Pickled Green Tomatoes

This recipe will work with other 'hard' vegetables such as cauliflower, carrots, string beans. Unlike our other refrigerator pickle recipe, in this one a hot brine is used to better penetrate and soften the vegetables.

Ingredients

• Green tomatoes- cut in slices or wedges
• Equal parts white wine vinegar (5% acidity) and distilled water- estimating a cup of liquid per pint of pickles, you need enough to cover the tomatoes completely.
• kosher salt- 2 tablespoons per cup of liquid
• fresh garlic cloves- peeled and cut in half- 2-4 cloves per pint
• hot red peppers either dried or fresh- two whole peppers per pint
• whole peppercorns- about a teaspoon per pint
• dill seed- about a half teaspoon per pint
• bay leaf-one per jar
• whole mustard seed-about a teaspoon per pint

Directions

1. Wash the tomatoes and sterilize the appropriate amount of jars and lids.
2. Combine the vinegar, water, and salt and bring to a simmer
3. Place garlic, red peppers, and other spices in the bottom of each jar and then top with the tomatoes, packing them as tightly as possible without crushing the tomatoes.
4. Top each jar of tomatoes with the hot brine, poking with a chopstick to remove any air bubbles, add more brine if necessary and then seal the jars with the sanitized lids and bands. Leave ¼ inch of space between the liquid and top of jar.
5. Let cool and then refrigerate.
6. The flavor will take at least a week to develop and will last up to 3 months.