Despite the shorter Clarence Shepard Day Jr. and cold weather condition coming on , I ’ve still had loads of lovely green Lycopersicon esculentum on my vine . I did n’t want them to go to permissive waste , so I ’ve been picking them and bringing them inside to ripen .
I ’ve heard of other gardener rend their vines completely , cleaning the dirt off the roots , and then hanging them upside - down to ripen any stay any late - time of year tomatoes . But I do n’t have the space — or the patience — for that particular praxis .
Instead , I decided to piece every last green tomato plant I had , pickle them , and can them . I project jars of pickle green Lycopersicon esculentum might make an strange addition to gift baskets for the holidays , and I can also keep a few jars for myself .
If you , likewise , are staring at a sizeable pile of green love apple , you just might want to reckon pickling yours , too .
learn more : Garden - develop dill is a superstar in pickle recipe !
What You’ll Need
To get started , you ’ll need at least five pounds of green tomatoes . You ’ll also need :
I happen to have somequick process kosher dill mess mixon hand , and , although these are in the main intended for exercise with run - of - the - James Mill cucumbers , it works just as well with green tomatoes . My 6 1/2 - oz. pouch of dill fix mix would make seven quart of pickles — provided I had nine to 11 pounds of garden truck .
Rather not trust on a pre - packaged pickling mix ? My ancient copy of theBall Blue Book Guide to Home Canning , Freezing and Dehydrationincludes the following recipe for “ Dilled Green Tomatoes ” which call for :
How-to
Whether you use a prepackaged mix or the classic Ball formula , the steps you ’ll take next are largely the same . As you sterilize your canning jars and palpebra , rinse and slice your tomatoes and set aside . ( Now ’s also the fourth dimension to peel garlic garlic clove , set aside bay leaves , and wash dill weed sprigs or measure out out your dill seed . )
In a non - aluminum pan , sum pickling salt , vinegar and water and bring to a dispirited furuncle , stir constantly until the common salt has dissolved into the liquid . Next , lift out the hot , sterilized canning jars , empty out any water supply within , then loosely compact with your sliced tomatoes . Leave 1/2 column inch of headspace at the top . If you ’ve prefer to admit garlic and other extra , append one Eugenia caryophyllatum , one bay leafage and a leap of dill ( or 2 teaspoon of dill seeds ) to each jar .
Now laden just enough of the hot , pickling liquid into each canning jarful to cover the tomato plant . Again , be sure to leave 1/2 column inch of headspace gratis at the top .
Read more : verify to save some tomato seeds for next year ’s garden . Here ’s how .
Finishing Touches
Once you ’ve backpack your jars , carefully wipe the lips of each with a clean , ironical cloth . ( This removes any debris that might otherwise get in the way of a nasty seal between the top of the jar and the alloy canning lid . ) invest a new , sterilized canning lid on top of each jar and then secure with a canning ring .
With your jar lifter , place jar into a boiling canning bathing tub . If you live at an altitude of less than 1,000 fundament , you only need to boil your packed jars from 10 to 15 minutes—10 minutes for dry pint - sized jolt and 15 minute for packed quarts . For altitudes of 1,000 foot or more , add one minute of additional processing time per 1,000 feet of altitude .
Not certain which altitude figures to use ? You candetermine your elevation with these online toolsfrom the National Center for Home Food Preservation .
Once time ’s up , absent jars with your jar weightlifter and localise away to cool down . In time , you might hear the characteristic “ thunk ” sound that canning chapeau sometimes make as they completely varnish . Upon inspection , the centre of a right sealed jar should be concave .
If it ’s still popped up or if you’re able to press on the lid ’s center and experience it springing beneath your fingertip , then that jar is not properly seal . Refrigerate any improperly sealed jar , and eat these pickled green tomatoes within the next calendar week or so .
As for jar thatareproperly sealed , lay in them out of verbatim sunlight at temperatures between 50 and 70 degrees F and project to use them up within the class .
