- 1 kg green beans, top removed and either left whole, or cut into 2-3cm pieces
- 2 tablespoons pure salt
- water
- 1¼ cup white sugar
- 1¼ cup cider vinegar
- 1¼ cup water
- 1 small bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon dill seeds
- ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
- ½ small garlic clove, thinly sliced
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Place beans into a large non-reactive bowl, sprinkle with the brining salt and toss through. Cover with cold water, and then place a dry cloth over the bowl and allow to stand overnight.
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The following day, drain the beans and discard the brine. Lightly rinse under running water.
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Place the sugar, vinegar and water into a pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
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Add the beans, bring back to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
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Remove the pan from the heat.
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Into each warm sterilised jar, pack the beans together with the measured aromats, leaving a head space of approximately 1 cm from the top of the jar.
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Return pickling mixture to the heat and bring to the boil.
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Carefully pour the pickling liquid over the beans, ensuring that they are covered.
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Use a skewer to release any air bubbles and top up with more liquid, if required. Seal immediately.
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When cool, label, date and store in a cool dark place until ready to use.
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Refrigerate after opening.
Great in salads, stirfries, with cold roast beef, and also on grazing boards.
Sterilising Jars for Preserves – I sterilise my jars in the oven set at 100˚C/212˚F. I place clean jars onto the oven rack of preheated oven and leave for a minimum of 15 minutes. To remove the jars from the oven I use either silicon tongs or a the handle of a wooden spoon, which works wonderfully, paricularly if you have your jars laying on their side. For the lids, simply place into a pan of boiling water.
ASIAN FLAVOURING ALTERNATIVE (per jar)
1 tsp fresh ginger, finely julienned
1 tsp lemon grass, finely sliced
1/4 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp mustard seed
4 black peppercorns
1 small garlic cloves, thinly sliced