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Food & Wine Recipe

Green-Tomato Pickle

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  • ACTIVE: 30 MIN
  • TOTAL TIME: 4 HRS 45 MIN
  • SERVINGS: MAKES ABOUT 2 PINTS
  • •HEALTHY
  • •MAKE-AHEAD
  • •VEGETARIAN

  1. 2 pounds green tomatoes, cored and thinly sliced
  2. 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
  3. 2 1/8 cups cider vinegar
  4. 3/4 cup water
  5. 2 cups granulated sugar
  6. 1/2 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
  7. 1 tablespoon pickling spice, tied in a cheesecloth bundle
  8. 1 small bay leaf
  9. 1/2 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced
  10. 1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
  1. In a colander set in the sink, toss the green tomatoes with the salt and let stand at room temperature until almost all of their liquid has been released, at least 2 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse the tomato slices, then pat dry.
  2. In a large saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, granulated sugar, brown sugar, pickling spice bundle and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to moderate and simmer until reduced by one-third, about 30 minutes.
  3. Add the sliced green tomatoes, green bell pepper and onion and cook them over moderate heat until the liquid is reduced to a thick syrup, about 2 hours. Discard the pickling spice bundle and the bay leaf.
  4. Pour the green-tomato mixture into 2 hot sterilized 1-pint jars, stopping 1/4 inch from the tops. Wipe the glass rims and seal the jars. Let cool and refrigerate. Alternatively, process the pickle: Set the jars in a water bath, bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes. Remove the jars from the water bath and let cool completely.
Make Ahead The unprocessed pickle can be refrigerated for up to 3 months. The processed pickle can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 year.