped making them, my parents and I were always on a search for dilly beans. We found them several times in Amish Country in PA but they were few and far between. This year I told Joe we HAD to try to make my beloved dilly beans. The food blog Food in Jars has been a lifesaver, helping us not just with how to can but also providing our first successful pickle recipe. 


Dilly Beans
(makes 4 pint jars)


2 pounds green beans, trimmed to fit your jars
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 teaspoons dill seed (not dill weed, learned this the hard way)
4 cloves garlic
2 1/4 cups white vinegar (5%)
2 3/4 cups water
1/4 cup pickling salt (use a bit more if you’ve only got kosher)


Wash a trim green beans to fit your jar. Sanitize the jars for about 5 minutes in the boiling water bath. In another pan heat the vinegar, water, and salt until the salt is dissolved. In each sanitized jar put 1 garlic clove, 1 tsp dill seed, and 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper. Pour the vinegar mixture over the beans until only 1/2 inch of headspace is left. Use a chopstick or knife to run along the edge of the jar to remove air bubbles. Put the lids (already heated in boiling water for 15 minutes to soften the seal) on tightly but not too tight. Process the jars in the boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Let cool for 24 hours before readjusting the lids. 


The canning part is daunting at first but after a few times you get in to a rhythm. Let the beans sit and mellow for at least 2 weeks, then open and enjoy! I still cannot get over how much our beans taste exactly like my grandmother's recipe! Now our cabinets are filled with 8 jars of dilly beans just waiting to be eaten!! If you decide to try pickling on your own, try to make small batches and don't get discouraged! It takes several times to find the recipe right for you! Refrigerator pickles would be a good place to start since they don't involve the canning process. Happy pickling!