Bread And Butter Pickled Green Tomatoes - cooking recipe

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

Preparation

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