Green Cherry Tomato Refrigerator Pickles

2015/11/06 By Melinda 20 Comments

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Bright autumn leaves, the sun low in the sky, the desire to hoard foodstuffs for winter, a sudden craving for soup, not writing that novel but feeling guilty about it every single day. It must be November.

Green Cherry Tomato Refrigerator Pickles

Another summer over and it’s time to pickle the last of the cherry tomatoes. I realized too late that I haven’t got the recipe I used before.So instead I stared seer like into the bottom of the last remaining jar of last years’ pickles (see note below about how long these keep) and divined that I had most of the ingredients needed. I also sourced recipes because you need to follow certain safety rules when pickling (though clearly I scoff the how long will they keep rule).

I pulled from too many sources to remember but these are the two that stick out.

basic small batch recipe for pickled green tomatoes from food in jars

lots of info, alternate recipes, and a bountiful garden at garden betty

I made 5 cups of pickled tomatoes- basing the recipe on how many jars I could fill, it’s better to have too much brine than not enough so I made three cups, there was extra but kosher salt and white wine vinegar aren’t precious enough let that worry me.

ingredients

whole green cherry tomatoes- big enough to have some seeds but still completely green
equal parts white wine vinegar (5% acidity) and distilled water- estimating a cup of liquid per pint of pickles, this will vary depending on how tight the tomatoes are packed in the jar and their size, you need enough to cover the tomatoes completely.
table salt- 2 tsps per cup of liquid (up this to 4 teaspoons for diamond and 1 tablespoon for Morton’s kosher)
fresh garlic cloves- peeled and cut in half- four 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

Pick the tomatoes and measure them to see how many jars are needed, adjusting accordingly.
Wash the tomatoes and sterilize the appropriate amount of jars and lids.
Combine the vinegar, water, and salt and bring to a simmer
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.
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.
Refrigerate immediately.
The flavor will take at least a week to develop, I like to aim for a minimum of two.

How long will they keep? by the book, a month though most agree that three is probably safe. I’ve had pickles in the fridge for a year but that is my choice- the risk of Listeria is there. If you’re pregnant don’t risk it, if you are a wee child don’t risk it. I’d say if you are ‘elderly’ you shouldn’t risk it either but I’ve had more than one spirited debate(the word debate meaning I nod my head and try and get a word in) with the ‘elderly’ about how long their canned goods/preserves are good for and I know it’s a losing battle. If you learned to drive before seat belts you don’t give a hoot about Listeria. I do wash the tomatoes and sanitize the jars and never ever go below a 1:1 ratio for water and vinegar.