So... I have all this nice dirt. And Colin tells me he thinks I didn't plant enough beans. I plant more. But then they all grow. And grow. And continue to grow. Now I have a dilemma. I am knee-deep in crispy, crunchy green beans. Speaking of a glut of vegetables, it seems to me that I have a crisper-drawer full of new carrots from the farm box too... When in a pickle, make pickles.
Pickled Beans & Carrots
- 4 pounds total of fresh, tender green beans & sweet, crunchy carrots
- 8 to 16 heads fresh dill
- 8 cloves garlic - minced (optional)
- ½ cup canning or pickling salt (NOT table salt)
- 4 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes and/or pickling spice (optional)
This is a good time to get the jars ready! The dishwasher is fine for the jars;
especially if it has a "sterilize" cycle. Otherwise put the jars in
boiling water for 10 minutes.
Place the whole trimmed beans and carrots upright in jars, leaving ½-inch of
headspace. Trim them to ensure proper fit, if necessary.
Combine the salt, vinegar, water and pepper flakes/pickling spice (the latter if
desired). Bring to a boil.
Use a ladle or pyrex measuring cup to carefully fill each packed jar
with the hot vinegar solution, again allowing ½-inch headspace. The
beans should be covered and there should still be 1/2 inch of airspace
left in the top of each jar. Put the lids on each jar and seal them by putting a ring on and
screwing it down snugly.
Process in a hot water bath 5- 15 minutes.
Let sit overnight to cool then check seal.
Adapted from the Pickling Page of Pick Your Own
Wow. Spectacular. And I have to admit, these take me back to my childhood. I remember one of my best friend's Mom used to can pickled carrots. She and I would sneak down to the cellar and eat entire jars of these briny beauties. I now understand why she got so mad at us; it takes a LOT of those little suckers to fill a jar. So, sorry Mrs. K. I'll have to blame the innocence of youth. I am older and wiser and will hoard my pickled carrots and beans with fierce determination too.
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