Dilly Beans (For My Nieces)

I've been making these for many years to the delight of my family and in recent years to the delight of my sweet nieces! I adjust the cayenne for different nieces. These are also great for the adults in Bloody Mary's! Depending on the size of the beans you might need a couple extra jars,lids, garlic and dill heads or just use seeds. Dill heads are prettier, seeds work just as well. These guys are pleasant with the original amount of cayenne powder, the 4 teaspoons make them pretty hot! I just taught my niece and my daughter to can using this loved recipe, just before my sweet niece left for college. She said she couldn't go without Auntie's Dilly Beans. How precious is that? (She's such a good child ;)-- Prepare beans and garlic the night before, it makes it so much easier. Three sets of hands made this so much faster!

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Yields: 6-8 jars

Ingredients

• 3  lbs green beans, as straight as you can get
• 12  garlic cloves, peeled
• 6  heads fresh dill (I use the seeds usually) or 2  tablespoons  dill seeds (I use the seeds usually)
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons cayenne powder (up to 4 teaspoons, your taste, 4 is HOT!)
• 3 1⁄4 cups cider vinegar
• 3 1⁄4 cups water
• 6  tablespoons non-iodized salt

Directions

1. In enamel or other non-reactive kettle, bring to boil the water, vinegar and salt.
2. Meantime, rinse beans and cut off ends, if very long, cut to fit vertically in jars with 1/4" headspace. (this is best done the night before).
3. In 6 sterile widemouth pint jars, place two garlic cloves, head of dill or seeds, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder.
4. Now place the beans vertially into the jar while laying it on it's side a bit.
5. Use smaller and shorter beans to fill spaces so beans are packed fairly tight.
6. Pour boiling vinegar liquid over, leaving 1/4" headspace.
7. Wipe rims, seal with lids and rings, process in water bath 10 full minutes of roiling boil.