Canning/Preserving: Refrigerator Pickled Green Beans {easy}

Pickled Green Beans

What You'll Need:

2 pounds fresh green beans
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 teaspoons dill seed (dill SEED not dill weed)
4 cloves garlic
2 1/2 cups white vinegar
2 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup pickling salt (you can use kosher, just use a tad more)
Jars

1. Wash and trim your beans to fit in your jars. If your beans are on the long side you can cut in half.  But I like how they look standing tall like soldiers so I trim the ends until they fit.  I used pint sized jars.
2. Combine the vinegar, water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil and dissolved.  **(This is a good time to pack your jars with the beans.  I turn my jars on to their sides and slide beans in).  Make sure you leave a 1/2" headspace (between tops of beans and bottom of lid).  Use only clean and sterilized jars.
3. To each jar, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending how hot you like), 1 clove of garlic and 1 teaspoon dill seeds.
4. Pour the boiling brine over the beans, making sure to leave a 1/2 inch headspace. To remove any possible bubbles from the jar run a plastic knife around the inside of the jars.

Refrigerator Pickled Beans: - After filling the jars, wipe rims and place lids on. Place in refrigerator and let sit for 2 days or up to 4 months before eating.  I would turn the jars over a few times to distribute the spices.

Canning Process:

After filling the jars, wipe the rims and apply the lids (boil in water for about 10 minutes to soften the sealing compound) and rings.

Process beans in boiling water for 5 minutes (start timing once water returns to boil after adding jars).

This is the hard part - let them sit for 2 weeks, to develop the flavor, before eating.:-{