PREP: 1 hour PROCESS: 15 minutes STAND: 1 week MAKES: 8 pints
1½ lb. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
1½ lb. fresh wax beans, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
2 15- to 16-oz. cans dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2½ cups chopped red sweet peppers
2 cups chopped onions
2 fresh jalapeño chile peppers, finely chopped (tip, page 107)
4½ cups sugar
3 cups white vinegar
2¼ cups water
¾ cup cider vinegar
¾ cup red wine vinegar
1½ Tbsp. pickling salt
1. Fill a large pot about two-thirds full with water. Bring to boiling. Add green beans; blanch 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer green beans to a large bowl of ice water. Repeat to blanch wax beans. Drain green and wax beans in a large colander set in sink. In a large bowl combine green beans, wax beans, kidney beans, sweet peppers, onions, and jalapeño peppers.
2. Meanwhile, in a 4-qt. stainless-steel, enamel, or nonstick heavy pot combine the remaining ingredients. Bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt.
3. Pack bean mixture into eight hot sterilized pint canning jars, leaving a ½-inch headspace. Ladle hot vinegar mixture into jars, maintaining the ½-inch headspace. Discard any remaining vinegar mixture. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids and screw bands.
4. Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner 15 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks. Let stand at room temperature 1 week before serving. (Canning tips, pages 461–466.)
PER ½-CUP SERVING: 73 cal., 0 g fat, 0 mg chol., 138 mg sodium, 15 g carb., 4 g fiber, 3 g pro.