You could leave out the celery.

You could leave out the celery AND the green pepper.

You could substitute hot peppers for the green pepper as long as the amount doesn't exceed the original.

Alternatively you could use dried red peppers in addition to the fresh green peppers in the recipe. You could also boost the garlic by using dried garlic flakes.

Celery seed is fine to use regardless. Like the dried peppers and garlic flakes, you are free to add it.

Be aware flavors change as canned goods sit on the shelf. You might find the garlic gets too strong if you go overboard.

Carol

Thanks for the help Carol! I just made a small second batch (3 qt.) with just garlic and hot chilis added to the tomatoes to compare. I've got varying amounts of garlic and chilis in both batches to see what works.

Bob

Is it OK to leave the tomatoes whole? How big can a tomato be if you're leaving it whole? Is it OK as long as it fits through a regular-mouth jar opening?

The original recipe doesn't require the green tomatoes be cut up. Green tomatoes are quite acid, so they're not a safety issue.

Remember, though, if the tomatoes are too big, the pickling solution may not penetrate. You might not care for the flavor if the green tomatoes are "unpickled" at the center, not to mention they may soften.

Your call on the size. I'd probably stick to around golf-ball size for whole. Tennis balls I'd halve or quarter.

Carol

That's what I was wondering, if the centers would get pickled if they were too big. I've got a couple that I can't get my thumb and forefinger around - about 2" in diameter. Is that too big? It's just a presentation thing - thought it might look nicer if I left them whole.

Consider separate jars. Quartered ones for "family" and whole ones for "company." It takes a little extra time to separate but not much.

Carol

my opinion is that maybe the plum tomatoes pickle better than the regular toms because they have less juice inside. Anyway I like to pickle with plum toms. I pick them slightly small and none are really big toms. but if I slice a few in half top to bottom then I can get a few extra into the jars.

I also like to use more vinegar in my brines. In fact I have always used all vinegar and no water. that makes for a very sour pickle that I like and it is also more safe because the pH is always low this way.

So one thing to remember. You can always use more vinegar and less water. It simply makes for a more sour pickle. I like them this way.

if you do use water. the water is important. you really want very soft water. hard water can cause a problem getting the pH low.

Sounds like a great recipe! It makes me want to run out and get some green tomatoes and try the recipe. Yummm!

So I'm just reporting back on this. The salt in this recipe - particularly on the batch with only tomatoes, peppers and garlic - is overpowering. (And I say that as a person who loves salt). The tomatoes are barely edible because of the salt, but otherwise the flavor is great. The hot peppers give everything a great kick.

Am I correct in assuming that I can safely cut back on the amount of salt next time I try this recipe? If I keep the ratio of peppers, vinegar, and water the same, it seems to me that the amount of salt won't affect the acidity (and safety) of the recipe.

I haven't made that recipe and in my original response didn't really check the amount of salt. I have to admit a cup seems inordinate. I even checked the NCHFP to see if there was an error. There's certainly no reason why you can't reduce that. It's not fermentation.

In the meantime you can open a jar of the existing batch, drain off the brine, then add clear water to the vegetables and leach some of the excessive salt by soaking. Drain, return to the jar, and then cover with a plain vinegar-water solution.

It's a little troublesome but it's a way to salvage what you've already made.

Carol

Thanks again Carol. I hadn't thought of changing the brine out on an opened jar.

When I canned the tomatoes originally, I mindlessly made the brine without checking out the flavor. A lesson learned for me. I'm going to go with 1/2 to 2/3 c. next year.