Sweet Green Tomato Pickles

I still have a glut of green tomatoes that are not only from my garden but also a friends.  Surprisingly, if you take the time to scour the recipe books you will find a number of interesting recipes calling for green tomatoes.  I guess, like me, nobody wants to waste something that is perfectly good to go into your mouth.  Again, this recipe comes from CANNING for a New Generation and the taste of these little guys is addictive.  It reminds me of a bread and butter pickle.

RECIPE FOR SWEET GREEN TOMATO PICKLES (slightly modified~ used pickle crisp instead of pickling lime):

• 4 pounds green tomatoes (unripe)
• 3/4 tsp Bernardin Pickle Crisp
• 6 cups distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons pure kosher salt
• 1/2 cup minced celery (about 2 ribs)
• 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2 small sweet onion, very thinly sliced into rounds (optional)

1. Prepare for water bath canning.  Sterilize jars in oven at 250F for 20-30 minutes.
2. Wash tomatoes well and slice into 1/4 inch rounds.  Remove the hard core from the end pieces. 
3. In a stainless steel saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, celery seeds, celery, and ginger.  Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the sugar.  Add the tomato slices.  Return to a boil and cook for 5-7 minutes or until tomatoes become semi-translucent but still intact.  As they cook, use a spoon to press down on the slices to keep them submerged. 
4. Remove from heat and working quickly using a slotted spoon transfer the hot tomatoes into hot sterilized jars.  Insert a round of onion in between tomato slices (optional).
5. Follow instructions on Bernardin Pickle Crisp.  Pack vegetables into jars.  Add pickle crisp granules (rounded 1/4 tsp per 1L and 1/8 tsp per 500mL jar).
6. Ladle the hot brine into each jar leaving 1/2″ headspace.
7. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot liquid.  Wipe rim with a damp paper towel.  Center lid on jar.  Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.
8. Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water.  Bring to a full rolling boil and process for 10 minutes.  Remove canner lid and wait 5 minutes before removing  jars.  Leave undisturbed to cool.  Check seals,  label, and store.  Refrigerate any unsealed jars.

Put up total:

• 6 x 500mL wide mouth jars

NOTE:  I had approximately 1.5 Litres of liquid left over which I put into a clean mason jar in the fridge.  I will reheat it to use again with some more green tomatoes which I plan to quarter.