I can’t say no to a sale! Especially if food is involved.
Recently I picked up some bunches of dill for $0.27 at my local grocery store which meant fate intended me to play with dill all weekend!
The first thing I made was a favorite from my childhood- Sharp Beans. Or better known ad Dilly beans. My grandmother used to make them all the time and I could never get enough of them! They differ from other recipes because they are simply dill. NO garlic or chili flakes, just dill. (I have nothing against chili flakes or garlic this is just what makes it that memory food for me haha)
Sharp Bean Recipe (Dilly Beans):
2 Pounds of green beans, washed with the ends trimmed
5 cups of vinegar
2 cups of water
1/3 cup of pickling/ coarse salt
6 fresh dill sprigs (or more depending on dilly desire)
Wash and sanitize 5- 500ml mason jars.
Pack the beans into the jars along with the dill sprigs, I do little bean and sprig layers. Leave 1/2” headspace at the top (you may need to snip some more off the bean. I did a small jar of bean nubs along with my batch.)
Combine vinegar, water and salt and bring it to a boil. Pour the brine over the beans leaving the 1/2” headspace.
Seal the jars up with new lids and process in a water bath for 10 minutes.
Carefully remove from the water bath and let rest on the counter until the lids start to pop.
Some other recipes you’ll see include garlic and chili flakes in them as well. By all means customize your beans to your liking! I just like plain dill like my grandmother used to make!
Next up was setting some aside for fresh dilly salads and sandwiches! It makes anything taste delicious.
Lastly, so to continue the enjoyable dill without having it wither, I dried the rest out.
Dried Dill:
Cut the larger stems off and lay the dill out on a drying rack so it can get air from all sides.
Let the dill air dry for 5 days, ideally in a sunny spot.
On day 5, place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment and pop it in the oven for 10-15 minutes on the lowest possible setting for your oven (usually 170-180 degrees Fahrenheit).
You’ll know it’s done when it crumbles in your hand.
Remove any remaining stems and let cool for a minute.
I store mine in a glass mason jar.
