Renea’s Dilly Beans

Hey Y’all! Welcome back to the All Things Southern Kitchen! Several months ago I was at a book festival when an author friend asked, “Did you fly or drive?” When I told her I had driven she said, “Great! I have something for you.” And boy, was I glad I had not flown in! Renea Winchester gifted me with a glass jar of Dilly Beans. Just like that, one of her treasured family recipes has become one of ours. Yes, of course, I wrangled that recipe from her. And, no, I didn’t hurt her. She gave it to me silly and I’m going to share it with you! Come on…

“Renea’s Dilly Beans”

2 pounds unbroken green beans (washed with stems and strings removed)

4 heads fresh dill

1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

4 cloves garlic

2 ½ cups water

2 ½ cups white vinegar

¼ cup pickling salt or kosher salt

Folks, Renea cans these beans and that is the recipe she gave me. However, after the man and I had consumed that jar, I couldn’t wait the recommended three weeks for the beans to sit and season after canning. I had to know if you could cook them and eat them on the same day. And the answer is—yes, you can! You can enjoy these delicious twangy dill pickle style beans the same day. So, with no further ado, let me give you this recipe.

We’re going to take two pounds of green beans with the stems and strings removed and put them in a large boiler with 2 and ½ cups of water and 2 and ½ cups of white vinegar. We’ll add four heads of fresh dill, four cloves of garlic, a teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes, and a fourth cup of picking salt or kosher salt. All we want to do is let our beans come to a boil and cook over a medium heat for about ten minutes. You can cook them longer if you like mushy beans. I don’t. Now, again, you may can these using the same ingredients or you can eat them promptly like we did. However you enjoy ‘em, folks, just enjoy them! That’s Dilly Beans from the kitchens of Renea Winchester and All Things Southern to yours!

Hugs, Shellie