Salt-Brined Dill Green Beans

4 lbs. fresh green beans
1 gallon water
1/2 cup salt
1 bunch fresh dill
6 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. mustard seeds
2 bay leaves

• Wash the green beans well and let dry.
• Place the water in a large sterilized pickling crock or a very large glass jar and add the salt, stirring to dissolve. Add the dill, garlic, mustard seeds, and bay leaves and place the green beans on top. Put a weight—such as a plate weighed down by a small jar of water—on top of the beans to submerge them in the brine. Cover.
• Check every day and remove any scum that develops on the surface of the brine.
• After about 10 days, the beans should be ready. They will be olive green in color and sour. If the beans develop mold or get mushy, discard them.
• To stop the fermentation process and store the beans, sterilize 4 quart-sized or 8 pint-sized jars and pack the beans into them. Boil the strained brine for 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature and then pour into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch of space at the top. Seal using a boiling water bath or a steam canner and store in the refrigerator or pantry.