Sweet Green Tomato Pickles Made With Pickling Lime Food

PICKLED GREEN TOMATOES

Steps:

• Wash tomatoes under cool running water, removing any dirt and debris.
• Slice tomatoes into ¼ inch slices, removing and discarding any core.
• Slice onions into ¼ inch slices, then cut rounds into halves.
• Place tomatoes and onions in a large non-reactive pot.
• Sprinkle salt over the tomatoes and onions.
• Let stand, on your counter top, for 4 to 6 hours.
• Drain away the liquid.
• Place vinegar in a saucepot over medium heat.
• Add the packed brown sugar. Heat and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
• Pour heated mixture over the tomatoes and onions. Place pot over medium heat.
• Prepare spice packet and add to the pot.
• Bring tomatoes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Stir often to prevent scorching and burning.
• Tomatoes should be tender and transparent when properly cooked.
• Wash jars in hot soapy water. Rinse well. Set aside.
• Prepare work station for canning, assembling all needed tools prior to beginning to fill jars.
• Using a slotted spoon and funnel, fill the jars with tomatoe and onion solids first.
• Finish filling jars with hot vinegar liquid, leaving ½ inch headspace in each jar.
• Remove any air bubbles. Wipe top rim of jar with a damp cloth or paper towel.
• Add lid. Add band. Tighten band finger tight.
• Place jars in rack in top position of water bath canning pot. Lower rack into pot when fully loaded.
• Jars should be covered with at least one inch of water. Bring to a boil. Cover. Begin timing.
• Process jars based on size of jar and proper altitude for your location.
• Lift jars back up to top position in canning pot.
• Let rest for 5 minutes.
• Use jar lifter to remove each jar, being careful to keep it straight. Do not tilt the jar.
• Place jars on a folded towel in a draft free location.
• Do not disturb for 24 hours.
• Test the jars to be sure they have sealed by pressing the center of each jar. If the button is down, jars are good. If the center button of the lid pops up, place jar in refrigerator and use that one first.
• Jars can be properly stored for a year or longer.
• Enjoy!

SWEET GREEN TOMATO PICKLES (MADE WITH PICKLING LIME)

Steps:

• Prepare the tomatoes: if the tomatoes are less than 3 inches in diameter, cut them into 1/4 inch slices. If they are greater than 3 inches in diameter, cut them in 1/4 inch slices, and then cut the slices into quarters so you will be able to fit them in the jars.
• In a large bowl, combine the 3/4 cup of pickling lime with 3 quarts of cold water, stirring well to combine. Add the tomatoes, cover the bowl, and let it sit on the counter for 8 hours or overnight.
• The next day, drain the tomatoes, cover again with cold water, and soak for one hour. Do this two more times, draining and covering with fresh cold water each time, until you have soaked the tomatoes in fresh water a total of three times, for an hour each time. This step is important; it removes all of the lime so the tomatoes will be acid enough to can safely. DO NOT SKIP ANY OF THE SOAKING STEPS. Drain the tomatoes and set aside.
• Using a quadruple layer of cheesecloth, make a spice bag and tie the celery seeds, cloves, allspice, mustard seeds, and cinnamon up in it.
• In a large pan or stock pot (at least 6 quarts), combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, spice bag, and diced ginger. Bring to a boil, then add the drained tomatoes. Return to a boil, then simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and pressing down on the tomatoes to keep them submerged in the brine.
• Stack the tomatoes in wide-mouth pint sized canning jars, placing a slice or two of onion between some of the layers in each jar. Place about a half teaspoon of the ginger pieces in each jar, discarding the remaining ginger, but reserving the syrup.
• Leave 1" headspace in each jar between the tomato slices and the top of the jar, and cover the tomato slices with the hot syrup, leaving 1/2" of headspace. Use a chopstick or other thin, non-metal utensil to run around the sides of the jar to make sure there are no air bubbles left in the jar. Wipe the rims of the jars with damp paper towels to remove any syrup which got on the rims or the threads. Place the lids and the bands on the jars, just tightening the bands fingertip tight.
• Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, then remove and let sit, undisturbed, for at least 12 hours before checking seals. It is important to let them sit undisturbed for 12 hours because the sealing compound on the lids is still cooling and hardening, completing the seal. While the jars cool, you will hear a "plink" type sound from each jar - this is the jars completing the vacuum seal as the final air escapes the jar. After 12 hours have passed, remove the bands and check the lids - press down in the center of the lid. If you cannot push the lid down any further, the jar is sealed. If the lid "gives" a bit, and you can push it down, the jar did not seal. You can either put the band back on the jar, and reprocess it for another 10 minutes, or you can just put it in the fridge and use it within 3 months.

CRISP GREEN TOMATO PICKLES

Steps:

• 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.

GREEN TOMATO PICKLES

Steps:

• Put tomatoes, red bell peppers, onions and jalapenos in a large bowl.
• Sprinkle salt over vegetables and let set overnight; drain well.
• Bring to a boil the sugar, mustard seed and vinegar.
• Add vegetables to boiling liquid; cook until vegetables change color.
• Put into jars and seal.

GREEN TOMATO PICKLES

Steps:

• In a large ceramic bowl or crock, combine green tomatoes and onions. Sprinkle with salt. Refrigerate overnight.
• Pour cold water over tomatoes and onions, and let stand for 1 hour. Place peppercorns, cloves, allspice berries, mustard seeds, and ground mustard in a small cheesecloth bag.
• Drain tomatoes and onions.
• In a large pot, stir together vinegar and sugar, and then add the tomatoes and onions, the cheesecloth bag with spices, the sliced lemon, and minced red pepper. Bring to a low boil, and then simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Check frequently; you may need to pull the pot off of the heat occasionally to prevent scorching. Discard spice bag.
• Fill sterilized jars with tomato mixture, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Garnish with thin strips of red pepper arrange vertically along the sides of the jars. Screw on lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Remove jars and let jars cool completely. Refrigerate any that haven't sealed completely. Store sealed jars in a cool dark place.