Pickled Beans

These pickled green beans are the no-canning, no-boiling kind. Briefly cooked beans go into a crock with lemon juice, oil, dry mustard, and pearl onions, then sit for four days while the marinade does all the work. What comes out is tangy, peppery, and still crunchy.

The lemon juice provides the acid, while the oil rounds out the sharpness and gives the beans a glossy coat. Dry mustard adds a warm, sinus-clearing bite that builds over the four-day soak. Pearl onions soften in the brine and become almost as good as the beans themselves.

These are ideal for a relish tray, a Bloody Mary garnish, or a sharp side next to grilled meats.

Kitchen Tips

• Cook the green beans just until crisp-tender, no more. They’ll soften slightly during the four-day pickle. Overcooked beans turn mushy and sad.
• Stir or shake the crock once a day so the marinade distributes evenly.
• Use a glass or ceramic crock. Metal containers can react with the lemon juice and give the beans an off flavor.
• They keep well in the fridge for up to two weeks after the initial four-day soak.

Variations

• Add a few cloves of peeled garlic to the crock for another layer of flavor.
• Toss in a dried chili or red pepper flakes for heat.
• Try this same marinade with blanched asparagus or wax beans.