Title: Bread and Butter Pickled Green Tomatoes
Categories: Pickles
Yield: 6 pints
7 lb Green tomatoes
1 c Pickling lime
5 lb Sugar
6 c White vinegar
1 tb Whole cloves
5 sm Cinnamon sticks
1 tb Whole allspice
1 ts Celery seed
2 Blades mace
1 Piece fresh peeled ginger;
-3", sliced 1/4" rounds
Wash tomatoes thoroughly; cut away any bad spots. Cut into
1/4"-thick slices. Combine 2 gallons water and the pickling
lime in a large nonreactive bowl and add tomatoes. Let soak for 24
hours.
Drain tomatoes and cover with fresh water. Soak for 4 hours,
changing water every half hour. Rinse and drain well.
In a large nonreactive pot, combine sugar and vinegar; bring to a
boil. Fold an 8x16" piece of cheesecloth in half to make a square;
rinse with water and squeeze dry. Place spices and ginger on the
cloth; tie closed with one end of a 12" piece of cotton string. Tie
a loop in the other end and slip over handle of a wooden spoon.
Suspend spice bag in syrup by placing spoon across top of pot.
Remove syrup from heat, add tomatoes, and let sit overnight,
covered with a clean dish towel.
Bring tomatoes to a simmer and cook, pushing them into syrup
occasionally, until translucent, about 35 minutes.
Wash 6 one-pint canning jars, lids, and screw-bands with hot,
soapy water; rinse well. Place jars upright on a wire rack in the
bottom of a large pot. Fill pot with hot water until jars are
submerged by 1 to 2"; bring to a boil for 15 minutes. Turn off
heat, leaving jars in water. Sterilize lids according to
manufacturer's instructions.
Using stainless-steel tongs, layer hot tomatoes in hot sterilized
pint jars, leaving a 3/4" space beneath the rim. Pour hot syrup
over tomatoes, covering them by 1/4", leaving 1/2" of space beneath
the rim. Slide a clean plastic chopstick or wooden skewer along the
inside of each jar to release any air bubbles. Wipe the mouth of
the jar with a clean, damp cloth. Place hot lid on jar; screw on
band firmly without forcing.
Place a wire rack in bottom of a large pot; fill part way with hot
water. Using a jar lifter, place jars upright on rack. Add hot
water to cover by 2"; bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Remove jars
from water bath; let stand on clean dish towels for 24 hours.
Check cooled jars for the slight indentation in the lids that
indicates a vacuum seal. Jars that do not seal properly or leak
during processing should be stored in the refrigerator.
Tomatoes can be served when cool but are more flavorful when
allowed to mellow in a cool, dry place for 2 to 3 weeks. Store
opened jars in the refrigerator.
Recipe by Salli LaGrone
Source: Martha Stewart Living
Formatted by: Lynn Thomas
