Dilly Green Tomato Pickles
DIlly Green Pear Tomato Pickles
Let's make them into pickles!
We always make Dilly Beans which are a family, friend's and Farmer's Market favorite. Why not use these lovely green tomatoes like this? I did have to use Dill seed and dried Dill instead of fresh, as the fresh dill from our garden was all gone. This worked out fine and the result was a wonderful pickle with a dilly, garlicky taste with a bit of heat to it. These pickles make a great accompaniment to sandwiches and burgers and are an interesting addition to an appetizer cheese and cracker tray. They would also be great as part of a gift basket.
Green tomatoes become Dilly Green tomatoes
Ingredients
- 5 lbs firm, green, small Pear tomatoes, halved lengthwise
- 1/4 cup canning or Kosher salt
- 3 1/2 cups white vinegar
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 6 cloves fresh garlic, leave whole
- 6 heads fresh dill, (OR 1/4 cup dill seeds & 2 TBS dried dill)
- 6 whole dried small Hot peppers, (OR 2 TBS dried hot pepper flakes)
- Have your canning jars, lids and bands ready. Wash thoroughly. Keep the jars filled with hot water until ready to fill. Make sure the jar lids and bands are dried off. Or you can run them all through the dishwasher. Time the filling of the jars for the end of the dishwasher cycle so they will be hot when you go to fill them.
- Wash tomatoes and drain. Slice lengthwise the smaller ones into halves and larger ones into quarters.
- Combine the salt, vinegar and water in a large (non-aluminum) saucepan. Bring to a boil..
- Pack the tomatoes into the hot canning jars. Leave 1/4 inch headspace.
- PINT jars- add 1 clove garlic, 1 dill head (or 2 tsp dill seed and 1 tsp dried dill) and 1 dried hot pepper (or 1 tsp dried hot pepper flakes). QUART jars- add 2 cloves garlic, 2 dill heads (or 4 tsp dill seed and 2 tsp dried dill) and 2 dried hot peppers (or 2 tsp dried hot pepper flakes).
- Ladle the hot vinegar, water and salt mixture over the tomatoes. Leave 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles by running a thin knife down the inside edge of the jar.
- Wipe off top rim of jars with a damp cloth. Put the lids onto the jars and firmly screw on the bands. Don't over tighten them.
- Process the jars in a boiling water canner. PINT jars process for 15 minutes. QUART jars process for 20 minutes.
- Remove from canner and put on a dish towel in a draft-free spot, to cool.
