Piccalilli

Green Tomato Piccalilli Recipe by “Auntie” Nancy Story

There are many who remember when Chubby and Bessie’s youngest daughter Nancy (affectionately known to later generations as “Auntie”) made her tangy piccalilli, an age-old condiment for meats and cheeses. But Auntie’s recipe was actually passed down to her by Bessie, who had inheritedit from her own mother Emma Roberts.

Green Tomato Piccalilli Ingredients

12 pounds green tomatoes

3 pounds white onions

4 green peppers (optional)

1 cup table salt

1½ quarts (48 ounces) cider vinegar

1½ pounds (24 ounces) brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons pickling spices

1 teaspoon celery seed

1 teaspoon mustard seed

How to Make Green Tomato Piccalilli

Chop tomatoes, onions, and green peppers and place in a bowl. Sprinkle salt all over the top and ice down.
Let stand at least 4 hours or overnight. Rinse and drain mixture. Place in a large pot. Add the vinegar, brown, and white sugar.

Combine pickling spices, celery seed, and mustard seed in a piece of cheesecloth, tie, and put into the center of the pot. Simmer for 2 hours. Discard cheesecloth and mixture. Put into sterilized Mason jars and preserve the piccalilli while hot. Yields 5 to 6 quarts

Recipe Note: Covering the vegetables with ice retains the crispness.

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