Dilled Green Beans

Once the beans start coming, they don't let up! Of course, you have to keep picking if you want an abundant harvest. Leave a couple of old beans on the plant and it sends the signal that the reproductive work is done, and so will be the harvest.

Sometime around the end of August, I'm sorely tempted to let it go, but then I think of those years when the harvest was sparse and I ran out. So, I forge ahead and pick in the mornings and can and freeze in the afternoons. Autumn will be here soon enough.

I promised the dilly green beans recipe last week, so without further ado, here it is. This one is a low-sodium recipe, for those of you wanting to cut back a bit on the salt. The recipe comes courtesy of Elaine Mir, from the Cooperative Extension Service, Spokane County, Washington.

Low-Sodium Dilled Green Beans

Yield: 7-9 pints

Ingredients:

Green beans, whole - about 4 quarts (that's 4 pounds)
Hot red peppers, crushed - 1/4 tsp. per pint jar
Mustard seed - 1/2 tsp. per pint jar
Dill seed - 1/2 tsp per pint jar
Garlic - 1 clove per pint jar
Vinegar - 5 cups (1 1/4 quarts)
Water - 5 cups (1 1/4 quarts)

Method:

Wash beans thoroughly; drain and cut into lengths to fill pint jars. Pack beans into clean, hot jars; add pepper, mustard seed, dill seed, and garlic.

Combine vinegar and water; heat to boiling. Pour boiling liquid over beans, leaving 1/2 inch head space.

Process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes (begin counting processing time after water returns to a boil). Remove from canner, using jar lifter, and place jars on a wire rack or folded towel to cool.

These beans are a nifty accompaniment to pork or lamb roast.