Dilled Green Beans

Every Christmas my sister and I would wish for Santa to put a big jar of dill pickles in our stocking….and we must have been very well behaved children because without fail we would each wake up to a big jar stuffed into the toe of my dad’s work socks!  All our own!  An entire jar of dill pickles AND the juice!

When my brother in law started canning dilled green beans a few years ago I actually turned up my nose and had no desire to try them.  My girls however loved them.  And to make matters worse my brother in law served The Mr. a ceaser with dilled beans.  My fate was sealed.  I was going to have to make some dilled beans.

Before I committed to this whole process called canning, which I have avoided like the plague, I had to try one of these beans for myself to see if my effort was worth it.  What was I thinking….these are amazing, and the juice….  Where do I sign up?!

Armed with my dill, garlic, vinegar, jars and lids I spent the day at my sisters where my brother in law and I got to work!  I was so fortunate to have a neighbour who was getting rid of all her canning jars and I was the lucky recipient.  Plenty for me and lots left over for my brother in law!  He was also doing salsa and eggs too.  Thank goodness for the sanitize cycle on the dishwasher.  There were a lot of jars!

Sadly, the flowers were not a reward for all my hard work!  Just a treat he bought for my sister at the market!

I decided to do a half bushel, which I expected would get me about 13 quart sized jars.  I actually got 17 jars.  My brother in law was a bit more ambitious than me and settled on 2 bushels. For those of you who are local to Niagara, we got the beans at Quiet Acres on Lakeshore Road.  They always have loads of fruit and veggies picked right from their own farm!

My half bushel seemed daunting….until I looked out saw the other 2 bushels soaking in water.

Every single one of those dang beans needed to have the stem snapped off.  That’s a lot of snapping!

After prepping all my beans, I lined up the jars, put in the dill, garlic and secret spice then packed the beans in nice and snug!

 

 

The brine was heating up on the outdoor gas burners.  Two HUGE pots full!  Once it had come to a boil we poured the boiling brine into each jar to just slightly overflowing and set the fresh seals in place, and finally screwed on the ring lids!

As the jars cooled, the lids sealed down good and tight.  Now they just have to rest for 6 weeks to let those beans soak up that dilly brine!

Not a bad days work!  I got 17 jars, and my brother in law got 35 jars + a huge bowl left over for freezing.

I don’t know why I waited so long to try canning.  I actually really enjoyed the process.  I think my brother in law would have been happy to stop after getting my batch done, but I just kept on going getting work getting his beans done,  so he no choice but to keep going as well.

Since my brother in laws dilled green beans recipe is a top secret family recipe passed down to him, I promised I wouldn’t reveal it!  Sorry, but that is the only way he would give me the recipe!  I won’t leave you hanging though!  I did find a few similar recipes here and here.

Now that I am hooked on canning I would love to know what you are canning this season!  Leave me a comment and let me know what I should have on my must-can list!

Until next time…

Maureen