Crystal Green Pickles

By BobLongo

Ingredients

• 2 cups slaked lime (calcium hydroxide)
• 2 gallons water
• 7 pounds green tomatoes, unpeeled, thinly sliced
• 5 pounds granulated sugar, divided
• 2 quarts apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup powdered alum
• 3 teaspoons whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon allspice (optional)
• 2 teaspoons celery seed
• 2 tablespoons pickling spice
• 2 sticks cinnamon, halved
• 1/4 cup ground ginger

Preparation

Step 1

Serves/Makes: 10 pints Ready In: 5 hrs

Wash tomatoes or cucumbers in cold water. Slice medium thin.

Mix lime and water; in a nonreactive crock (stone) or pot, soak tomatoes or cucumbers in lime water for 24 hours. Weigh down with a lid.

Drain and rinse well (until water is clear).

Dissolve alum in the 2 gallons of water. Put tomatoes or cucumbers in it for 24 hours. Drain, rinse well (until water is clear). (Optional step) Cover pickles with ice water. Let stand 3 hours. Drain.

Stir ginger into the third two gallons of water. Pour over tomatoes or cucumbers. Let stand six hours. Drain and rinse well.

Place spices in a bundle of cheesecloth or use metal tea making container. Make a syrup of the sugar, vinegar and spices.

Pour over tomatoes or cucumbers and let stand 4 hours.

Bring to a boil and boil 10 minutes. Fill hot sterile jars with pickles.

Bring syrup back to a boil and pour over pickles, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Make additional syrup if needed. Seal.