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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    October 11, 2019

    Spicy Pickled Green Tomatoes

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Spicy Pickled Green Tomatoes with hot peppers and garlic are a great way to preserve garden tomatoes at the end of the growing season. They can be made as spicy or not as you like, and are great served with sandwiches or as a snack.

    Overhead photo of spicy pickled green tomatoes in a glass jar on a wood table

    This recipe for spicy green tomato pickles is my husband's families. Every year (almost) we plant a garden with fifteen tomato plants. I freeze ripe tomatoes I haven't gotten to use before the first frost, and if we have a lot of green tomatoes on the vines we either make Crispy Fried Green Tomatoes or Spicy Pickled Green Tomatoes. My "niece" loves them and begs us for them every year, but sometimes there aren't enough green tomatoes to pickle.

    How to make Spicy Pickled Green Tomatoes

    Wash firm green tomatoes with no or very, very slight signs of ripening. Half or quarter all the tomatoes.

    photo of sliced green tomatoes on a white cutting board with a knife on the right side

    Make a brine with pickling spice, sugar, salt, vinegar, and water.

    photo of pickling spice on a white cutting board next to a bottle of vinegar

    In quart pickle jars, add crushed red pepper, dill weed, dill seed, garlic, and an ingredient I had never heard of using until I met my husband.

    photo of pickling spice, red pepper flakes in a jar, and small bottles of dried dill weed and dill seed with a bottle of vinegar in the back

    Cherry tree leaves. Why use cherry tree leaves? My husband didn't know. After doing some research, he discovered that the tannins in cherry tree leaves help to make crisp pickled green tomatoes. Tannins inhibit softening of pickles. Other leaves containing tannins include oak, grape, and raspberry.

    photo of sliced green tomatoes packed into a jar in front of a cutting board with more green tomatoes

    Pack the sliced tomatoes into the jars tightly. You should be able to get about one and a quarter pounds of sliced tomatoes into each quart sized jar.

    Pour the cooled brine into each jar. Seal tightly and invert the jars a few time to mix the seasonings. Refrigerate for at least three days before opening.

    photo of prepared pickled green tomatoes in two jars

    Looking for more tomato recipes to use up those summer garden tomatoes? Try these:

    Mozzarella Tomato and Artichoke Salad (grape tomatoes)

    Italian Tomato Ricotta Pie 

    Bacon Cream Cheese Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes 

    Print Recipe
    3.86 from 7 votes

    Spicy Pickled Green Tomatoes

    Spicy Pickled Green Tomatoes with hot peppers and garlic are a great way to preserve garden tomatoes at the end of the growing season. They can be made as spicy or not as you like, and are great served with sandwiches or as a snack.

    Prep Time1 hr 10 mins
    Refrigeration Time3 d
    Total Time3 d 1 hr 10 mins
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: easy green tomato pickles, green tomato pickles
    Servings: 24 per jar at 3 pieces a serving (approximately)
    Calories: 20kcal

    Equipment

    • quart size pickle jars

    Ingredients

    For the brine (makes enough brine for 5 quart jars plus extra)

    • 2 quarts water
    • 1 quart vinegar
    • 3 tablespoons pickling spice (wrap in cheesecloth for easy removal)
    • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
    • 2 tablespoons pickling salt

    For each 1 quart jar

    • 1 ¼ pounds sliced green tomatoes
    • 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper (or fresh hot peppers)
    • 1 teaspoon dried dill weed (or 1 tablespoon fresh dill)
    • 1 teaspoon dill seed (can use 2 teaspoons dill weed instead)
    • 3 cloves garlic , halved or quartered
    • 3 cherry tree leaves (optional)

    Instructions

    • In a large pot, bring the water and vinegar with the pickling spice wrapped in cheesecloth to a boil. Reduce the heat, add sugar and salt. Simmer for 30 minutes, then allow to cool to room temperature.
    • Meanwhile, add the red pepper, dill, dill seed, garlic, and cherry tree leaves to each quart jar. Fill to packed with sliced tomatoes.
    • When the brine has cooled, carefully pour it into each filled jar to the top. Close the lids tightly, and turn upside down a few times to mix the seasoning in.
    • Refrigerate for three days before opening. Consume within three months.

    Notes

    Nutritional calculations include brine and are approximate. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.8ounces | Calories: 20kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 593mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 208IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg
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    Comments

    1. Liz Bunker says

      October 26, 2021 at 9:16 am

      5 stars
      Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. My dad had lots of recipes that he handed down to me from the 1800s/1900s and I cherish them. I have always found the family recipes shared by an active cook are always so much better than those from a book, even my very favorite cookbook. Again thank you! Excellent recipe! I used green cherry and pear tomatoes.

      Reply
    2. Jerry McClain says

      August 15, 2021 at 10:11 am

      Where can I find cherry leave and cheesecloth as you can tell I have never done this before my Mo5her always made them and this is the first I have found the receipe I’m sorry I misspelled Mòthe

      Reply
      • Bernadette says

        August 17, 2021 at 2:19 pm

        Hi Jerry, I'm sorry I'm late getting back to you. We just use the leaves from our cherry tree in our yard, but you can also use oak, grape, or raspberry leaves. Cheesecloth can usually be found by the canning and baking supplies in any grocery store. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    3. TL HOLLY says

      September 04, 2020 at 2:32 pm

      What about strawberry leaves? I've never heard of adding such leaves, are they used to add flavor (I assume) please specify?

      Thanks
      ~~TL

      Reply
      • Bernadette says

        September 04, 2020 at 4:19 pm

        The tannins in cherry tree leaves help to make crisp pickled green tomatoes. Tannins inhibit softening of pickles. Other leaves containing tannins include oak, grape, and raspberry. That is what my husband discovered after doing some reasearch

        Reply
    4. Don Martin says

      October 22, 2019 at 10:30 am

      I consider the cherry tree leaves as being optional, I have made these without them when there aren’t any nice green leaves left on the tree. I also consider this as a eastern european recipe.

      Reply
    5. Bridget says

      October 13, 2019 at 11:29 pm

      Where does one buy Cherry Tree Leaves?

      Reply
      • Bernadette says

        October 21, 2019 at 9:13 am

        I'm so sorry, I thought I answered your question already. We don't buy them, we have a cherry tree in our backyard. Other leaves could be used as well, such as oak, grape, and raspberry.

        Reply

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    493 shares
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