Long Awaited Tomato Relish

 The relish can be green, green, or a blushed red like this batch. It depends on wether you use green tomatoes or add in those that have a blush of red like I did here.

Cut 6 pounds of green tomatoes or lightly blushed ones thinly. Put them in a covered container with 4 Tablespoons of pickling salt sprinkled evenly over them and let it sit overnight.

Drain thoroughly the next morning and then place in a pot and add
three medium onions thinly sliced in a pot.

And the do the same with 3/4 cup of red bell peppers or green if that is what you have.

Add 5 thin sliced lemons.

Pour over the vegetables

1 1/2 cups of apple cider vinegar

and 2 cups brown sugar.

Then place in a square of cheese cloth the following herbs.
2 teaspoons white peppercorns
2 teaspoons whole allspice
2 teaspoons whole cloves
 2 teaspooons celery seed
2 teaspoons mustards seed
2 teaspoon dry mustard

Place the herb mixture in the pot and cook until thick.

When the mixture is thick (I only had four pounds of tomatoes and in my guessing, I added too much vinegar and it isn't as thick as usual.) When it is thick, the inside of the lemons will be incorporated but the rinds will need to be removed. So pick them out along with the spice bag.

 

Hot water bath 25 minutes for pints. I put mine in 1/2 pints as we don't eat that much relish.