Bread and Butter Pickled Green Tomatoes

We haven't tried preparing this one yet, but we have eaten them, and they are delicious if you like bread and butter pickles. We don't have a garden and have never found green tomatoes in the grocery store for less than $2-3 per pound, a little too pricy for pickling.

• Ready In: 30 hrs
• Yields: 6 pints

Ingredients

• 7  lbs green tomatoes
• 1  cup pickling lime (can be found in grocery stores where canning supplies are located)
• 5  lbs sugar
• 1 1⁄2 quarts white vinegar
• 1  tablespoon whole cloves
• 5  small cinnamon sticks
• 1  tablespoon whole allspice
• 1  teaspoon celery seed
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground mace
• 3  inches fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds

Directions

1. Wash tomatoes thoroughly, cut away any blemishes or bad spots, and cut into 1/4" thick slices.
2. Combine 2 gallons water and pickling lime in a large glass or plastic bowl; not metal.
3. Add tomatoes, and soak for 24 hours, mixing a couple times.
4. Drain tomatoes, cover with fresh water, and soak 4 hours longer, changing water every 1/2 hour, then rinse and drain well.
5. In a large nonreactive pot, combine vinegar and sugar, and bring to a boil.
6. While the mixture is heating, combine all spices in a double layer of rinsed cheesecloth, and tie cheesecloth into a pouch with string.
7. Place spice-pouch in boiling syrup, and continue to boil for 15 minutes.
8. Remove from heat, and add sliced tomatoes.
9. Stir gently, cover with a clean towel, and let stand overnight, stirring gently a couple of times if you think of it.
10. In the morning, bring the syrup and tomatoes to a simmer, gently mixing occasionally, for about 30 minutes or until tomatoes are translucent.
11. Remove and discard spice pouch.
12. Meanwhile sterilize 6 1-pint canning jars and lids according to manufacturers directions.
13. Layer hot tomatoes in hot sterilized jars to about 1/2" below the rim.
14. Pour hot syrup over top, covering tomatoes by 1/4" and leaving 1/4" of head space.
15. Slide a plastic chopstick or wooden skewer along the insides of the jars to release air bubbles, and tap each jar lightly on counter a couple of times to release more.
16. Wipe the mouth of each jar with a clean damp cloth, place a hot sterilized lid on each jar, and screw on bands firmly.
17. Process in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes, starting timing after water returns to a boil.
18. Cool, making sure that lids have sealed.
19. Jars that leak during processing or don’t seal should be stored in the refrigerator and used within a couple of weeks.
20. Store sealed jars at room temperature if desired.
21. Pickles can be served after 24 hours but are better if allowed to mellow in a cool, dry place for 2-3 weeks before using.