Dilly Beans (Pickled Green Beans)

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1Wash 8 pint-size canning jars in hot soapy water or a dishwasher and keep them hot; simmer new lids in hot water per the manufacturer's directions and keep them hot.
2. 2Wash the green beans, snap or trim off the stem ends, and trim the beans to a length about 1/4 inch shorter than your jars so they will fit upright with room for headspace.
3. 3In a large pot, bring 5 cups white vinegar (5% acidity), 5 cups water, and 1/2 cup canning salt to a full boil, stirring to dissolve the salt.
4. 4Pack the raw green beans upright into the hot jars as tightly as possible without crushing them, tucking 1 dill head (or 1 teaspoon dill seed), 1 garlic clove, and a pinch of cayenne or 1 small dried hot pepper into each jar.
5. 5Pour the boiling brine over the beans, covering them completely and leaving 1/2 inch of headspace.
6. 6Remove air bubbles by sliding a non-metallic spatula down the sides of the jar, add more brine if needed to keep 1/2 inch headspace, wipe the rims clean, center the lids, and screw on the bands fingertip-tight.
7. 7Process in a boiling-water canner, jars covered by at least 1 inch of water, for 10 minutes for pints and 15 minutes for quarts once the water returns to a full rolling boil; add 5 minutes at 1,001 to 3,000 feet, 10 minutes at 3,001 to 6,000 feet, or 15 minutes above 6,000 feet.
8. 8Turn off the heat, wait 5 minutes, then lift the jars onto a towel-lined counter to cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours.
9. 9Press the center of each lid to check the seal, remove the bands, wipe down the jars, and label with the contents and date.
10. 10Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to about 1 year, wait at least 1 to 2 weeks before eating so the dill flavor develops, and refrigerate after opening.
11. 11Never dilute the vinegar brine or overpack the beans beyond a snug fit, since too little brine relative to vegetables lowers the acidity of the finished jar.