Ingredients
1" or 2" green tomatoes about 12 to 14 pounds
whole mixed pickling spices
bay leaves
whole garlic cloves
small red peppers
1 dozen wide mouth jars with sealing lids
fresh dill and any dill seeds
1 gallon water
4 cups vinegar
1/2 cup salt
Preparation
Prepare jars. Adding to each: 1 heaping tablespoon of spice, using only one red pepper per jar fresh dill or dill seeds. ( No dried dill please) 1 to 2 bay leaves 2 large cloves of garlic cut into half
Bring water, vinegar and salt to a boil. Pour into jars and seal. Store at room temperature to ferment 1 to 2 week. Pickles are ready to eat, when cloudiness settles to bottom . The refrigerate or store in a cool dark place.
Wide mouth jars are easier to use. The first time lids are released after fermentation, gases boil violently to the top so open over the sink. Tomatoes at this point taste very zesty, but tanginess disappears after a few hours. Be sure to store opened jars in the refrigerator, however, if your friends taste these pickles, you will find shortages more a problem than spoilage.
