Recipes for quick-to-prepare pickled green tomatoes for the winter in jars and a saucepan

Pickled, spicy green tomatoes—this recipe is deservedly popular among farmers and gardeners. The piquant flavor of salted tomatoes is mingled with the aromas of herbs and spices.

Each method of pickling has its adherents; the novice housewife only has to determine the most suitable one and provide the family with a delicious cold appetizer.

The intricacies of pickling green tomatoes for the winter

It is important to follow several rules here:

• When buying vegetables, you shouldn't save money and buy low-quality raw materials.
• A minimal set of flavorings and spices is used for preparation—this allows you to preserve the basic taste of the dish, while adding hints of spice.
• Before cooking, vegetables and herbs are thoroughly washed under running water.

• Pay special attention to the container in which the pickles will be prepared for the winter. Before storing the vegetables, wash them thoroughly without using soap or detergents. Mustard powder or baking soda are best for this purpose. Then, scald all surfaces of the barrel with boiling water or sterilize the jars before sealing.
• The brine is prepared using a cold or hot method; regardless of the preparation method, it must completely fill the container and vegetables, preventing air from entering.
• Unripe tomatoes can be bitter. To prevent green tomatoes from becoming bitter, soak them in salted water beforehand, changing the water every few hours.

How to choose and prepare green tomatoes

The best option for pickling unripe tomatoes is to use brown or slightly yellowed tomatoes. They should show no signs of disease or pest damage. Vegetables should be culled upon purchase or in the garden, removing any with mechanical damage.

After selecting the tomatoes, soak them in salted water, changing the water several times. Then rinse them again under running water to remove any dirt and slime left by the soaking. If the recipe calls for green tomatoes, avoid using red or slightly unripe ones.

Important! You can make adjustments to the recipes yourself by adding or removing unwanted flavorings or spices, but the main ingredients must be used in the proportions specified in the recipe.

Recipes for making pickled green tomatoes

Let's take a closer look at several options for pickling vegetables.

A simple way to quickly prepare

This method is used to prepare delicious tomatoes in an enamel pan or bucket:

• Wash 1 kg of green tomatoes and 500 g of sweet bell peppers. Cut the tomatoes into quarters. Remove the seeds from the peppers and cut them into small squares.
• Chop the garlic, 1 hot pepper, and dill and parsley and add them to the pan. Add the tomatoes and bell peppers and mix well.

• In a separate saucepan, combine 2 liters of purified water, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 4 tablespoons of salt. Bring the brine to a boil and pour it into the saucepan with the vegetables.
• Cover the pan with a lid and let it cool. The cooled product is left at room temperature for 24 hours, then the finished product is stored in the refrigerator.

This way you can quickly prepare a tasty snack in small quantities.

If you plan to prepare a healthy product for the winter, you need to increase the volume of ingredients and the container for pickling.

Cold method

It is recommended to ferment tomatoes for the winter without heat treatment of the raw materials:

• Place several dill umbrellas, horseradish leaves, allspice peas and 2-3 bay leaves on the bottom of the container.
• Then add the tomatoes, layering them with spices and herbs. The spices can be varied. We recommend using 1 hot pepper, 3-4 bay leaves, 5-6 cloves of garlic, and 5-7 sprigs of dill. Distribute all these ingredients between the layers of tomatoes.
• Horseradish leaves are placed on top of the last layer of tomatoes.
• Dissolve 100-120 g of coarse salt and 50-60 g of sugar in 2 liters of water, stir the brine and pour into jars.

The pickles are left in the room for a week to ferment, then they are put away in a cool place for storage.

Important! You can prevent mold from growing on tomatoes by simply adding vegetable oil to the container. The layer of oil will prevent air from getting in and preventing mold from developing.

Dry salting

To prepare 2 kg of green tomatoes you will need to prepare:

• 3-4 garlic cloves;
• 3 dill umbrellas;
• 2-3 medium-sized horseradish leaves;
• 2 cabbage leaves;
• 120-150 g coarse salt and 80-100 g sugar.

Pierce the top of the tomatoes with a fork. Pour boiling water over the cabbage leaves to make them tender and soft. Layering each layer of tomatoes with spices, fill the container to the top, adding horseradish and cabbage leaves. Add a weight. After 24 hours, the tomatoes will release juice. If the juice doesn't rise above the layer of tomatoes, dissolve 1 heaping tablespoon of salt in 1 liter of water and add more.

The container is placed in a cool place for storage.

Green tomatoes like those from a barrel

Tomatoes can be easily cooked in an enamel bucket or saucepan:

• Prepare as many tomatoes as will fit in the container.
• The barrel is doused with boiling water, allowed to cool, and the bottom is covered with cherry and currant leaves, and a third of the entire set of spices is added.
• Layer tomatoes and spices, then top with horseradish leaves.
• To prepare the brine, dissolve 100 grams of salt, sugar, and mustard powder in every 5 liters of water. The prepared brine is poured into barrels and weighted. To ferment the tomatoes, the container should be left in a warm room for several days, then the pickles are stored in the cellar.

When storing tomatoes, experienced housewives recommend placing the largest vegetables at the very bottom of the container—this way, they'll be salted before they're ready to be used in a delicious salad.

Stuffed pickled tomatoes

This is another way to create a finished vegetable dish with a sophisticated and rich flavor. The key here is to use plenty of garlic, spices, and, of course, all kinds of garden herbs.

With mint

For 1 kg of tomatoes, prepare a set of spices:

• 1 heaped tablespoon of coarse salt;
• 5-7 large cloves of garlic;
• mint, parsley and celery to taste.

Cut off the top of the tomato, removing the core and seeds. Finely chop the garlic and herbs, mix with salt, and fill the cavity of the tomato with the resulting mixture. Cover with the cut off top. Layer the tomatoes in a saucepan or other container and completely cover with the brine prepared according to the basic recipe.

Cover the top with a gauze napkin, apply pressure and leave in a cool place for 3-4 days.

Georgian recipe

For 1 kg of tomatoes prepare:

• Finely chop 1 bunch of cilantro, 5-6 cloves of garlic, add 5 level teaspoons of ground red pepper and 5 allspice seeds to the "mince." Mix everything thoroughly.
• Peel the tomatoes. To do this, make slits in the skin and dip the vegetables in boiling water for a few minutes. After this treatment, the skins come off easily.
• The jars are sterilized, a third of the spices are placed at the bottom, then a layer of tomatoes is added, followed by more spices, and another layer of tomatoes. The remaining cilantro and spices are then added to the top of the jar.

The container is placed in the refrigerator until ready.

How and how long can pickled tomatoes be stored?

Regardless of whether pickled green tomatoes are stored in barrels or glass jars, their maximum shelf life is 9 months. However, this requires following proper pickle storage guidelines. All containers not sealed with an airtight lid should be stored in a room with a maximum temperature of 7°C. WITH.

Under such conditions, the fermentation process occurs gradually, and there is no opportunity for the development of pathogenic organisms and mold.

For storage, you can use a cellar, refrigerator, or store pickles on the balcony until the first frost in the fall. Store hermetically sealed containers in a pantry or basement; these products require no special care.

Conclusion

Even a novice home cook can prepare delicious green tomatoes. The process is simple, but it requires following all the instructions of the chosen recipe and carefully preparing the containers. This is the only way to preserve delicious home-grown produce and feed your family delicious and flavorful green tomatoes.