Green tomatoes are often still hanging on the plants in late autumn and no longer manage to ripen. In addition to post-ripening in the house, soaking in vinegar is another way of making the unripe fruit edible.

Green tomatoes cannot be eaten raw, but canned

Things to know about unripe tomatoes

In this case, green tomatoes do not mean varieties that remain green, but tomatoes that are harvested unripe. On the one hand they are not consumed because of their lack of sweetness and on the other hand because of the toxin solanine they contain.
Although the amount of solanine it contains is not a concern unless you eat excessively large amounts of green tomatoes, you should still be careful: you should not offer children the unripe fruits even if they have been pickled. However, pickled green tomatoes are a special treat as an antipasto or as a refinement for cheese sandwiches for adults.

Recipe for green tomatoes in vinegar

You need:

  • 1 kg (unripe) green tomatoes
  • 1 liter of water
  • 0.5 l white wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 250 grams of sugar
  • Spices such as mustard and peppercorns or alternatively cloves, cinnamon and cardamom

Step by step:

  1. Wash the green tomatoes, discard rotten ones and cut large ones into rough chunks, slices or wedges.
  2. Prepare the jars by boiling them or sterilizing them in the oven.
  3. Prepare the vinegar brew by mixing water and white wine vinegar in a large enough saucepan and bringing to the boil.
  4. Add the salt, sugar and spices and cook until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved.
  5. Fill the tomatoes or tomato pieces into the sterile jars.
  6. Pour the boiling hot liquid over the tomatoes, completely submerging them, and immediately seal the jars tightly.
  7. Allow the jars to cool and then set them in a cool, dark place to steep. A storage cellar is ideal.
  8. Let the pickled green tomatoes soak for at least two weeks. If you give them a little more time, they will develop more flavor.

The pickled green tomatoes taste great as an accompaniment to snacks, cheese platters or as a spicy ingredient in dips - anywhere you would use pickles. The pickled tomatoes can be kept for at least six months if you have worked hygienically when pickling them.

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Category:

Vegetable garden