In our house, a dilly bean is the 2nd best way to eat a green bean, only after eating them fresh. Last year I made 8 pints of dilly beans in August and they were gone by November. This year I am going to make at least double that, because if my kids are eating vegetables, I’m a happy mama.

My most asked question is for my dilly bean recipe! It’s so easy and can be made with the boiling-water method, so no pressure canner needed. When canning with the boiling-water method, just remember to adjust your processing time based on your altitude. For us here in Wisconsin we add 5 minutes to a standard recipe, so these green beans are processed for 15 minutes, instead of 10.

1000-3000 Feet – Add 5 Minutes

3000-6000 Feet – Add 10 Minutes

6000-8000 Feet – Add 15 Minutes

It’s pretty easy to adjust the recipe for more or less beans because they are best made when your beans are fresh. It is possible to refrigerate green beans and process later when you have enough to make a larger batch, but be prepared to see the beans turn a little bit wrinkled. They will still be delicious, but fresh is best! I highly recommend Blue Lake Bush Beans and Kentucky Pole Beans. They are tasty, crisp, and prolific growers. This year I am also trying some purple podded pole beans and I’m curious to see how those pickle.

Once the processing time is done, turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the warm water another 5 minutes before removing them. Don’t worry if your beans are floating. That is common with raw packed vegetables and won’t affect them a bit.

The absolute hardest part of this recipe is waiting 3-4 weeks before taste testing! Be prepared for a little kick. It doesn’t seem like a lot of spice, but it might surprise you. I hope you enjoy them!