Dilly Beans: My First Attempt at Refrigerator Pickling

It's amazing how motivated I get to update this when I have a pile of essay exams to grade (as opposed to when I have a pile of Bob's Burgers to watch)....

The Smuber household is currently experiencing a green bean assault. My husband planted a lot of pole beans, and currently ALL YOUR BEAN ARE BELONG TO US!!1!! For the past two weeks, I have been able to pick a handful  or two of beans a day. I've steamed them, I've blanched them, and I've sauteed them. I like green beans, but I needed a new way to eat them. I thought about investing in a pressure canner, but I had trouble paying $200+ for a device that was only going to be canning green beans. Thankfully, my dad came to the rescue.

While I was at my parents' house one evening, my dad showed me a recipe he was wanting to try. It was for "dilly beans," refrigerator-pickled green beans. This appealed to me because 1) I could pickle without the added danger of extreme heat 2) I had found an alternative green bean preparation 3) I love almost anything pickled (it's the eastern European in my genes).

That day's haul of beans

Making dilly beans is actually quite easy. First you need to sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water. While the jars are drying, you start heating up a mixture of equal parts water and cider vinegar with some sugar and salt. As that comes to a boil, you start packing the jars with fresh dill, a garlic clove,dill seed, mustard seed, cayenne, and (of course) green beans. If you don't have all those spices and don't want to buy them, I have found it convenient to raid a culinary-inclined person's (my dad) spice rack and return what you've taken on a later date. It's also best to pay interest in the form of a jar of dilly beans.

Forty percent of what you see was stolen from another's spice rack. Sixty percent was obtained legally.

Once your liquids have come to a boil, pour the liquid over the beans in the jar. Seal the jars and let them cool. Into the refrigerator they go! Now, find something to do with yourself for the next two days.

In the words of Mumford and Sons: "I will wait, I will wait for you!"

Filling time during those two days. Did I mention our cucumbers have been big and delicious?

Before I could get home on day 2, positive reviews were flooding in:

I had paid my interest early, and my creditors were pleased.

When I got home on the night of day 2, my husband and I cracked open a jar and were pleased with the contents. It was like eating a pickle, but it was crunchier. They were just as delicious as a pickle but almost seemed easier to eat. We had found a new way to eat green beans!

Discriminating palates were won over!

My parting word of advice would be to make sure that you de-string your beans. I've never really had to do this until we grew this batch of beans. There is definitely a little more chew to the beans if you don't snap and remove the strings on outer edges of the bean. I cut the ends off for this recipe, but I have since learned to snap and de-string as I pick.

**If you're interested in the recipe, I'd be happy to send it to you! I took a picture of the recipe from a magazine, and I don't know how legal it is for me to post it here.