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.
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.
Make a brine with pickling spice, sugar, salt, vinegar, and water.
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.
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.
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.
Looking for more tomato recipes to use up those summer garden tomatoes? Try these:
Mozzarella Tomato and Artichoke Salad (grape tomatoes)
Bacon Cream Cheese Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
Spicy Pickled Green Tomatoes
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.
Liz Bunker says
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.
Jerry McClain says
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
Bernadette says
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!
TL HOLLY says
What about strawberry leaves? I've never heard of adding such leaves, are they used to add flavor (I assume) please specify?
Thanks
~~TL
Bernadette says
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
Don Martin says
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.
Bridget says
Where does one buy Cherry Tree Leaves?
Bernadette says
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.