Do You Have an Overabundance of Green Beans?

by Shaw nee Tichenor - July 29, 2021

Green beans are a common crop here in Arkansas. They can be grown fairly quickly with a maturity time between 50 and 60 days. For every ten foot row of green beans, you may harvest between 3 to 5 pounds of beans. This can cause an overabundance of green beans if you are not careful.

Green beans are a very popular side dish for meals. You can make green bean casserole, skillet green beans, roasted green beans, green beans in soups, or just plain greens beans with butter, pepper, and garlic. However, a person can only take so many green beans! A great way to use green beans without getting completely burned out is by pickling. YES, I said PICKLING! Some may have heard them called “Dilly Beans,” but pickled greens beans are a great snack and a change up to regular green beans. If you haven’t tried them, or think it sounds weird, take a step out of your comfort zone, and try pickling. You might surprise yourself and realize these are actually quite tasty! Find the tutorial video and recipe below!

Video: https://youtu.be/GV0fBxtngrA

As you can see in the tutorial, I followed this recipe. The green beans turned out with great flavor but are on the more tangy side for some individuals. To remove some tanginess, you can add a little bit of sugar to the recipe to help with the acidity.

Pickled Dilled Beans

• 4 lbs fresh tender green of yellow beans (5 - 6 inches long
• 8 to 16 heads fresh dill
• 8 cloves garlic (optional)
• 1/2 cpu canning or pickling salt
• 4 cups white vinegar (5 percent)
• 4 cups water
• 1 tsp hot red pepper flakes (optional)

Yield: About 8 pints

Please read Using Boiling Water Canners before beginning. If this is your first time canning, it is recommended that you read Principles of Home Canning as well.

Procedure: Wash and trim ends from beans and cut to 4-inch lengths. In each sterile pint jar, place 1 to 2 dill heads and, if desired, 1 clove of garlic. Place whole eans upright in jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Trim beans to ensure proper fit, if necessary. Combine salt, vinegar water, and pepper flakes (if desired). Bring to a boil. Add hot solution to beans, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in Table 1 below.