Pickled Green Beans

By mamacasma

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups apple cider vinegar
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon mustard seed
• 6 stems fresh dill fronds
• 1 pound, 8 ounces green beans, trimmed

Details

Servings 3
Adapted from usaweekend.com

Preparation

Step 1

Combine the vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the sugar is dissolved, about four minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Divide the garlic, red pepper flakes, mustard seed, dill and green beans evenly among three prepared pint jars (see note below), leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Pour the brine over the ingredients, making sure it reaches the bottom of the jars and the beans are fully submerged. Wipe the rims with a damp paper towel to clean them thoroughly. Seal the jars and process with the following steps:

Place a circular rack in the base of a large pot or boiling-water canner (be sure pot is no more than 2 or 3 inches wider than the burner on your stove). The rack keeps jars from directly touching the base of the pot, which could cause them to overheat or process unevenly.

Fill the pot or canner with enough water to cover the jars, and bring the water to a rolling boil. Use tongs to place the jars on top of the rack, taking care to leave a small amount of space between jars so that the water can surround each jar fully.

Make sure the water covers the jars by at least 1 inch. Once the jars are inside, place the lid on the pot. Process the jars for 8 to 10 minutes. You may need to add additional boiling water to keep the proper level of liquid for the processing time.

Use tongs to remove the jars from the water and check to be sure a proper seal has formed. For a proper seal, the center of the lids should be depressed and not give at all when pressed. Cool the jars to room temperature before tightening the rings on the lids and storing in a cool, dark place.

Notes

Jars should be cleaned and heated to sterilize before filling. This reduces the possibility of contamination from residue, dust or other impurities being trapped in the jar. It also ensures that the jar doesn't break when it comes in contact with the sudden heat of cooked foods.