Behind the woven garden fence, where the pumpkins are blushing with bright orange cheeks, the beets and chard are still standing up proudly – demanding attention in the dwindling sea of green. It seems they adore the cooler temperatures and the intermittent rain.

The tomatoes? Not so much.

The last ones to turn red have long been eaten fresh or turned or preserved for year round use.

All that is left, is green, with little chance of maturing.

With frost on the way, the only thing left to do is harvest them and appreciate them for what they are. Delicious green tomatoes.

Before you make pickled green tomatoes, one way to know for sure if you enjoy the flavor, is to make a batch of fried green tomatoes first.

Then get your canning equipment out, hopefully for the last time this year, and have a go at the following recipe.

Pickled green tomatoes

Prior to getting started, know that you can take this recipe two ways.

You can either go for long-term storage (up to a year) with your pickled green tomatoes, or you can store them in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

Ultimately this will depend on just how many pounds you have to harvest. Or, as I’ve said before, “how much you buy at the market”. Because even if you do not have green tomatoes of your own, someone else will.

If preventing food waste has entered your circle of influence and infiltrated your lifestyle, chances are good that you are continuously looking for ways to save more and throw out less. Especially if you have grown those tomatoes yourself!

While you cannot re-grow tomatoes from scraps as you can celery, onions and fennel, you can turn them into green tomato pickles.

Ingredients

Green tomatoes come in many shapes and sizes, but don’t let that deter you from stuffing them into jars. When cut the right way, you can make them all fit.

One thing they have to be, however, is unripe green tomatoes. Not ripe (heirloom) green tomatoes.

Unripe tomatoes are still firm to the touch, and cutting into them is more akin to slicing a raw potato rather than a baked one.

They should still be crisp, not more than past the first stage of showing pink. Otherwise they will turn into sauce, not crisp pickles.

So, green tomato pickles it is. Here’s what you will need:

• 2.5 pounds green tomatoes (cherry or slicers)
• 2.5 cups apple cider vinegar (5% acidity)
• 2.5 cups water
• 1/4 cup salt
• 1 head of garlic
• 1-2 onions, sliced

As well as spices that complement green tomatoes:

• coriander seeds
• cumin
• caraway
• turmeric
• mustard seeds
• black peppercorns
• bay leaf, 1 per jar
• celery seeds
• red pepper flakes or dried peppers

For every 2.5 pounds of tomatoes aim for 2 slightly heaping teaspoons of your favorite spices. Though you may want to go a bit leaner on the spiciest ones.

To keep the flavors balanced, choose 3-4 of your favorite spices from the list, or make several different combinations. The easiest way to do this, is to add the dry spices directly to the jars.

Instructions:

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

If spirited frosts are looming over your garden, get in there quick to rescue all the sensitive veggies you can!

Starting with green tomatoes, of course.

Then decide if you will cold or hot pack your jars. Most commonly, green tomatoes are cold-packed, meaning that you add the cut tomato slices to the jars, along with the spices, then add the hot brine over the fruit before sealing.

With hot-packing, your green tomatoes will enter the hot brine on the stove for just a few minutes before being ladled into jars.

The latter is the method you will find here. Here is how to do it:

1. Start with the brine. Add the salt, apple cider vinegar and water to a non-reactive pot and bring to a light boil.
2. In the meantime, thoroughly wash your green tomatoes, clean your garlic cloves and chop your onions.
3. Next, cut your tomatoes to size. If using cherry tomatoes, simply cut them in half. If using larger green tomatoes, cut them into bite-sized wedges.
4. Fill the jars with dry spices and set aside.
5. Once your brine has come to a light boil, quickly add the onions and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then add the chopped green tomatoes. Stir with a metal spoon, allowing sufficient time for the tomatoes to be heated thoroughly, about 5 minutes.
6. Ladle hot green tomatoes into jars, fill with brine (leaving 1/2″ headspace) and tighten the lids.

At this point, you can let the jars come to room temperature before putting them in the fridge. This way giving you enough pickled green tomatoes to munch on for the next week or two.

If canning for winter storage, or for holiday presents, be sure that you have heated up the water in your water bath canner before starting to prepare the tomatoes.

Process your pickled green tomatoes for 10 minutes (pint jars) or 15 minutes (quart jars).

Carefully remove from the water bath canner and place on tea towels on the counter. Leave them to sit overnight, checking that the lids have sealed after 12 hours.

Resist the temptation to try them straight away! Let them sit for a minimum of three weeks before opening up the first jars, so that the flavors can really take hold.

How to eat your pickled green tomatoes?

Straight from the jar, as with any kind of dill pickle.

You can chop them up and add them to salads and sandwich spreads. Blend them into a delightful chickpea hummus. Toss them into an omelette or serve them with bacon and eggs.

If you just so happen to miss out on green tomato season, there is always next year! Keep this recipe in mind, just in case.

And if you have more green tomatoes than you know what to do with, here are nineteen more ways to use your unripe green tomatoes:

20 Green Tomato Recipes For Using Unripe Tomatoes

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Quick Pickled Green Tomatoes

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Don't let those unripe green tomatoes go to waste. They can be eaten in so many ways. This quick pickled green tomatoes recipe is one of the best.

Print

Ingredients

• 2.5 pounds green tomatoes (cherry or slicers)
• 2.5 cups apple cider vinegar (5% acidity)
• 2.5 cups water
• 1/4 cup salt
• 1 head of garlic
• 1-2 onions, sliced
• 2 slightly heaped teaspoons of your favorite spices (coriander seeds, cumin, caraway, turmeric, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, bay leaf, red pepper flakes or dried peppers)

Instructions

1. Start with the brine. Add the salt, apple cider vinegar and water to a non-reactive pot and bring to a light boil.
2. In the meantime, thoroughly wash your green tomatoes, clean your garlic cloves and chop your onions.
3. Next, cut your tomatoes to size. If using cherry tomatoes, simply cut them in half. If using larger green tomatoes, cut them into bite-sized wedges.
4. Fill the jars with dry spices and set aside.
5. Once your brine has come to a light boil, quickly add the onions and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then add the chopped green tomatoes. Stir with a metal spoon, allowing sufficient time for the tomatoes to be heated thoroughly, about 5 minutes.
6. Ladle hot green tomatoes into jars, fill with brine (leaving 1/2″ headspace) and tighten the lids.
7. If you plan on eating your pickled green tomatoes in the next few weeks, simply allow the jars to come to room temperature and then place in the fridge.
8. If canning for long term storage, process your pickled green tomatoes for 10 minutes (pint jars) or 15 minutes (quart jars). Carefully remove from the water bath canner and place on tea towels on the counter. Leave them to sit overnight, checking that the lids have sealed after 12 hours.

Notes

If processing for winter storage, allow the pickled green tomatoes to sit for 2-3 weeks to fully develop their flavor profile.

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