Canning green tomatoes is an easy way to preserve unripe fruit at the end of the growing season. Canned slices are versatile — great for frying, baking, or adding to recipes year-round.
I first tried this method after reading Kevin West’s Saving the Season. At first I wondered whether underripe tomato slices would hold up to canning, but they do. Green tomatoes contain more natural pectin than fully ripe fruit, so sliced green tomatoes keep their shape through the water-bath canning process and come out firm enough to use in many dishes.
Canning ripe tomato slices generally isn’t practical, but green tomato slices work very well. Once canned, they’re delicate, so wide-mouth jars make packing and removal much easier.
Ingredients for Canning Green Tomatoes
Canning green tomato slices extends the short green tomato season so you can enjoy fried green tomatoes and other preparations anytime.
Use wide-mouth quart jars for easiest packing and removal of slices. When removed from the jar the slices are softer, so wide mouths prevent tearing and make serving simpler.
You’ll need:
- Firm green tomatoes
- Boiling water
- 1 teaspoon kosher or pickling salt per quart jar (1/2 teaspoon per pint) — optional
- 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice per quart jar (1 tablespoon per pint) — required
Choose firm, fully green tomatoes that haven’t begun to ripen. Bottled lemon juice is recommended to ensure consistent acidity for safe water-bath canning; even though green tomatoes are fairly acidic, added acid is still necessary.
How to Prepare Green Tomatoes for Canning
Start by bringing a water bath canner or large stockpot of water to a simmer so it’s preheated when jars are ready.
Wash tomatoes thoroughly under cool running water. The skins remain on, so clean fruit is important — unsprayed or organic tomatoes are ideal when possible. Drain well.
Sterilize wide-mouth quart jars and prepare two-piece canning lids according to manufacturer instructions.
Trim a thin slice from the top of each tomato to remove the stem and discard that piece. Slice the remainder into 1/2″ rounds and stack the slices gently into sterilized wide-mouth quart jars.
Fill jars tightly as you go. If you don’t have enough tomatoes to fill a quart, use a smaller jar rather than leaving a large jar partially filled.
Bring a kettle of water to a rolling boil. For each filled quart jar add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice and 1 teaspoon kosher or pickling salt (halves for pints). Salt is optional; lemon juice is required.
Carefully ladle boiling water over the tomatoes until covered, leaving 1/2″ headspace. Use a nonmetallic spatula or knife to remove air bubbles and adjust with more boiling water if needed to maintain the 1/2″ headspace.
Canning Green Tomatoes
You’ll need a water bath canner or a large stockpot that is at least 2″ taller than a quart jar. Add enough water so jars will be covered by at least 1″ once loaded.
Wipe jar rims with a clean, damp cloth. Place flat lids on the jars and screw on bands until finger-tight — do not overtighten.
Load the jars into the preheated canner. Keep the heat high so the water returns to a full boil after the jars are added. Once boiling, process quart jars for 45 minutes and pint jars for 40 minutes, adjusting times for altitude (see notes).
When processing time is up, turn off the heat and let jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes. Remove jars with a lifter and place them upright on a towel with space between jars. Let them cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours, then check seals. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used first; sealed jars store for 12–18 months in a cool, dry place. Refrigerate after opening.
Altitude Adjustments
Water boils at lower temperatures at higher elevations, so processing times must be increased above 1,000 feet. Use these adjustments for green tomatoes (whole, halves, chunks, or slices):
- Under 1,000 feet — 40 minutes for pints, 45 minutes for quarts
- 1,001 to 3,000 feet — 45 minutes for pints, 50 minutes for quarts
- 3,001 to 6,000 feet — 50 minutes for pints, 55 minutes for quarts
- 6,001 to 8,000 feet — 55 minutes for pints, 60 minutes for quarts
- 8,001 to 10,000 feet — 60 minutes for pints, 65 minutes for quarts
Ways to Use Canned Green Tomatoes
One classic use for sliced green tomatoes is frying.
To fry, dredge slices in seasoned cornmeal (salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne), then fry in hot vegetable oil or lard until golden brown, about 3–5 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and serve warm with a favorite chutney, relish, or sauce.
Green Tomato Canning Recipes
Southern Chow Chow (Traditional Green Tomato Relish)
Old-Fashioned Green Tomato Jam
Pickled Green Tomatoes
Canning Green Tomato Slices
Equipment
-
Water bath canner or large stockpot
Ingredients
- Green tomatoes, firm
- Boiling water
- 1 tsp pickling or kosher salt per quart jar (1/2 tsp per pint) — optional
- 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice per quart jar (1 tbsp per pint) — required
Instructions
- Wash tomatoes under cool water and drain.
- Sterilize wide-mouth quart jars and prepare lids. Preheat the canner water to simmering.
- Trim a thin slice from the top of each tomato to remove the stem, then slice the remainder into 1/2″ rounds.
- Stack slices in sterilized wide-mouth quart jars and continue until jars are filled.
- Add 1 tsp salt and 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice to each quart jar (or 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tbsp lemon juice per pint).
- Pour boiling water over the tomatoes, leaving 1/2″ headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed.
- Wipe jar rims, apply lids and screw bands finger-tight.
- Load jars into the canner, return water to a vigorous boil, then process quarts 45 minutes (pints 40 minutes), adjusting for altitude.
- Turn off heat and let jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes. Remove jars, cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours, check seals, label, and store sealed jars in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate after opening; use unsealed jars promptly.
Notes
Acidification is required: add bottled lemon juice (1 tbsp per pint, 2 tbsp per quart) to ensure safe acidity for water-bath canning.
Altitude Adjustments
Adjust processing times upward above 1,000 feet. See the altitude table above for exact times.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.
Green Tomato Canning Recipes
If you want more ways to preserve green tomatoes, try relish, jam, pickles, piccalilli, or pie filling recipes.
- 30+ Green Tomato Canning Recipes
- Green Tomato Jam
- Pickled Green Tomatoes
- Green Tomato Piccalilli (New England Style)
- Green Tomato Pie Filling
