Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

crisp green tomato pickles

(1 rating)
Recipe by
Teresa G.
Here, KY

These sweet, crisp, flavorful pickles are a favorite around here! Even the pickiest children love them. It's a good way to use the green tomatoes that won't have time to ripen before the first big frost. Just be sure to have 2 very big, nonreactive bowls, crocks or even extra large stockpots on hand and read the complete instructions before you start (this is a 3 day process.)

(1 rating)
yield 6 pints
cook time 30 Min
method Canning/Preserving

Ingredients For crisp green tomato pickles

  • 3 1/2 lb
    green tomatoes, sliced fairly thin (1/4")
  • cold water and ice
  • 1 c
    pickling lime
  • 1 qt
    apple cider vinegar
  • 2 1/2 lb
    white sugar
  • 1 Tbsp
    pickling salt
  • 1 tsp
    mixed pickling spice
  • 1 Tbsp
    whole cloves
  • 2
    drops green food coloring (optional)

How To Make crisp green tomato pickles

  • 1
    Place tomato slices in extra large nonreactive bowl or pot (no aluminum or plastic.)
  • 2
    Sprinkle with the pickling lime.
  • 3
    Pour 1 gallon of cold water over the slices and allow to soak for 24 hours. (You may very gently lift and stir slices, to redistribute lime, once or twice.)
  • 4
    After the 24 hrs., gently rinse very thoroughly.
  • 5
    Cover tomatoes with ice water and allow to sit for 3 hours.
  • 6
    Meanwhile, in another extra large bowl or pot, mix together vinegar, sugar,salt, pickling spice and cloves.
  • 7
    Drain the tomato slices after the 3 hrs.
  • 8
    Add to the vinegar mixture and let sit overnight.
  • 9
    The next day prepare canning jars and equipment, then pour the tomatoes and vinegar mixture into a large pot, and bring to a low boil for 30 minutes. (Food coloring may be added, if desired.)
  • 10
    Remove from heat and fill hot, sterile pint jars to 1/2 inch from the rim, add lids and rings and process in hot water bath for 10 minutes.
  • 11
    Instead of canning, may be frozen in plastic freezer containers. Thaw in refrigerator.
  • 12
    Store opened containers in refrigerator.
  • 13
    ***************************************************************************************
  • 14
    An Evening Prayer If I have wounded any soul today, If I have caused one foot to go astray, If I have walked in my own willful way, Dear Lord, forgive. Forgive the sins that I have confessed to Thee, Forgive the secret sins I do not see, O guide me, love me, and my keeper be, Dear Lord, Amen.
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