The cold nights here have finally done-in my tomatoes. The other day, I spent the afternoon making two batches of green tomato pickles while the girls played under the back stoop in the drizzle (they fled the house as soon as the smell of boiling vinegar began to fill the kitchen!)
Larksong’s Lemon Rosemary Green Tomato Pickles
6-8 large green tomatoes
4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
4 large cloves of garlic
4 3-inch long strips of lemon zest (I peel lengthwise down the lemon with a veggie peeler)
2 1/2 C water
2 1/2 C white vinegar
2 Tbsp white sugar
3 Tbsp pickling salt
Directions:
1)Wash 4 pint jars, lids, and rings. Sterilize according to manufacturer’s instructions. Get water boiling in a canner.
2)Wash tomatoes in hot soapy water. Rinse, and slice 1/4 inch thick.Â
3)Bring water, vinegar, salt, and sugar to a boil. Boil until salt and sugar are well dissolved.
4)Into hot sterilized jars, divide evenly the garlic, lemon zest and rosemary. Layer in the slices tomatoes. Pour in boiling vinegar mixture, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Remove air bubbles with a sterilized chopstick if desired. Add hot lids and rings.
5)Process in a hot water bath canner for 20 min. Allow sealed jars to set for 3 weeks minimum before enjoying.
Larksong’s Green Tomato Dill Pickles
6-8 very large green beefsteak tomatoes
4 large cloves garlic
8 Tbsp fresh dill
4 cloves
1/4Â pickling salt
2 1/2 C water
2 1/2 C vinegar
Directions:
1)Wash 4 pint jars, lids, and rings. Sterilize according to manufacturer’s instructions. Get water boiling in your canner.
2)Wash tomatoes in hot soapy water. Rinse, and slice 1/4 inch thick.Â
3)Combine water, vinegar and salt. bring to a boil to dissolve the salt.
4)Add 1 garlic clove, 1 clove, and 2 Tbsp fresh dill to each jar. Add sliced tomatoes.Â
5)Fill each jar with boiling vinegar mixture, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Add sterilized lid and rings.
6)Process in boiling water canner for 20 min. Leave for 3 weeks minimum before eating.
(Please note, these are cold packed pickles – therefore they may float in the jar. Yes, it’s not as attractive, but I’ve found that cooking the green tomatoes and hot packing them results in mushy pickles.)