Green Tomato Pickles

Green tomatoes ready to be pickled

I have never made green tomato pickles before. I am quite excited about it. I did a lot of research before making them. I decided base my pickles recipe on the Two Sisters' Green Tomato Pickles from One Big Table. Molly O'Neill traveled the country collecting recipes. The result was a cookbook full of 600 recipes with a portrait of its creator. It is a wonderful cookbook. Great recipes and fascinating stories.

I had some okra and decided to add those as well. I used my favorite lemon peppers.The alum is added to allow the pickles to stay crisp. Pickling salt does not have any iodine or anti-caking agent. The iodine may turn the pickles dark and the anti-caking agents may turn the pickling liquid cloudy. In a pinch Kosher salt can be substituted. Kosher salt is not as dense as pickling salt so a little more Kosher salt will have to added than the recipes calls for.

Green Tomato Pickles

For the Pickles
18 Cloves of Garlic, Peeled
A Handful of Lemon Peppers, Stemmed and Cut in Half
4 Tsp of Olive Oil
4 Tsp of Pickling Spice
4 Tsp of Alum
2 Pounds (.9 kg) of Green Tomatoes, Quartered
6 Small Okra Pods

For the Brine
1.5 Quarts (1.4 L) of Water
1 Quart (.9 L) of White Vinegar
3/8 Cup (80 g) of Pickling Salt

I used one quart (.9 L) jar and two pint (.47 L) jars. I sterilized the jars and split the pickle ingredients between the jars (I put twice as much in the larger jar).
To make the brine, heat up the brine ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so the mixture simmers for 15 minutes.

Full jars

Fill the jars with hot brine up to 1/2 inch below the rim. Run a knife down and around the edge of each jar to release the bubbles. Seal the jars and cool to room temperature. Place the jars in the refrigerator and for two weeks before eating the pickles.

Finished jars