Pickled green tomatoes are easy to make and are delicious! They are tangy and healthy and a great way to use and preserve the last tomatoes of the season, the ones that often don’t have the chance to ripen all the way.
Years ago, I decided that I hate tomato cages. It was hard to store them once the season ended, and… Basically, there is no other reason. I just hate stuff. I hate storing stuff, managing stuff, and stuff… Clutter, I don’t do well with clutter, can you tell?
So I came up with my beautiful tomato trellis system that you don’t need to take down or store since you can leave it in the garden and use it with all the climbing plants (and even if you did need to take it down and store it, it would be super easy and will take no space at all).
Pickled Green Tomatoes…
The thing is… That tomato trellis system is great with viny tomatoes that benefit from pruning, it’s not so great with bushy tomato varieties that we don’t prune and that grow wide. These varieties would love a tomato cage. I hate tomato cages! I did mention that before, right?
So for the past few years, I have tried different ways to support those bushy plants since I still love growing them and even though they are shorter they still need support. Nothing works and I am currently considering therapy since I’m coming to the realization that I might need a few tomato cages.
Anyway, what I am trying to say is that the trick I came up with this year also didn’t work and I ended up with a jungle of plants that fell over, branches that were broken, and a whole lot of tomatoes that lost their chance of ever ripening. In short, I ended up with a whole lot of green tomatoes!
What Kind of Tomatoes to Use?
In these pickled green tomatoes (and in these fermented green tomatoes), you want to make sure that you are using red tomatoes that haven’t ripened and therefore are still green. For example, tomatoes that you pick too early for whatever reason (maybe because you didn’t support the plant correctly and it broke…), or the end-of-the-season tomatoes that didn’t have a chance to ripen before temperatures started to drop into fall and winter temperatures.
Pay attention that there are, in fact, varieties of tomatoes that are green when they are ripe. We don’t want to use these (when they are ripe) in this dish, you can try fermenting them. It doesn’t matter what kind of red tomatoes (or black, or brown, or orange) you use, the variety doesn’t matter. In fact, you can also use the tomatoes of the green variety, you just want to make sure that the tomatoes that you use are unripe tomatoes. Ripe tomatoes won’t hold the hot bath processing.
Ingredients…
- Green tomatoes
- Garlic cloves
- Ball pickling mix
- Dry, hot peppers
- White vinegar
- Water
- Canning salt
Kitchen Tools…
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Jar with a lid – I use a wide-mouth quart jar but you can also use a pint jar with a wide mouth.
- Measuring spoon
- 2 cup measuring cup
- Small pot
How to Pickle Green Tomatoes…
Step one – prep the tomatoes. Wash the tomatoes well with cold water and remove the stems. Then, half the tomatoes and slice them into 1/2-inch thick slices.
Step two – pack the jars. Wash the jars well with hot water and dish soap. Pack the jars with the tomatoes, garlic, and hot pepper. Then add the Ball pickling spice on top of the vegetables.
Step three – add brine and close the jar. In a saucepan, bring water, vinegar, and salt to a boil. Use a ladle or a measuring cup to help you add the hot pickling brine over the vegetables. Make sure to leave about 1/2 inch of headspace. Use the bubble remover to remove air bubbles, then, use a damp paper towel to clean the rim of the jar before closing the jars with the two-piece lid.
Storing Pickled Green Tomatoes in the Fridge…
Pickled green tomatoes will last a few months in the fridge, so feel free to skip the canning part if you have enough fridge space and just store your jars in the fridge (you can use a plastic lid if you do that). Make sure that you use a clean fork or spoon every time that you grab tomatoes from the jar.
Canning Pickled Green Tomatoes…
Step four – processing in the water bath. Bring enough water in the water bath to a boil (water should cover the jars by about an inch). This might take some time so it’s better to set the water bath canner on the stovetop and start heating the water when you start preparing the tomatoes. Place the jars on the elevated wire rack and gently lower the rack into the boiling water. Bring the water back to a boil, cover the pot, and process for 15 minutes.
Always remember to adjust processing time according to the table above if you live higher than 1000 feet in elevation.
Once processing time has passed, turn off the heat and uncover the pot. Let the jars rest in the hot water for five minutes. Use the jar lifter to remove the jars from the pot and set them on a kitchen towel on the counter or on a wooden cutting board to cool, undisturbed, overnight. You should hear the “pop” that indicates that the jars have been sealed as the jars cool.
How to Store Canned Pickled Green Tomatoes…
When the jars have all cooled to room temperature, check that they have sealed by pressing the center of each lid. If there is no movement there it means that the jars are sealed. If a jar didn’t seal properly, store it in the fridge and use it first.
Wipe the jars and remove the metal band. It sometimes rusts in storage and makes it hard to open the jar down the road and you can also reuse it to can something else. Store the jars at room temperature in your pantry, on a shelf, or in a kitchen cabinet. Sealed jars should last up to 18 months.
How to Serve Pickled Green Tomatoes…
- As a snack – they are tangy and delicious. I love scooping a few tomatoes into a bowl and snacking on them. It’s so much better than reaching for chips.
- As a side – pickled green tomatoes are a great side for an easy sandwich lunch. Add them as a side to a burger instead of the fries, add them as a side to a meat wrap, or a BBQ sandwich or any other.
Add them as a side to this Mediterranean zucchini casserole, or serve them with zucchini and corn fritters for a simple vegetarian lunch or breakfast. - Throw them in salads – they are a delicious, salty addition to any salad. I sometimes add them to my favorite Mediterranean egg salad or a classic Israeli salad.
Frequently Asked Questions…
When we pickle, we use vinegar. The acidity of the vinegar allowed us to process the jars in the water bath canner and store them on the shelf for a long period of time. When we ferment, we use a salty brine (there is no vinegar). After the process of fermentation, the jars are stored in cold storage (in the fridge). There are many fermentation recipes on the blog. Make sure to check them out.
Yes. You want to make sure that you use vinegar with a 5% acidity. Apple cider vinegar is a good option.
Literally any way you want. I like the flavor of the Ball seasoning mix and it keeps my life simple because it’s all already there. But feel free to use just mustard seeds, or just peppercorns, or jalapenos instead of cayenne, or dry or fresh herbs… Really, the options are endless.
Pressure canning pickled food is unnecessary. The vinegar adds enough acidity that it’s safe to process the jars in the water bath canner.
Use non-iodized salt. Either Kosher salt, sea salt, or canning salt.
Yes. If you are processing fewer tomatoes and need less brine use this recipe: 3.5 cups 5% vinegar, 3.5 cups water, ¼ cup non-iodized salt.
Pickled green tomatoes are tangy and delicious! I sure hope that you’ll give them a try. They are a great ingredient to have on the shelf, a great addition to many dishes, and this is also a great way to preserve them. Even if your tomatoes didn’t ripen all the way, there is still a delicious way to preserve and use them!
More Tomato Tutorials…
- Canning Cherry Tomatoes
- Canning Tomato Sauce
- How to Freeze Tomatoes
- Canning Stewed Tomatoes
- Canning Crushed Tomatoes
Pickled Green Tomatoes
Easy and delicious pickled green tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 5 pounds green tomatoes
- 12 garlic cloves
- 6 dry cayenne peppers
- 1 teaspoon Ball seasoning mix
For the Brine:
- 5 cups white vinegar
- 5 cups water
- 1/3 cup Kosher salt
Instructions
- Wash the tomatoes well with cold water and remove the stems. Then, half the tomatoes and then slice them into 1/2-inch thick slices.
- Wash the jars well with hot water and dish soap. Pack the jars with the tomatoes, garlic, and hot pepper. Then add the Ball pickling spice on top of the vegetables.
- In a saucepan, bring water, vinegar, and salt to a boil. Remove from the heat. Use a ladle or a measuring cup to help you add the hot pickling brine over the vegetables. Make sure to leave about 1/2 inch of headspace. Use the bubble remover to remove air bubbles, then, use a damp paper towel to clean the rim of the jar before closing the jars with the two-piece lid.
- Pickled green tomatoes will last a few months in the fridge, so feel free to skip the canning part if you have enough fridge space and just store your jars in the fridge (you can use a plastic lid if you do that). Make sure that you use a clean fork or spoon every time that you grab tomatoes from the jar.
- Bring enough water in the water bath canner to a boil (water should cover the jars by about an inch). This might take some time so it’s better to set the water bath canner on the stovetop and start heating the water when you start preparing the tomatoes.
Place the jars on the elevated wire rack and gently lower the rack into the boiling water. Bring the water back to a boil, cover the pot, and process for 15 minutes.
Always remember to adjust processing time according to the table in the blog post if you live higher than 1000 feet in elevation.
Once processing time has passed, turn off the heat and uncover the pot. Let the jars rest in the hot water for five minutes. Use the jar lifter to remove the jars from the pot and set them on a kitchen towel on the counter or on a wooden cutting board to cool, undisturbed, overnight. You should hear the “pop” that indicates that the jars have been sealed as the jars cool. - When the jars have all cooled to room temperature, check that they have sealed by pressing the center of each lid. If there is no movement there it means that the jars are sealed. If a jar didn’t seal properly, store it in the fridge and use it first.
Wipe the jars and remove the metal band. It sometimes rusts in storage and makes it hard to open the jar down the road and you can also reuse it to can something else. Store the jars at room temperature in your pantry, on a shelf, or in a kitchen cabinet. Sealed jars should last up to 18 months.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions....
- Can I use other kinds of vinegar?
Yes. You want to make sure that you use vinegar with a 5% acidity. Apple cider vinegar is a good option. - Can I season these pickled green tomatoes differently?
Literally, any way you want. I like the flavor of the Ball seasoning mix and it keeps my life simple because it’s all already there. But feel free to use just mustard seeds, or just peppercorns, or jalapenos instead of cayenne, or dry or fresh herbs… Really, the options are endless. - Is it better to pressure can pickled green tomatoes?
Pressure canning pickled food is unnecessary. The vinegar adds enough acidity that it is safe to process the jars in the water bath canner. - Can I use other types of salt?
Use non-iodized salt. Either Kosher salt, sea salt, or canning salt. - Can I adjust the amount of pickling brine?
Yes. If you are processing fewer tomatoes and need less brine use this recipe: 3.5 cups 5% vinegar, 3.5 cups water, ¼ cup non-iodized salt.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 quart jarAmount Per Serving: Calories: 143Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 3642mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 5gSugar: 16gProtein: 5g
Hi! I’m Lady Lee. I help homesteaders simplify their homesteading journey while still producing a ton of food! I am a single mother of four, I was born in Israel and raised in an agricultural commune called a Kibbutz. Now I homestead in central NC.