Green Tomato Mustard Pickle
A zesty, tangy pickle featuring firm green tomatoes simmered with mustard seeds, vinegar, and warm spices. The combination of turmeric, celery seed, and bright pickling vinegar creates a complex, savory-sharp preserve that's perfect alongside grilled meats, cheeseboards, or spooned over cream cheese. The mustard seeds add peppery notes and gentle crunch throughout.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Wait
- 10 min
- Total
- 1 hr 25 min
- Makes
- About 4 pints (1.9 L; approximately 6 cups)
Steps
Before you start
- Wash four 1-pint (500 ml) mason jars with hot soapy water and set them upside down to air-dry, or run through a hot dishwasher cycle
- Have lids and bands ready; if using traditional canning lids, place them in a small bowl and pour boiling water over them to soften the rubber seal
- Measure all spices and vinegar before you begin; the simmering happens quickly once tomatoes hit the pan
- Use firm, unblemished green tomatoes (not ripe ones); if you don't have enough, you can use a mix of green and barely-turning-pink tomatoes
Prepare tomatoes and onions
- Core the green tomatoes and slice them into thin rings about ¼-inch (6 mm) thick (or chop coarsely if you prefer smaller pieces).
- Slice the onions into thin half-moons.
- Place tomatoes and onions in a large bowl and set aside.
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Tip: Uniform thickness helps everything cook evenly; slicing thinly also allows the flavors to penetrate better during simmering.
Combine pickling liquid and spices
- In your large pot, pour the vinegar (2 cups / 480 ml) and add the brown sugar (1.5 cups / 300 g), mustard seed (3 tablespoons / 27 g), turmeric (1.5 teaspoons / 3 g), celery seed (1.5 teaspoons / 4 g), pickling salt (1.5 teaspoons / 9 g), black peppercorns (¾ teaspoon / 2 g), red pepper flakes if using (½ teaspoon / 1 g), and smashed garlic cloves.
- Stir well to combine and begin heating over medium heat.
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Ready when: Sugar dissolves and mixture begins to steam
Tip: Stirring the spices into the vinegar and sugar before adding tomatoes ensures even distribution and prevents the mustard seed from clumping.
Bring brine to a simmer
- Continue heating the vinegar mixture over medium heat until it reaches a gentle simmer—you'll see steam rising steadily and small bubbles breaking the surface.
- This takes about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir occasionally to ensure sugar dissolves completely.
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Ready when: Vinegar mixture is steaming and sugar is fully dissolved; mixture simmers gently
Tip: Do not skip bringing the brine to a simmer; it activates the spices and ensures proper preservation.
Add tomatoes and onions to brine
- Once the brine is simmering, add all the sliced green tomatoes and onions.
- Stir gently to distribute them evenly throughout the hot brine.
- The mixture will be quite full initially, but the tomatoes will soften and reduce slightly as they cook.
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Ready when: Tomatoes are coated in brine and liquid returns to a gentle simmer
Tip: Stir gently to avoid breaking up the tomato slices; they should stay relatively intact for the best texture.
Simmer the pickle
- Maintain a gentle to medium simmer—not a rolling boil.
- Cook uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally (every 8 to 10 minutes), until the tomatoes are translucent and tender but still hold their shape, and the mixture has thickened slightly.
- The brine will reduce by about ¼ of its original volume, and the mustard seeds will look plump and softened.
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Ready when: Tomatoes are translucent and tender; brine has thickened and darkened slightly; mustard seeds are plump and soft
Tip: A gentle simmer prevents the tomatoes from breaking down into mush while allowing flavors to meld and the liquid to concentrate. If it's boiling hard, lower the heat.
Adjust seasoning and add fresh dill if desired
- Remove the pot from heat.
- Taste a small spoonful of the pickle and brine.
- If desired, add a pinch more salt or vinegar to balance flavors.
- If using fresh dill, stir in the chopped dill fronds gently now (this preserves their color and fresh flavor better than cooking them).
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Tip: Fresh dill added at the end retains its bright color and delicate flavor; if you prefer a softer dill flavor, add it in step 4 instead.
Ladle pickle into hot jars
- Using a ladle and canning funnel (if you have one), carefully divide the hot pickle and brine evenly among the four hot sterilized jars, leaving ½-inch (1.3 cm) headspace at the top.
- Use a slotted spoon to ensure each jar gets an equal share of tomatoes and mustard seeds; pour brine to fill.
- Wipe the rim of each jar with a clean, damp towel to remove any spills.
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Ready when: Jars are filled evenly to ½-inch (1.3 cm) below the rim; rims are clean and dry
Tip: Proper headspace and clean rims are essential for a good seal. If using 1-pint (500 ml) jars, 4 jars should hold about 6 cups (1.4 L) of pickle with proper headspace.
Apply lids and bands, then cool
- Place a hot lid on each jar and screw on a band until snug (not too tight—you should be able to turn it by hand with slight resistance).
- Set the jars upright on the counter away from drafts, leaving space between them so air can circulate.
- Let them sit undisturbed for 10 to 24 hours as they cool completely.
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Ready when: Jars are cool to the touch; you hear a 'pop' sound as the lid seals (or lids are slightly concave when you press them)
Tip: Do not tighten bands after cooling or invert jars; this prevents a good seal from forming. The 'pop' sound as the jar cools indicates a successful seal.
Check seals and store
- After the jars have cooled completely, press the center of each lid with your finger.
- A properly sealed lid should be slightly concave (curved downward) and should not flex up and down.
- If any lids flex or didn't seal, refrigerate that jar and consume within 3 weeks.
- Label sealed jars with the date and store in a cool, dark pantry.
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Ready when: Lids are concave and do not flex; jars are sealed and ready for storage
Tip: Unsealed jars are still perfectly safe to eat if refrigerated immediately; they simply have a shorter shelf life due to exposure to air.
Good to know
Tips
- For a spicier pickle, increase the red pepper flakes to 1 teaspoon (2 g) or add ½ teaspoon (1 g) of ground cayenne pepper in step 2; add these sparingly and taste as you go.
- If you don't have fresh dill but want herbal notes, try adding 1 tablespoon (3 g) of dried dill weed or 2–3 fresh tarragon leaves in step 2.
- This pickle pairs beautifully with sharp cheeses, cured meats, grilled fish, or roasted pork. It also adds brightness to a relish tray or can be chopped and stirred into tartar sauce.
- The pickle will taste sharp and vinegary immediately after jarring, but mellows and deepens over 2–3 weeks of storage as flavors blend. Open and taste after a week if you're curious about the evolution.
Make ahead
You can prepare and sterilize your jars and lids the night before. The pickle can also be made 1–2 days ahead (keeping it in the refrigerator), then jarred hot and processed for longer shelf life. Once sealed and cooled, the flavor deepens over 2 to 3 weeks before opening, so plan accordingly if serving as a gift.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature (sealed, in a cool dark pantry): up to 1 year. Once opened, refrigerate and consume within 4 weeks. If any jar fails to seal, refrigerate immediately and use within 3 weeks. To reheat or serve warm (optional), place the jar in a pot of hot water for 5 minutes or transfer contents to a small saucepan and warm gently over low heat.
Substitutions
- distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar → White wine vinegar or champagne vinegar. Use the same volume; apple cider vinegar adds slight sweetness, so reduce brown sugar by 2 tablespoons (24 g) if substituting. Avoid distilled malt vinegar, which overpowers the delicate spices.
- packed brown sugar → Granulated white sugar or honey. Use the same volume (or weight) of white sugar for a slightly sharper pickle; use ¾ cup (180 ml) honey for the same amount of sugar to add subtle floral notes.
- yellow mustard seed → Whole grain mustard (use 4 tablespoons / 60 g, stirred in at the end). Whole grain mustard provides similar flavor but less visual appeal. Add it after removing from heat to preserve texture.
- celery seed → Fennel seed or caraway seed (use 1 teaspoon / 3 g). Fennel gives a licorice hint; caraway adds earthiness. Both work well but change the flavor profile slightly.
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