Summer is here folks and these spicy dill pickled green beans are the perfect summer recipe! If you’ve never preserved anything before and you’re nervous about it, don’t be!! This is a perfect recipe to start with and I promise you, it’s easier than it sounds. You can do this!

I am pretty excited to share these with you just because they taste SO GOOD. Also because these beans are super easy to make plus green beans and dill are literally the easiest thing to grow in your garden (besides mint) and so it makes it that much better when you can grow it AND preserve it all by yourself. I don’t know why but I get super excited about making something fresh with my own hands and putting it away for the winter. Maybe I am just a nerd but it brings me absolute PURE JOY! Marie Kondo would be so proud.

These Spicy Dill Pickled Green Beans are crunchy and dilly and have just a bit of a kick. They are the perfect snack or garnish and they go with just about anything. Trust me, you are going to love them!

Give the gift of Spicy Dill Pickled Green Beans

These beans make the perfect gift for any occasion but I LOVE giving them out at Christmas. If you’ve read any of my Christmas journals then you know that the last thing anyone needs is more junk. Seriously, we have stuff for our stuff and it’s actually overwhelming. Cue the spicy dill pickled beans now.

Depending on what I’ve grown that year I might add in some yellow wax beans as well. They look so cute with the little tags on them all tied  up with twine and I just love all the colors in the jar! The green and yellow beans paired with the red chilli flakes just look so yummy! For this recipe I did a mix of green beans and yellow wax beans but you can do just green beans or just yellow beans if you like.

One of my favorite things to do is put together gift baskets for friends and family. I love filling them with delicious home canned goods and treats and I can hardly wait to start planning next years as soon as this years are gone. I start planning them in early June and do all the canning when the ingredients are fresh during the summer. Plus that gives them plenty of time to rest and let all those wonderful flavours come together. Peaches, jam’s, and salsa’s are just a few ideas of things you can include. I love collecting things for them throughout the year and I’m pretty sure people love receiving them just as much!

Get your FREE Spicy Dill Pickled Green Beans tag here!

How to eat these beans

Not only are these spicy dill pickled green beans a yummy snack, but they taste even better in a caesar or a bloody mary! If you’re American and you’re not sure what a caesar is then stop what you’re doing right now and go make one. This is a great recipe.  I love throwing in a few of my pickled beans in with a pepperoni stick and some bocconcini cheese! YUM!!!

Speaking of Caesar- Check out my Ultimate Chicken Caesar Pasta Recipe Here!

Even if all I did was eat them in caesar’s I would be winning. But the fun doesn’t stop there. There are SO many more options. Throw them on a charcuterie board the next time your entertaining or serve them with some olives and crackers. Eat them on a hot dog at your next backyard BBQ (yes you read that right) or just serve them as a side for dinner and watch how fast they go.

How to make spicy dill pickled green beans

Before you start I am going to recommend a few items that I ACTUALLY use myself. It makes the process much easier and I really wouldn’t want to do it without these items. The good news is once you see how awesome it feels to preserve you’re going to want to preserve everything and you will already have all the tools you need to do so.

CANNING TOOLS

1. Mason Jars –  Obviously you can’t preserve anything without the jars and these ones are my favorite. They are great but they also look pretty if you want to give some out as a gift.
2. Canning Kit – This will come with everything else you need. The pot is a specific type of pot and the lifter is SO important! The jars will be extremely hot and difficult to remove from the water so I really suggest you get one. If the kit is out of your price range you can start by getting just the pot and the lifter. Don’t forget your pot will still need a wire rack!

In this recipe I will take you through sterilizing your jars. This is super important and you should take this step seriously. My mother put the fear of God in me when I was little,  and I don’t think I will ever be able to open a jar without thinking of botulism. Probably not healthy, but it’s true. Anyway, the moral of the story here is canning is safe and healthy if done correctly so don’t get lazy here. You can find out more information here.

Listen, I know this seems like a lot if you have never preserved anything before but DON”T BE INTIMIDATED! It’s actually pretty easy once you get the hang of it and spicy dill pickled green beans are a great recipe to start with. If you have any questions I am here for you and I respond pretty quickly so send me a note or drop a comment below!

Sterilizing your jars

Back in the day people used to spend lots of time sterilizing their jars before canning however now some things have changed. According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation canned goods that are being placed in a hot water bath for 10 minutes or more no longer require sterilization because the jars and food will be sterilized in the process. Makes sense, but I’m old school and I still do it. Because these green beans are only cooked for 10 minutes (you could do 12 to make you feel better) I still like to sterilize my jars. I guess the better safe than sorry rule applies here.

So here’s how I do it.

First preheat your oven to 225 degree F. Then wash your jars with warm soapy water and be sure to rinse them well. You don’t want any soap in those jars!! Place all your jars onto a baking sheet (no need to dry them). Place the sheet of mason jars in the oven for at least 10 minutes and voila, your jars are sterile! I actually just leave them in there until I’m ready to fill them. To sterilize your lids simply place them in a pot of almost boiling water and let them simmer.

Preparing your beans

Believe it or not, this is actually the most time consuming part of the recipe. BECAUSE you need to trim your beans to size.  Your beans can’t be bigger than the mouth of the jar or the lids wont seal (obviously) so have a jar handy to measure. You’ll want them to be about 1/4 inch shorter than your lids. Make sure to pre wash your beans as well.

Filling the jars

Okay, now that we have our jars sterilized and our beans trimmed we can start to pack our jars.

Place the following in each jar

• 6 sprigs of fresh dill
• 1 clove of garlic (peeled and cut in half)
• 1 tsp of mustard seeds
• 1 tsp of dry chili flakes (use more or less for desired heat)

Next pack your jar with beans. Then bring your water, vinegar, and salt to a boil and carefully ladle into each jar filling to about 1/4 inch to the top.  You’ll want to take a stir stick (or a chopstick) and slide it down the inside edges of the jar to get rid of little air bubbles. Check your brine level again (you may need to add a bit more).

Gently wipe the top of your jars to make sure no liquid will affect the seal. Then screw on your lids. You don’t want the rings to be to tight. Firm but not tight! Before you bathe your jars in hot water, make sure you have a space set up where you can leave them for 24 hours. You won’t be able to move them again so don’t put them somewhere they will be in the way.

Place your jars in your hot water bath (large canning pot of boiling water) for 10 minutes and then very carefully remove.  Let sit for 24 hours and dont touch them! You’re going to want to but don’t!! You should hear your jars begin to pop as well! Popping is a great sound. It means the jars are sealing.

Note: This method is for canning at an altitude of 1,000 feet or less. For altitudes up to 3,000 feet, add 5 minutes; 6,000 feet, add 10 minutes; 8,000 feet, add 15 minutes; 10,000 feet, add 20 minutes. See more here 

Checking your seal

After your spicy dill pickled green beans have set for 24 hours you can now check your seal.

Press your finger down on the middle of the lid. If the lid springs back up, the jar is not sealed. You may have gotten some food or liquid under the lid and this would prevent it from sealing properly. Yes you can still eat the beans, however I would keep them in the fridge and eat within a few weeks.

Another option out there is to tap the lid with the bottom of a teaspoon. If the lid makes a dull sound it’s not sealed. If it makes a high pitched sound it is. I generally don’t like this method because I’m not good with sounds and I always just wonder if i’m hearing the right sound so I prefer to just press down on the lid.

You can get some more information on sealing jars here.

Spicy Dill Pickled Green Beans Recipe

Alright, that was a LOT of information but it was necessary. Canning is something you will definitely fall in love with and once you get the hang of things it will be a breeze. Invite some friends over and make a day of it. Give yourself lots of time and have fun!

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do!

Love green beans? Check out this ULTIMATE GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE!

Spicy Dill Pickled Beans

These preserved spicy dill pickled green beans are a delicious way to enjoy green beans. A perfect snack or go great on a charcuterie board or in a caesar or bloody mary. Enjoy these fresh crispy green beans all year round.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 4 Jars

Ingredients

  

• 4 mason jars 500ml sterilized
• 1 lb green beans washed and trimmed
• 1 lb yellow beans washed and trimmed
• 1 bunch fresh dill
• 4 large cloves of garlic peeled
• 4 tsp mustard seeds
• 4 tsp red pepper chili flakes

BRINE

• 2 ½ cups water
• 2 ½ cups white vinegar %5 or pickling vinegar
• 2 tbsp pickling salt

Instructions

 

Sanitizing Your Jars

• Preheat your oven to 225 ° and line mason jars (lids removed) onto a cookie sheet.
• Place washed jars into the oven for at least 10 minutes. I leave mine in until I am ready to fill.
• Place lids and rings into a pot of hot water. Bring temperature up to almost boiling and then simmer.

Directions

• Pack each sterilized jar with 6 sprigs of fresh dill, 1 clove of garlic (peeled and cut in half), 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds, and 1 tsp of dry chili flakes (use less or more to control heat)
• Add your trimmed beans
• In a large saucepan bring the water, vinegar, and pickling salt to a boil.
• Carefully fill each jar with hot brine leaving about ¼ inch of space (try not to splash any on the rims as this can affect your seal and cause bacteria to grow, I always use my canning funnel)
• Gently wipe the ring of the jar with a clean cloth to ensure no droplets are on it. Cover with sterilized lids and screw bands on. You want them to be tight but don't over tighten.
• Bring your canning pot to a full boil and carefully place jars inside. Hot water bathe them for 10 minutes and carefully remove them. Find a spot for them to rest and do not touch for 24 hours! Seriously, don't do it. I know it's hard but don't do it. You should start to hear them popping!
• After 24 hours has passed you can check the seal by pressing the middle of the lid with a finger or thumb. If the lid springs up when  you release your finger, the lid is unsealed
• Label and date your jars and move beans to a storage cellar or a cool dark place. Let sit for a minimum of 2-3 weeks before eating. NOTE you can eat them right away but they won't taste as good! The longer these guys sit the better they taste so if you can hold off trying them for a little while it will be worth it.

Keyword canned, canning ], dill pickled beans, green beans, mason jar, preserving, spicy pickled, yellow wax beans

I’ve connected with some amazing Bloggers to share some Summer themed blogs with you. Head to each of their blogs to check out what they are sharing!

Cheyenne
www.babybumpsandmombuns.com
Jessica
www.mamabearwooten.com
Ashley
www.fairleysimple.com
Laila
www.thegoodwivesblog.com
Kimmy
www.kimmymanzo.home.blog

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