Pickled Green Tomatoes

I grew up eating these amazing pickled green tomatoes that my mom used to make.  Which is kinda funny, because I have never been one for trying "different" or non-traditional foods.  Nor have I ever been a fan of sweet pickles, as a general rule.  (Although they've kinda grown on me in my adulthood...)  Anyway, I don't remember the first time my mom made them.  Perhaps I was so young, I just assumed pickled green tomatoes were a normal thing to have in one's refrigerator, so I never thought twice about eating them...?  At any rate, I liked them.  A lot.  Even at the age of 35, I can vividly remember their crisp crunch, and the sweet and tangy flavor with more than just a hint of cloves.  Yum!

When our 6 tomato plants went crazy at the beginning of the summer, I decided to get the recipe from my mom, and started thinking about attempting to make a batch of pickled green tomatoes.  But thinking was as far as I got.  And the tomatoes ripened.  I had another opportunity before too much longer, but again...  I delayed... and they ripened.   Then last week my mom emailed me asking if I wanted the crop of green tomatoes she had picked since frost was coming.  It was then that I realized this was my last chance of the year, so Scott and I went out to the garden and harvested the rest of our tomatoes.  And I began the 3-day process of pickling green tomatoes.

Freshly picked (and washed) green tomatoes.

Ingredients:
2 cups pickling lime
2 gallons of water
7 lbs. sliced firm green tomatoes
1 cup of raisins

Syrup:
2 qts. white vinegar
4 lbs. sugar
1 Tb. salt
1 Tb. cloves
1 tsp. pickling spice

1. Mix lime with 2 gallons of water in a very large pot.

Very Large Pot

 2. Thinly slice green tomatoes and add to lime water. 

Pretty, perfect slices, thanks to our friends at Pampered Chef!

 3. Soak tomatoes in lime water for 24 hours.

Looks gross, huh?

DAY TWO: 

4. Remove from lime water & rinse in cool water for 3 rinses.

You can't tell here, but the water was a minty green!

 If you want to be extra cautious, rinse the HECK out of them (I was a bit paranoid about using the lime, so I rinsed in the sink, then washed each slice individually, and then rinsed in the colander for good measure).

Action shot!  ;o)

5. Combine all ingredients for syrup in a large pot, add rinsed tomato slices, and soak for 12 hours.  (I actually soaked mine for closer to 24 hours, as I didn't plan well and should have done this project over a weekend!)

Mmmmmmmm!  Cloves!

DAY THREE:

6. Sterilize canning jars (I used 9 pints for this recipe). 


7. Bring syrup to a boil and cook for 35 minutes.  Add raisins and return to a boil.

Boiling vinegar is a horrible smell.  Our house reeked for days.

8. Remove from heat and carefully transfer hot pickles to sterilized jars.  Pour in syrup, leaving 1/2 inch head space at the top.

The raisins sank to the bottom of the pan, so they had to be added to the top of each jar.

9. Wipe away any spills or drips from mouth of each jar and seal tightly with standard dome lids and rings.

10. When the lids pop, they are vacuum-sealed and shelf-safe!  

Ta-dah!

It was actually kinda fun to sit in the other room listening for each jar to pop.  After we heard the first one and figured out what it was, we ended up doing a little countdown with the rest.  "There's number 5!"  What can I say?  We're easily amused.  :o)

If you live nearby and want to try some pickled green tomatoes, just let me know.  And if you don't live nearby, you should come for a visit and try them.  ;o)

They taste just as good as what I remember eating as a child.

-E