Dilly beans are a souvenir of a trip to New Orleans many years ago. One grey October day, we spent hours slowly spinning around the Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone. We didn’t intend to do so many rotations, but the weather was dreary and the Bloody Marys were fabulous; the garnish made them exceptional. Dilly beans. Crisp, tangy, spicy, dilly. The perfect match. Yes!
I was previously acquainted with a Bloody Mary with a celery swizzle stick, maybe an olive or two on a toothpick trapeze, but the dilly beans clinched my affection for this brunch drink that is, essentially, a boozy cold soup.
Our friends eventually found us on the carousel and dragged us to some delicious restaurant…because that’s what happens in New Orleans, but I never forgot the dilly beans.
In subsequent years, I was on a dilly bean quest. I’d scrutinize the pickle section in local stores. Occasionally, I’d get lucky, but they were rarely to be found. While commonplace in the southern US, dilly beans aren’t as available in other regions.
Fortunately, I eventually discovered that they are easy to make at home.
The DIY impetus?
Sometime in March (or April?–who can remember?) a friend sent me a photo of their Bloody Mary. Suddenly, I wanted a Bloody Mary.
Alas, it would be without a spinning bar, or any bar, because it was the beginning of the time of isolation, but I was determined; this Bloody Mary, to be enjoyed in my own home, would be the best, which meant it must have dilly beans.
I googled recipes. Making dilly beans seemed simple enough.
I masked up and headed to the grocery store for beans, dill, and other essentials for the week.
The first batch turned out well. Sadly, they are gone now, so it is time to stock the refrigerator with a new jar to brighten my Sunday afternoons.
But I Know Nothing About Canning
I grew up cooking, but pickles and canning are not in my repertoire. If they are not in yours either, don’t worry: these are refrigerator pickles. Much less intimidating in terms of required equipment.
And although we’re having a fun time, thinking about Bloody Mary garnish, thinking about food safety is always important.
- Wash your hands! Often! (sound familiar by now?)
- Take a few minutes to become familiar with food safety best practices for home preserving from University of Wisconsin-Madison
You will need jars. I reused some I had. If you want new jars, you do not need the true canning lids – the ones with two parts – just regular jars with lids. But you do want everything to be completely sterilized.
Ingredients
The Flavorful Brine
- Dill is the star here. Fresh is the only option.
- Vinegar is essential. I used half Apple Cider and half white.
- Onion – I used freeze dried shallots, which I always keep in the pantry. Not as flavorful as fresh shallots, but very handy. And a bit more interesting than plain white onion.
- Garlic – I left the peeled cloves whole but smashed them a little.
- Peppercorns – I have a blend of black, pink, and green that are nice.
- Spice – I added hot pepper flakes, like one would sprinkle in pizza. You can use fresh jalapeños or any other spicy fresh or dried pepper you like.
- Sugar – white
- Salt – Kosher or pickling
The Beans
I’m using green beans. A trip to a farm stand in upstate NY provided the beans for this batch. I intended to get these dilly-ed soon after getting them home but time did not permit. They were still pretty fresh a few days later.
For this recipe, perfectly fresh isn’t critical. The beans should have a bit of a bite but not too hard and definitely not soggy. A dilly bean should stand on its own. Soggy would be sad.
How to Make Dilly Beans
- Wash the Dill
Do this first. Why? For aromatherapy while you are doing the rest of the prep.
Unlike some recipes, it doesn’t matter if the dill is wet, so this isn’t a matter of drying time, but the scent of dill will inspire you as you do the rest. - Wash the beans
I like to soak and then drain in a colander and rinse again.
- Trim the beans
My knife skills stink. In fact, I feel dishonest using the phrase “my knife skills.” I shouldn’t claim to have any. But my thought here was to trim as many as possible at once.
I lined them up, cut the ends and then nudged them all the other direction to get them even for the second cut. This worked pretty well.
If you buy a bag of beans in a steam pack, they will be pre-trimmed and you get to skip this step, but you might need to trim them to fit the height of the jar. - Blanch the Beans
To blanch is to cook the beans – barely and then get them in an ice bath.
Some will say this isn’t necessary, but I think it improves texture and helps with the pickling–more briney flavor.
I choose steaming for this step and I have microwave steamer, but you can accomplish the same thing in the microwave with a bowl and a plate. 2 min 30 worked for me but your microwave may vary.
Or, just use the stovetop to steam or boil. If you do cook them in water, drain before adding them to the ice bath.
Again, this is not to truly cook the beans, just to brighten and soften them a little.
Tip: I use lunchbox freezer packs to chill the water in the ice bath. We hand make artisanal ice here, so it is very valuable and you need a lot of ice to keep the bath sufficiently cool to shock the beans. - Prep the Jars
Scatter dry spices in the bottom. Place dill sprigs along the outside.
- Boil the Brine
I used a 4 cup glass Pyrex measuring cup in the microwave for this.
Yes – the microwave again. I don’t like to wash anything I don’t have to. Pyrex goes in the dishwasher. Pans get hand washed.
If you do it on the stovetop, use a non-reactive pan, such as stainless steel. - Add the Beans to the Jar
Use a fork or spoon to scoop the garlic out of the boiled brine and place it in the bottom of the jar.
Wash your hands – but you’ve been doing this at every step, right?
Grab a big bunch of beans. Place them in the jar. Remove and trim any that are too tall. Keep adding beans until the jar is full.
Place any short ones in the middle. - Add the Boiled Brine to the Jars
Do this while it is still hot.
Make sure it covers all of the beans.
Leave about 1/2 inch of space at the top of the jars. - Cool on the Counter
Let the jars cool on the counter before covering and placing them in the refrigerator.
- Refrigerate
And then wait at least a day before sampling. They will get better with time.
Enjoying Your Dilly Beans
You can eat these the next day but they get better with time.
I like them in a Bloody Mary, but they are great on sandwiches, a charcuterie board or in a salad.
They will last from a few days to a month in the refrigerator. Always use a fork or toothpick to extract them from the jar.
If you open the jar and it is fizzing, time to discard. Same for any unusual colors or odors. Be cautious. It is easy enough to make a new batch.
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Where the dilly bean infatuation began: The Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone Royal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana
