Green Tomatoes for Pickling

So, you have all of these green tomatoes left on your vines and you know they will never get ripe before the short rainy days arrive. Here's an idea from Piedmont pickler Susan Hill for what to do with them:

Dilled Green Tomatoes

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups 5-percent vinegar
3 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup pickling salt
5lbs small firm green tomatoes, halves or quartered or green cherry tomatoes
6 to 7 cloves garlic
6 to 7 fresh dill heads, 1/4 cup dill seeds, or dried dill weed
6 to 7 bay leaves

In a large, non-reactive pot, combine the vinegar, water, and pickling salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the salt, then remove it from the heat.

Pack the tomatoes into hot jars to within 1/2 inch of the rim. Add 1 clove of garlic, 1 head of dill (or 2 tsp dill seeds or dill weed) and one bay leaf into each jar. Ladle hot pickling liquid into the jars to cover tomatoes. Wipe the rims clean. Place the lids and rings on the jars, tightening rings finger tight. Process the jars for 15 minutes in boiling water one inch higher than their tops.

Yields 6 to 7 pints.

Bill