How to pickle green tomatoes in jars for the winter
Housewives often ask how to pickle green tomatoes in jars when the fruit remains on the vine, before it has time to ripen and turn red. This is a great way to preserve them rather than throw them away, as it makes a truly delicious winter preserve.
Unfortunately, by this time the leaves from the cherries and black currants have usually already fallen, so we don't use them during pickling, as we usually do when pickling red tomatoes in the summer and early fall.
This simple recipe uses seasonings available at the time of pickling to make the finished tomatoes fragrant and delicious. Step-by-step photos show the pickling process.
Ingredients for a 1 liter jar:
- 500-600 g green tomatoes;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- 2-3 cm piece of horseradish root;
- 2 teaspoons dill seeds;
- 1-2 cm piece of red hot pepper;
- 0.5 l of water;
- 30 g of salt.
How to pickle green tomatoes in jars
For pickling, select firm, green or light-brown tomatoes with no damaged skin. It's best to place tomatoes of approximately the same size in the jar so they'll cook at the same time. Rinse green tomatoes under cold water.
Peel and wash the garlic. Cut large cloves in half lengthwise. Wash the red hot pepper and cut into small pieces. Peel the horseradish root and wash under running water. Cut the horseradish root into thin rings or strips.
Place half the amount of horseradish, garlic, hot pepper and dill seeds at the bottom of well-washed (with the addition of baking soda) jars.
Place the tomatoes. Try to fill as much space as possible while arranging, but avoid squashing them.
Place the remaining hot pepper, horseradish, garlic and dill on top of the tomatoes.
Prepare the brine: dissolve salt in cold water. Pour the brine over the tomatoes.
And cover with plastic lids. If you have jars with screw-on lids, screw them on loosely.
Transfer the jars of tomatoes to a cellar or other cool, dark place. When choosing a storage location, keep in mind that some of the brine will leak out of the jars as fermentation begins, so it's best to place a tray underneath.
The tomatoes will be ready in about 1 month: they will be infused with the aroma of the spices, will become spicy and a little softer.
