Instructions

1. Start with a clean quart-sized mason jar. Place the garlic, dill, peppercorns, and bay leaf in the bottom of the jar.
2. Add the green beans to the jar– I like to try to have them stand up on end, but if it doesn’t work, don’t drive yourself crazy. Just get them in there the best you can.
3. Make your brine by stirring the kosher salt into the water until it’s completely dissolved.
4. Pour the brine over the top of the beans, making sure it covers the beans completely but leaves 1 to 2 inches of space at the top of the jar. You may need to weigh the beans down so they don’t float to the top and poke out of the brine. I like using a glass fermenting weight for this, but you can use all sorts of things (jar lids, kitchen utensils, etc)
5. Screw the lid on finger tight only.
6. Place your jar of fermented green beans on the counter away from other ferments (or any sourdough starter) that you might have going at the same time.
7. Allow the beans to ferment for 5 to 7 days, checking the jar each day and “burping it” (opening the lid to release any gases) to avoid it spilling out of the jar. If you don’t want to be forced to remember to burp it, there are all sorts of fermenting airlock systems available to streamline the process. I talk about one of my favorite fermentation systems here.
8. Taste the beans at the end of the fermentation period to make sure you like how tangy they are. If you prefer bolder fermented beans, you can let them sit on the counter for a few more days, otherwise, pop them in the fridge and consume within two to three months.