Easy Green Tomato Chutney Recipe
How to make green tomato chutney with your unripened fruits. You’ll need about two pounds of green tomatoes, onions, and a few other ingredients. It’s a recipe that cooks down to a rich dark chutney that can be used as a marinade or served with cheese, rice dishes, bread, and other pickled vegetables. Full video showing how to make this recipe is included.
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If you grow your own tomatoes, you know what it’s like to have a mountain of green fruit at the end of summer. This year I’m looking at an entire greenhouse full of several different varieties. I’ll take some indoors to ripen, but honestly, they’re delicious if you feel adventurous enough to cook with them. I’ve tried fried green tomatoes, green tomato pasta sauce, and green tomato ketchup before. One of the best recipes, though, is green tomato chutney.
If I were to describe the flavor, it would be sweet and sour, yet rich with a touch of heat. It pairs well with cheese, bread, and cured meats and is pretty much a British allotment preserve staple. When life gives you green tomatoes, you make green tomato chutney!
Making Green Tomato Chutney
Green tomato chutney is one of the simplest and quickest preserves you can make. You literally chop the ingredients up, put them in a pot, and cook them together for an hour (or three!). It’s also a great way to use up green tomatoes at the end of the season. To make it, you can use small tomatoes and large, and it doesn’t matter if you mix and match tomato varieties. Just below is a video showing how to make green tomato chutney in case you have any questions about the cooking instructions.
Unlike other recipes, mine doesn’t use apples — it’s all about chunky pieces of onion and tomato. I also don’t bother with reducing the water content before cooking, but you could if you wish to reduce the cooking time. What that entails is using salt to draw moisture out, just like I do in my green tomato relish recipe. This recipe is versatile too. This year I made it with distilled white vinegar and a mix of white and brown sugars, and it ended up just as delicious as ever.
Green Tomato Chutney Recipe
Equipment
- Stainless steel pan
- Clean and sterilized jars
Ingredients
- 1 Kg Green Tomatoes 2.2 lbs or about 6 cups / skinning is optional
- 1 Kg Red Onions 2.2 lbs or about 6 cups
- 150 g Raisins 5.2 oz or about 1 cup
- 3 Garlic cloves
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
- 2 tsp Sea salt
- 500 g Brown sugar 2½ cups
- 1 Litre Malt Vinegar 32 fl oz or about 4¼ cups – vinegar with 5% acetic acid concentration
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables. Chop the tomatoes, onions, and raisins roughly and mince the garlic.
- Place all ingredients into a stainless steel pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a vigorous simmer and leave uncovered. Depending on batch size and your appliance's heat, it can take one to three hours. Keep an eye on it and stir regularly.
- The chutney is ready when it's reduced down and appears thick and brown.
- Spoon the chutney into warm, sterilized jars and seal with lids. It's common in the UK to reuse supermarket jars for homemade chutney and to simply finish with this step. If you do this, ensure that the lid of the jar doesn't have any exposed metal since the vinegar in the recipe can react with it. The vinegar can corrode the metal turning it black and potentially affecting your chutney. It's better to use preserving jars with non-metal lids. Either plastic-coated on the inside or two-piece Tattler lids. It's also best practice to water-bath the jars after they're filled*.
- Water-bath the jars to ensure that they're fully sterilized. Fill a tall pan with water and place a rack at the bottom if you have one**. Bring to a boil, then lower your (still hot) jars in so that they're not touching and that there's at least an inch of water above. Bring back to a rolling boil and leave the jars in the boiling water for ten minutes. Lift them out vertically (not tilted) with a jar lifter and set them on the counter to cool. The lids will seal as the chutney cools. It may take twelve or more hours for the seal to take.
- Label the jars when cool and store in a dark cupboard. Refrigerate the jars once opened and try to use it within a year.
Video
Notes
- In Britain, it’s not common for people to water-bath high-acid preserves like this green tomato chutney. It’s a safer practice, though, since it kills any microbes that could affect high-acid preserves. It can help the lids to seal. You can read more on the history of current British preservation methods here.
- ** If you don’t have a rack, you can also push a tea towel or potholder to the bottom of the pan and set your jars on it. The idea is that you protect the bottoms of your jars from the direct heat of the hob/pan.
- This recipe can take a long time to cook down, but the time is worth it. You can reduce the amount of time by simmering at a faster simmer. Remember to stir regularly to avoid the chutney burning at the bottom of the pot.
Nutrition
More Green Tomato Recipes and Preserving Inspiration
If you enjoyed this green tomato chutney recipe (and you will!), check out some of my other autumn recipes. They include another green tomato recipe (that even explains how healthy green tomatoes can be) and other delicious food in jars to make now and enjoy later. Have fun cooking and canning!
- Sweet green tomato relish recipe
- How to make Country Wine (using berries, fruit, and vegetables)
- 3-ingredient blackberry gin recipe
- Elderberry jelly recipe
- Butternut squash pie recipe
I made the recipe x 3
I followed the recipe and have 12 jars of bitter tasting chutney, where did I go wrong ??? 😟
Hi Patricia, not all vinegars are the same, and I suspect you used a vinegar other than malt vinegar?
I used malt vinegar but I soaked the ingredients overnight as I was unable to cook it immediately, would that have caused the bitterness?
I wouldn’t think so, but possibly. Just to check — have you eaten chutney before? It’s generally a sharp and tangy vinegar-based preserve. Not bitter, but if you’re not used to eating chutney the acetic acid content could maybe be perceived as bitter.
I maybe had added too much malt vinegar, but I do LOVE vinegar. I waited 3.5 months. My plan is to add some atop probiotic cream cheese, with my Charcuterie board and see what people like. :)
Very flavorful AND FESTIVE with red and green salsa from my garden and a mix of ciabatta bread, Chia/flax/quinoa tortilla chips and healthy crackers nearby too. Thank you.
I believe it will pair well with Prime rib, mashed garlic potatoes too. Winning.
Excellent news! So pleased that you’re enjoying your homemade green tomato chutney :)
I maybe had added too much malt vinegar, but waited 3.5 months. My plan is to add some atop probiotic cream cheese, with my Charcuterie board and see what people like. :)
Just had my chutney about 10 weeks after making it, and it’s delicious! My first attempt at making chutney and I’m very pleased with the result.
Fantastic, Sue! Glad you’re enjoying your homemade green tomato chutney — what a great holiday treat :)
I made this with dates instead of raisins and chopped them up small. Such a delicious recipe! Thank you
Hi can you make this recipe in a instant pot
I’m not sure, Cheryl. I don’t have one and have never used one before.
I don’t think that’s a good idea because you want it to lose moisture as it cooks. Maybe the instant pot w/o the lid would work as a simple cooker. It does have that anti-burn feature.
So easy to do. Just waiting to try it
Just made this recipe and I’m very happy with how it turned out. The changes I made:
– 1/2 a batch as I only had 500g green tomatoes.
– 1 fresh chilli instead of powdered (just because we had some that needed using)
– Sultanas instead of raisins (as it was what we had)
It tastes great already even before it was even put in the jars, and I’m sure it will only improve.
It took less than an hour of simmering to thicken to a good sticky consistency. I’m not sure why others have had problems with too much liquid. I imagine what sort of tomatoes you use will have an impact (due to their water content). Also as I did a half batch it would be quicker.
Made just shy of 3 jars of approx. 350g size.
I plan to made this again, maybe with just onions or red cabbage instead of tomatoes now that I’ve used them up!
If you don’t have a filter like you used in your video then what us one to use?
No filter is required for this recipe. I’m not sure which video you’re referring to?
I have always wanted to make green tomato chutney…and this was the year to do it! The recipe is simple, easy and delicious.
I only have about a half cup raisins but used the full amount of tomatoes and onions..
I love chutney and this looks amazing .
Last thing is I have no jars. Will likely give a couple to friends who will eat it tight away.
How long eill it last in a container in the frig? Thank you soooo much
Hi Kathy, it will last a long time in the fridge — several months, I’d say. You can also put the chutney in the freezer, where it can last for a year or more.
Never made chutney before so as I’ve grown lots of tomatoes this year I gave the recipe a go ,glad I did its absolutely delicious. I’ve filled proper kilner jars and will give as presents or just for visitors to enjoy when they get home.
Too much vinegar very tangy
4hrs plus & little bit runny, used your exact recipe! Let’s hope it
I’ve just finished your
Followed this recipe and the chutney was delicious. Tried a different one last year and didn’t like it so thank you for this one which used up my unripe tomatoes. Kitchen did smell vinegary for a while but worth it I’d say. I will certainly be using this again next year.
Made this using mostly green cherry tomatoes and used Apple Cider Vinegar instead of Malt (didn’t see Malt Vinegar at my grocery). Ended up very good. Had it for breakfast with toast and cheddar a perfect pairing. Only issue is that it was more like 3 hours to cook down.
Can cherry tomatoes be used for this recipe? Also do regular Ball jars work?
Yes to both!
I am about to try this very nice looking recipe, but was confused about how many jars I would need. Being in Canada we don’t have “one pound” jam jars, but we measure jars according to the milliliters a jar will hold. I had to do a search for how many milliliters a one pound jar will hold and came up with 380 ml. If this is correct I would need about four 500 ml (pint) jars or eight 250 ml (1/2 pint) jars. I will try the recipe and see what quantity I end up with and post my results within a day or two. Thank you for the recipe!
You’re welcome, and let us know how many jars you made in the end? I’ve just measured how much water fits in my 1-lb jars and it’s 300 g so will be 300 ml. I made this recipe this year using pint jars though and it made about 3.5 pints
I just found you as I was looking up growing shallots from seed. I found you very vivacious and great humor. I know this is a very busy time for us gardeners, I just closed down our farm today ( I live Camas WA ) But wanted to make this chutney and had asked questions days ago, I did buy Holland House malt vinegar as that’s all I could find. I am making it tomorrow and before I make it hope to hear from you. I think if you post recipes the turnaround for someone asking question should be no be two or three days.
So sorry, Barbara — I’ve been away and haven’t been answering comments as speedily as I’d like. As long as your malt vinegar is about 5% acidity it will be good to go :)
This looks great and two questions: What do you think of adding golden raisins as they are sweeter? We have Heinz gourmet malt vinegar is that the right one?
That malt vinegar is perfect, Barbara :) And yes, go for it with the golden raisins
Hi can I use something else rather than raisins? Would dried dates work or just good ole sugar? Thanks!
Dates would work as well but keep in mind that you will not have discernable raisins in the final chutney. They completely break down and leave only their sweetness :)
This is a delicious chutney! I’ve only just made it but even without waiting a few weeks it isn’t too vinegary. The power is in the cayenne pepper. I used dark muscovardo sugar and cider vinegar. Took about 2 and a half hours on a high simmer. About to make another batch.
Hi I want to make this and confused on the vinegar you wrote “This year I made it with distilled white vinegar and a mix of white and brown sugars, and it ended up just as delicious as ever.” You have commented to other people that said it was vinegary and you use malt vinegar. Looking up malt vinegar I see Heinz gourmet malt vinegar is that what I should us? Reading it’s all about the right vinegar.
It’s all a matter of personal taste but the best vinegar to use is malt vinegar with 5% acetic acid. Vinegar with any more than that can taste “too vinegary”
Hi Tanya,
Could I use white sugar instead of brown and would it affect the taste?
White should be fine. It doesn’t have the depth of flavor that brown sugar does but it will sweeten the recipe the same.
We found the end product VERY acidic/vinegary. We are looking for a solution to this.
Hi Jan, its meant to have a vinegar flavour. However, malt vinegar is much milder than other vinegars. If you used a different type, then I’d recommend malt vinegar in the future :)
I have never heard of ‘water-bathing’ before in making jam or chutney and just seal it using grease-proof paper and selophane which seems to work well (I have never had a problem with mould, in spite of keeping it several years at times!). I always thought the sugar content and vinegar prevented any problems. I live in the UK
Sugar or honey
Hi Tanya
I am in the Uk and have plenty of GreenTomatoes from the Garden, so found this receipe and plan making it next weekend, However with the energy crisis :( i was woundering if it can be done in the Instant pot to reduce the the simmering down time?
I plan on replacing the Cayenne pepper with fresh Chillies and Padron Pepper, as i also have plenty of these from the Garden:)
Many Thanks
Hi Jane, I’ve not tried for this recipe but I don’t see why not! Just make sure that the lid is off or cracked open so that moisture should escape. I use the slow cooker method to reduce my tomato ketchup recipe and it works a treat :)
It’s looking and smelling lovely, but I’m a bit confused, your recipe calls for malt vinegar, which I’ve used, in England malt vinegar is brown unless the recipe states “white malt vinegar” reading other comments I get the idea I’ve used the wrong type, can you please confirm which malt vinegar I should have used please.
Hi Debra, I think you’re okay! There is a type of distilled malt vinegar that’s clear/white :)
I’m not sure what I should have used but I used brown malt vinegar, today my family finished off one of the jars!! It was so delicious, I’m making another batch tomorrow. Thank you for sharing the recipe I had a glut of green tomatoes this year as although it’s been an Amazing summer I started my plants off quite late.
I’m in the UK.
Please can you tell me if the reusable plastic lids you mention are available here, I cannot seem to find them.
Thanks
Mike
Hi Mike, Tattler lids need to be ordered from the US and shipped here. Once you have them they last for years, though!
Hi Tanya
Many thanks for this.
Before I place an order for these lids please can you tell me do they fit these Kilner Preserve with two part lids e.g., https://www.kilnerjar. co.uk/products/screw-top-jars/0025402-preserve-jar-025-litre/
Best regards
Mike
Hi Mike and indeed they do! Tattler lids fit standard Kilner and mason jar mouths but not the wide-mouth jars.
I’d like to make this for Christmas present. I know the malt vinegar is the best but there are a few friends and family members who are gluten intolerant. Which alternative vinegar I can substitute?
Hi Aiko, though I’ve not tried it, a 50:50 mix of rice wine vinegar and balsamic might do. Both are relatively sweet and the balsamic would add that extra depth. Both are gluten-free :)
I used apple cider vinegar and it worked a treat. Hubby has already worked his way though two jars in less than a week!!!
Really pleased to hear it!
Please ignore my previous question!!! Think I should get my eyes tested – red onions, not tomatoes! Doh!!! ;) Looking forward to trying this. Still having problems finding malt vinegar in Germany though! :(
No problem Emma! You can order malt vinegar in Germany here :)
Please advise! The recipe states both 1kg of green tomatoes AND 1kg of red tomatoes, yet in the video, we only see the green. Just so that I get the quantities (of all ingredients right) how many tomatoes in total? 2kg or only 1kg to the 1 litre of malt vinegar? (I only have 800g of green tomatoes and have planned to reduce all other ingredients accordingly, so this is really important!) Does anyone know? Planning to make this this weekend so would appreciate any info!! Thanks a lot!
Hi Emma, the recipe says 1kg green onions and 1kg red onions
I made this chutney and was so disappointed- way too much vinegar for my taste.
Sorry to hear that, Ana. Which vinegar did you use by chance? Malt vinegar is called for in the recipe and it’s both sweeter and less sharp than other kinds of vinegar.
Anna, the sharp vinegar & onion forward flavours are exactly why we loved it so much. I added 3 hot peppers to a doubled batch and we’re making a triple batch today to finish the rest of our tomatoes.
This is a winner! I doubled the recipe and I’m already planning on making a triple batch with the rest of our green tomatoes. It’s still bubbling away on the stove and tasted heavenly! My husband arrived home and before he came in the screen door asked what smells to great. The only change I made was to add 3 hot peppers chopped finely. Thank you
So happy to hear that you’re enjoying the recipe so much, Brenda :) Adding a little extra chili or other ingredients can really personalize a chutney to your liking!
I really liked this recipe. I was missing the raisins but I had some gogie berries and added them instead. I used 3 different vinigars( whole wine and white balsamic and regular vinegar. I also added in some soy sauce. I have to say for my first time making it I loved it. I will definitely keep this recipe and make sure I have more tomato plants. I could have eaten a whole jar in one go
I put it on a couple of fried eggs awesome. Yum yum and yum.
Made this chutney, absolutely beautiful, nicest I have made, ever. My neighbours love it to, they keep asking for more😁💖
Amazing! I didn’t know I needed this recipe in my life! I used homemade apple cider vinegar as I didn’t have malt vinegar and it was delicious. I was going to make something else with the remainder of my green tomatoes but this chutney is so versatile I decided to make another batch!
Me too Roshi! I’m tripling my next batch tomorrow.
Thank you for creating a wonderful recipe, I absolutely love trying different tomato chutneys and jams. Even better to put everything from the garden to use, ripe or not!
I noticed you did not specify the jar size or the head space when filling the jars. When canning these are important details as the timing changes based on jar size and head space changes based on what food is being preserved. For example, with jam/jelly/marmalade, 1/4 inch head space is appropriate. But this would be too little room for other foods. Based on your photos and a 10 minute bath time, I estimated you used jars equivalent to 1/2 pints. Is this correct? Additionally, as with other tomato chutney and tomato jam recipes I’ve preserved in the past, I left 1/2 inch head space. The jars processed perfectly and all sealed. I can’t wait for the flavors to meld and try it in a few months!
One last thought for people changing the recipe, regardless of the reason. Please be cautious when doing so as the processing times change for various foods and for some ingredients a water bath is not sufficient based on the bacteria naturally present, thus requiring pressure canning. The amount of sugar and acid in the recipe is there for a reason based on the proportions and types of ingredients. Deviating from a well tested recipe willy-nilly could possibly have ill effects on your health.
A fantastic recipe! My turned out beautifully ❤️
Hi…I followed your recipe for the green tomato chutney and gave out as Christmas gifts…. it went down a storm. My friends and family have insisted I make twice as in 2020.. cheers Paul
Excellent news! So pleased everyone enjoyed it :)
Tried this to use and preserve my 5 kilos of green tomatoes. It was really easy to do, including adjusting amounts. I have never made chutney before. I used garlic salt rather than cayenne and omitted the garlic cloves. The resulting chutney is delicious, best I’ve tasted and my partner agrees. I made 4 large jars, trouble is it’s so good they’re not going to last long.
Used this recipe as a base and added 4 bay leaves, 2 teaspoons mustard seed, teaspoon grated fresh ginger, 1 red chilli and 1 star anise.
Everyone loves it!
I am making this recipe as I type. I just added a few things. Such as a chunk of ginger, Apple an 1/2c cranberries. The broth is outstanding already. I can wait took the finished product.
Has anyone tried making this with just 2k red onions, rather than 1kg green tomatoes, 1k onions? Want to try it and it’s out of tomato season so wondering if it would work?
(Made it a few months ago with green tomatoes and it was delicious!)
Used up leftover dried currants and dried cherries mixed with the raisins which resulted in a very pleasing flavor. Thanks for the great recipe!
I grew up eating delicious chutneys and this recipe is terribly vinegar-ey and hardly any spicy flavour at all! I am so disappointed, since I followed the recipe diligently, and now need to figure out how to fix it so I haven’t wasted all those ingredients. If you have any ideas, please let me know.
I’d say that you’re probably in a tiny percentile of people who doesn’t like the recipe…or you got the recipe wrong somehow. If the latter, only you know what could have gone wrong (wrong vinegar type, kitchen scale not working, etc).
I’m simmering this down now. Very pungent smelling. I like vinegar so I hope this will be good when done, but my eyes are sure burning!
Hi Patricia,
You can re-make your chutney to your taste by emptying all the jars you’ve potted up into a large pan. In another pan I would add a tablespoon of curry powder, a small amount of salt, a sprinkle of garam masala, and however much chilli you want. Melt a little butter and gently fry the spices for a couple of minutes then add enough water to free them up from the pan. Tip them into your chutney. Bring the chutney to the boil. You could add some curry leaves and a star anise if you wish. Cook the chutney, adding a little water to keep it from getting too thick. Once you are satisfied it is now to your taste bottle it as before.
Can I use single non reuseable canning lids and rims? They have a coating on the underside…and are made by Ball.
Yes, those would be fine :)
Have the amount of vinegar and add the rest as water. I always put water into chutneys. It’s much better, but is still a lovely receipe.
I am so excited to try this chutney recipe! I have a ton of green tomatoes which I want to can the majority of when ripe, but I love chutney. Brings back very fond memories of my Welsh Grandmother and British Grandfather and special meals in their home in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. We had the pleasure of eating fried green tomatoes in Louisiana, New Orleans in early March 2020 so will be cooking lots of those too. Thank you for posting your canning recipes as it’s always good to preserve what you grow! I did spicy pickled green beans, tomato jam, zucchini relish, zucchini sweet pickles and cucumber sweet pickles so far.
We had a glut of green tomatoes this year and decided to try this recipe, it is reducing as I am typing and smelling wonderful. Might get the opportunity to try this over the weekend.
Nice and easy to prepare and the ingredients are always available in this household.
Thank you.
I’ve just made and I’m waiting for it to be ready it smells good – i used white malt vinegar as I didn’t have a clue which malt vinegar to get so I hope will be ok. Ive never made anything like this before or grown tomatoes but had so many and I love a cheese board x
Made it today and what l tasted was really lovey. By the time I’d got around to making it most of my tomatoes had ripened. So l thought the end result wouldn’t be as good. I was wrong. Can’t wait to have some tomorrow.
Hi I am eager to make your recipe as it looks delicious. Just getting ingredients now. Can I check whether it is soft light brown sugar or soft dark brown sugar that you use?
Do you cut everything quite small or does it decrease in size? Not watching it too chunky.
Last question :) Is normal brown malt vinegar ok to use?
Thanks so much
Hi Petrina :) I use both types of sugar but usually light brown sugar. Brown malt vinegar is good and you can see the size of the tomato pieces in the piece. Roughly chop all the vegetable ingredients — they soften but will stay the size you cut them.
Thanks so much for your reply. I am literally in the midst of making so I will let you know how it goes.
Thanks again :)
I had never made chutney before but thought I’d give this a go to use up my green tomatoes. Oh wow! What a great recipe. The chutney is absolutely lovely. It goes well with all cheeses and also cold meats. Really looking forward to my own homemade chutney with cold Christmas turkey sandwiches. This will be my go to chutney recipe from now on. Thank you so much. ?
Delicious! Thank you!
I loved this chutney and so easy to make. Although my family liked it, we weren’t getting through it very quick. Then one day we ran out of brown sauce (which we use on nearly every meal). So I blended a jar of chutney and the result was a fruity brown sauce to rival HP. So the jars of chutney didn’t last long after that discovery.
Sweet and sour with a bit of heat is a perfect description. I stuck to the recipe (doubled) except I used half white sugar because it was what I had. It is absolutely delicious. I recommend a splatter screen especially the first 3 hours when the liquid is high in the pot. The sugar gets all over the stove (and floor LOL) I will 100% make again. It reduced at least by 3/4 but this reduction is the nectar of the Gods. Highly recommend.
Superb recipe. First time making it. I am in the UK.
I was wondering if after canning you leave it ? or have it straight away?
Are there any substitutes for malt vinegar?
It’s better to leave it a month or two before having it — the flavour gets better! Different kinds of vinegar will give a different acidic hit. Best to use malt vinegar and it’s readily available at UK supermarkets.
My daughter is celiac and I can’t bring anything gluten containing into the house. I know you said malt vinegar is the best for this but what would be a second best option?
Though it won’t have the same color or flavor, you can use another type of vinegar if you wish. Apple cider, white wine, etc. Or maybe three parts apple cider vinegar and one part balsamic. Make a small batch and see what you think :)
What size jars are required?
I use standard 1-lb jars for mine. They’re the same size that honey and jam come in. You can use pint jars or whatever other sized jars you wish though.
I tried this last year and had never made chutney before. It was delicious and I’ll be making it again very soon. I added 6 apples from the garden, some chilli flakes and mustard seeds and it took 5 hours to reduce down. Definitely well worth it! Thank you for the recipe!
Made this last year mmmm this year most of tomatoes didn’t ripen. But I have made again put it on at three in afternoon it’s still boiling down but smells yummy but it’s on 6 hours. Wondering g could I use less vinegar to reduce boil off time as I have at least three more batches to do. Going to add in few bits of mango and plum in next batch and ginger in third batch but need to reduce it faster
Hi Mary, and yes you could reduce it by half. It won’t have the exact same flavor but will still be lovely :)
Rather than bottling it can it be frozen??
Yes :) That would be an easy way to store green tomato chutney, though it would take up a lot of space in the freezer.
Hi Tanya
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I made a kilo batch yesterday. The batch took over 3 hours to reach the desired consistency but tasted delicious.I followed the instructions for water-bathing. But time was getting on, so afterwards I went to bed. Is there a way of telling whether the process worked?
Suze
If you can’t tell if the lid has been sucked down and sealed, you’ll know by opening the first jar. It will make a slight popping noise like jars of chutney or jam from the supermarket makes. They are all water-bathed on a much bigger level!
Awesome .. although I added an apple and more cayenne and black pepper .. this is definitely a go back to recipe .. thanks very much !!
Hi Mike, Did you use a cooking or eating apple?
Easy to follow recipe and added some coriander, yellow mustard and juniper seeds to balance out all of that vinegar. In the U.K. difficult to find organic malt vinegar so using our local organic cider instead. Smells divine and can’t wait to taste.
Thanks for the spice recommendations. I used black mustard seeds instead and loved it.
I have only ever bought green tomato chutney in the past. I grew tomatoes this year and grew them outside. The weather spoilt the plants whilst they were laden with green fruit. Not wanting them to go to waste I decided to make chutney, from them. I chose this recipe and boy am I glad I did. It is truly delicious and as a first time maker of chutney, a very easy recipe to follow. Very happy. I am going to make another batch tomorrow. ???
Hi , I’ve had this cooking for nearly 3 hours and it’s not thinking, can you help !
Keep cooking :)
I have made this green tomato chutney two years running now.It is so delicious my friends and family are anxiously waiting for the next batch!!
I added sultanas this time instead of raisins which made it slightly less tart,
but its definitely a matter of taste.
Thank you for such a tasty and successful recipe, its top of my list to do every year when my tomatoes are growing!!
Tried it last year 2020 the best ! Now I’m doing it again I love this recipe (so are my friends)
Hello I have made Green Tomato Jam and am about to try Green Tomato Chutney, for the first time .I have never made Green Tomato Jam or Chutney before, The way I sterilise my Jars is in the oven I was them in Hot soapy water then rinse them ,then in the oven they go for about an hour on 150deg the lids get a good soaking in boiling water ,when the product is ready to go into the jars you take the jars out of the oven fill with them dry the lids with paper towel and seal the jars i have done this process for many years and have never had a problem ,as i don’t have a special preserving out fit thank yoiu for your chutney recipe I will try it today
Help! Made this today, sneaky taste test was delicious! However 3 out of 5 cans did not seal. I don’t have jar tongs so removed them from water bath awkwardly and some of them tipped sideways – this might be why? Anyway how do I rescue them!
Hi Maria, if they’ve not sealed, then you could try water bathing them again or eating them within the next month or so :)
Same here I have always done my jars like that. They have been done like that since forever.
Hi all, I used similar recipe and used corn flour to help thicken because I like the smoother texture and rather than going to all the hassle of sterilizing jars and hoping they seal, I froze it in a silicone muffin tray, filled to top and made sure no air bubbles and then laid gladwrap over the top and then once frozen, removed from the tray and wrapped each one in gladwrap – will keep up to a year easy frozen and doesn’t affect the flavor and is the perfect size when having dinner guests and need a pottle at each end of table.
Hey Michael…do you know if you’re retarding long-term flavour development by freezing rather than having the sealed jars at room temperature for months? I’m definitely considering freezing as you have, but I’m concerned doing so inhibits flavour development that sitting time apparently provides.
Good Morning
I live in the US, Montana, by Yellowstone national park, maybe you’ve heard of it. Anyway, it’s -20 below zero Fahrenheit and I’m dying to make this recipe. We don’t have any green tomatoes. What should I do??? Help please. Good Day
You’ll need to be patient for green-tomato season :)
Turned out way too vinegary to eat. I used a combo of white and apple cider vinegar but otherwise followed the recipe. Can it be rescued?
I think you have your answer as to why it’s too vinegary — different kinds of vinegar are finer in flavor than others. Probably no way to rescue your batch, but you could gift it to others who like a sharp vinegary pickle. Also, if you make the recipe again, stick with the malt vinegar or a lighter flavored vinegar such as white wine vinegar :)
Hi there, ready to try this, I have a batch of green tomatoes waiting. Have just read the remarks about how long it takes to reduce….just wondering if it could be pressure cooked for a while? And do you have a good recipe for red tomatoes? Many thanks Rosie
I’ve not tried to pressure cook it, but using that method probably wouldn’t speed up the time needed to reduce the chutney. The pan needs to be open so that steam can escape as the green tomato chutney bubbles away.
I tried this recipe today and have just filled & water bathed 9 medium sized jars. It’s cooling now. Can’t wait to try it. All in all it was a very easy recipe to follow.
This recipe is just delicious! I used apple cider vinegar and apple instead of malt vinegar and raisins for a sweeter taste. I also added an extra 100ml of water just to reduce the acidness of vinegar and everything was cooked in 1.5h! Because we liked it so much and feel this is not going to last much longer, I didn’t go through the sterilize and sealing process. I just put it on a reused commercial jar, closed and kept it in the refrigerator. Thanks for sharing!
Ding Dong saved the day, green tom’s turned into lovely chutney really nice and the sterilising advice spot on, jars seal as tight as a bug in a rug. Make them hard to open but that’s a good thing. Thank you for giving advice on how to make use of this years failed crop.
I think tom’s the world over seem to be green this year :(
Absolutely amazing took lot longer but omg it’s gorgeous only had enough own tomatoes to make half load. But I’ll defo be doing this next year
Mine turned out well, but is a little too sweet for my taste. Next time I’ll reduce the sugar content by about 1.5 cups and maybe use 0.5 cups of molasses instead. I might also use double strength pickling vinegar to reduce the amount of liquid by half so that it doesn’t take quite so long (3+ hours) to boil down.
Otherwise, it’s a good way to use up green tomatoes. We get a tsunami of them in September in our short growing season here in Saskatchewan.
Absolutely delish. Love the simplicity of the recipe and the extra tips on storage, super tasty, made a great gift too for some friends.
Soooo sorry I didn’t read all the comments first! I would have added some of my excess runner beans to the recipe! It is boiling at the moment but only a small batch.
Cooking time is very wrong! I have doubled this recipe and it’s been simmering away now for 8 hours! I don’t think it’s ever going to thicken. Very upset as I followed recipe very closely and it took me ages to prepare all the veg, along with some very painful onion cutting.
Just keep cooking Amie — the larger the batch, the longer it will take. Make sure the lid is off of your pan and turn up the heat a little to speed up the process.
Hi. Having a crack at this recipe as I have loads of green toms. The 2 litres of vinegar does not seem to be reducing much after 2 hours is simmering. I’ve used 2 kg of toms and 2kg of onions. Any suggestions please. Thanks, Greg.
Turn up the heat Greg, and keep cooking :) The larger the batch you make, the longer it will take to make
I’ve made it now. How long before I can consume?
You can technically eat it as soon as it’s made, but if you wait a month or two, it will be even better :)
Hi,
Your comments regarding the lack of proper guidance regarding canning in the UK are correct and well advised, I think the more people who are encouraged to research it and understand the science the better. I have only just started canning (out of boredom during the lockdown, new found hobbies has been one of the few upsides)!
I researched a lot before I started and was 100% convinced by the need to use the hot- bath method or a pressure canner or a steam oven – I have a Miele steam oven that comes with instruction for the correct canning process. I bought mason jars with 2 part lids and am convinced doing it properly is the safest method.
I think it is not wise to continue to do it the way it’s always been done if the science tells us it’s wrong.
I also wanted to gift some of my produce to friends & neighbours and would not have felt comfortable doing so if I had knowingly cut corners.
Great recipe too ?
Quick question and I should preface this by saying I like a sour, vinegar taste. I tasted the chutney after it cooled down. I found it extremely sour however the overall taste was terrific. Can I reduce the vinegar in the recipe without interfering with the preservation of the chutney? And if so, what would you recommend. Also, I noticed at least one post that indicated they waited a month before they tried the chutney. Is waiting recommended?
Thanks.
Hi Terri, chutneys are a type of pickle, and have a lot of vinegar added (just like my dill pickle recipe). You could attempt to reduce the vinegar if you wish but I wouldn’t reduce it drastically. Also, there are different types of vinegar and some might be better suited for you. A more mellow vinegar that I’d recommend is white wine vinegar.
Hi. Thanks for getting back. I was wondering if it was the type of vinegar as I don’t use malt vinegar generally. I’ll try it with the white wine vinegar. Look forward to doing another batch.
Hello….I’m going to make your recipe this weekend for the first time as it m my seems to be delicious. I have all the ingredients but not malt vinegar.
Can I use the same amount of balsamic vinegar?
Thanks
Oooh…I think you’d get a much different flavor with balsamic. I’m not sure it would be a good one so if you do try it out, I’d recommend only making a small batch to start :)
So this year everyone has an abundance of green toms so what to do. I researched a lot and liked the look of this recipe. My wife made 12 jars of this from our green toms and everyone and me who has tried it thinks it fantastic to date.
Hi, can I cook this chutney in a slow cooker overnight ?
Thanks
Slow cookers rely on moisture staying inside the cooker and you place a lid on top to stop it from escaping. For this recipe, you’re trying to boil the excess moisture off. So no, a slow cooker probably wouldn’t work — and I’d definitely not recommend keeping one on overnight without a lid. That would be a recipe for disaster ?
I, like many others in this comment section, have never made chutney before, but am giving this a go as I’m writing this. My kitchen smells divine!! The chutney looks amazing too already. I cannot wait to can this up. May have made waaay more than I thought, but had to use up all those green toms. Very happy so far. Thank you for this simple, and awesome recipe
Smelling great as it bubbles away. I substituted fresh chillies for cayenne pepper as I have a load of those too at end of summer. In uk I’ve made pickles and chutneys and jams and aside from sterilising the jars before filling never felt the need to water bath. I don’t refrigerate after opening either. And my preserves still last longer than store bought. Just use your senses. If it smells good it is generally. :-)
I added a teaspoonful of ground fenugreek which I thought worked well. Also great way to use runner beans this time of year – used 50-50 mix chopped runner beans to replace green tomatoes (but make sure they’re not stringy) and that worked well too.
No probs re lids just found all my friends who preserve use the sterilising programme on their dishwasher for jars & lids
Thank you anyway
Hi there just about to try your recipe
Sounds great
On the sterilising issue what about the lids?
Do they go in the boil too?
Lids go on then the jars go into boiling water and are covered by an inch. Jars are boiled for five minutes.
This recipe is great. The chutney is very easy to make and it tastes delicious! Just like the other lady, I have added some mustard seeds and a bit more spice – crushed birds eye chillies. Beware! You do need to cook it for three hours plus to get a nice ‘just right’ consistency. I am also going to make a curried version of this deliciousness. Thank you for a great recipe!
I have
e never made chutney before but decided to give it a try as I have a glut of green tomatoes. I did it in my slow cooker and kept it on low for 24 hours, result…….delicious.
FYI for anyone tripling the recipe—it took us 24 hours to boil it down enough. The recipe tastes okay. Good way to use up a lot of green tomatoes. Hoping the flavors will taste even better once we open the jars this winter.
I have
e never made chutney before but decided to give it a try as I have a glut of green tomatoes. I did it in my slow cooker and kept it on low for 24 hours, result…….delicious.
I have always just put my jars and lids in a hot oven to sterilise before spooning in the chutney – does this achieve the same as the water bath?
Hi Steve, to put it in an understandable context, the jars and lids after they’ve been heated in the oven are like a person wearing a mask in a COVID-free area. Totally safe. The moment you take them out of the oven they’re back in the world of microbes. Then as they cool on the counter to warm, their mask disappears. If the jars or lids accidentally come into contact with anything before you spoon food into them and seal them then bacteria, mold, or another type of microbe can make it into your food. Putting the jars back into a water-bath to sterilize them again puts them back in a 100% safe zone. If they’re not water-bathed, then it’s like a game of chance. High acid preserves like this are unlikely to grow deadly levels of botulism but I’ve made preserves before (elderberry syrup) without water-bathing, only to discover mold growing in them after opening.
We have an abundance of tomatoes this year and just about to make my second batch of this, its delicious and easy to make! So please I came across this recipe. I did find it needed nearer 3hrs to simmer down though.
How long do you have to leave it before opening
A month at least :)
We made this today (like so many it’s our first attempt at chutney) and after it was cold we tasted it, I don’t think it will last a month lol. We are looking for more tomatoes so we can make more. Absolutely delicious ❤️❤️❤️
Awesome! I used cider vinegar because that’s what I had. Really nice. I will keep this recipe. Thanks.
Looking forward to trying the recipe! I had green tomato chutney last year for the first time, and yum!
What is the alternative to rack in this sentence? ‘Fill a tall pan with water and place either a rack at the bottom.’
Or a towel :) When the water is hot enough, pop a bath/tea towel in the pan and push it to the bottom with some tongs. You can set your jars on top and the fabric will protect the glass from direct heat.
First time growing tomatoes! Not easy in the Scottish climate! However picked the last green ones today September 29th and used this easy recipe. It was lovely to smell the aroma throughout the house. Added 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds and about 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes. Delicious! Just a hint of heat to a sweet, tangy chutney! Have saved this recipe to use next year! Thank you! If you have never made chutney – definitely give this a try!
This recipe looks amazing (also have noted the added ingredients in one of the comments,
I’m not an expert canner so I’m hoping someone can help. My husband detests raisins and even in a chutney he will be put off by them. If I omit them will the balance still be ok for canning?
It’s totally fine to leave them out, though you should make up their amount (1 cup) with another ingredient of your choice. More onions, tomatoes, etc.
Does it matter what type of brown sugar you use?
Use whatever type you’d like :)
Hi I’m in the process of making a large batch 3kg , it is taking a bit of time to thicken , now I’m concerned as I don’t want it to burn ?
The smell is delicious, the taste is sweet / sour but on the sharp side ?
Have you any advice on thinking ?
And taste ?
Smells and looks delicious ❤️
It may take a lot longer to cook down, especially since you’re making such a big batch. Just keep cooking and stirring to make sure it doesn’t burn at the bottom of the pan :)
Unfortunately I burnt a side of my pan, the chutney tastes ok but have I ruined it 😿 ???
Hard to say. If there are charred pieces or flecks in the chutney, then you’ll probably taste it. Have you tasted it?
First time trying to make chutney. Great recipe but did take about 2 hours to reduce with a very strong odour of vinegar. However end result went down very well with the family. Next time I do this recipe will probably use slightly less sugar as it is quite sweet. Many thanks.
Lovely recipe, but I have to point out that you are incorrect about the UK not having a body for food safety advice and being outdated. It is called the Food Standards Agency and also local Environmental Health Officers for the area wherever you live. It is certainly not outdated as you claim, and the whole of the European Community are also included in that food safety legislation
Thanks Susan :) The Foods Standards Agency isn’t outdated in the topics it covers but it does not give advice on home preserving. It’s an agency that deals with the safety of purchased food, food hygiene, food safety, and farming.
I made 6 jars yesterday, gorgeous recipe, nice to find something without apples!
Can you tell me if this develops a sweeter taste the longer it’s left please?
I agree with Susan, the comment about British preserving techniques was rather rude and uncalled for. Never in 25 years of preserving has anyone been poisoned.
Hi Tracy and glad you liked the recipe. As for the comment on British preserving — I’m sorry to offend but not water-bathing preserves isn’t safe preserving. Without it, and preserves can go off, develop mold, and potentially make you sick. There’s no proper governmental guidance here on home canning because so few people do it here compared to other places. If there were, you can bet the guideance would be in line with the USA, Canada, Australia, and Europe on water-bathing.
Lovely recipe, nice and sweet. I used sultanas instead of raisins. Took a lot longer than an hour to reduce down!
Is it ok to freeze the chutney vs canning?
I’ve never heard of anyone doing this but I suppose you could put it into small containers and freeze it. I imagine that once defrosted, you’ll need to keep it in the fridge and eat within a couple of weeks.
Just watching mine bubble away now. I used red wine vinegar and dates as my dried fruit as that’s what I had in. It smells divine so far!!! Never done this before but we live chutney and we had lots of green tomatoes!!
I remember my mother making jars of it every year to give to friends and relatives as part of a Christmas hamper the following year. Can’t quite remember the recipe, got it written down somewhere, but she used to make her own pickling vinegar first and I’m not sure if she didn’t use sultanas instead of raisins. In those days you used to be able to get green tomato’s from the grocers, came across some for the first time a couple of days ago so I’m going to give it a try.
Took me longer than in the recipe to evaporate the juices ang get desired thickness but yes best recipe I found so far. Thanks
I was wondering if I can use cider vinegar instead of malt, as I’ve got plenty in the cupboard? I see from earlier comments that somebody was going to try this but don’t think they said how it went.
Yes you could Lynda — any vinegar will do but each will leave its own flavor in the preserve.
I’m going to try 1/2 balsamic and 1/2 pickling vinegar as that’s all I can get. The malt vinegar is sold out in all the stores, as is the apple cider. There’s a huge canning kick on here in Canada, and it’s very hard to find jars or even lids for the jars you already have.
Hello! Very tempted by your green chutney recipe. Made some decades ago with a friend just guided by our nose and taste buds. And loved it. Quite forgotten about it. Could i throw in some zucchini, do you think, and more onion instead of the sultanas?
Thanks?.
The beauty of chutneys is that you can customize them to your heart’s desire. Go for it with the onions and zucchini :)
I have masses of tiny, dark green, unripe cherry tomatoes (Koralik). I’ve never grown tomatoes before and possibly should have taken a good number of tiny ones off earlier. As it is, although we’ve had some ripe red ones, most of the crop is tiny as well as not red. They taste bitter rather than sour, but look healthy, I just don’t think there’s much hope of their growing to full size even, let alone ripening to red. Would you use these tiny ones to make chutney?
Hi Sue, if there’s any doubt in your mind about the flavor of any of your ingredients, don’t use them. Or at least make a very small batch to test.
I still have loads of little ones going red every day even now. Pick them before they go full red and put on the window sill. Also deleaf the plant a bit, keep removing the dead and lower leaves and any that are covering the fruit. This will expose the fruit to the sun and concentrate the plants efforts into ripening the remaining green fruit. Good luck.
Hi,
I’ve got loads of green toms just waiting to do this next weekend (if they haven’t ripened by then) but I was wondering what size jars you are basing this on?
Thanks in advance
Hi Kate, they’re pint jars, 454g/16oz.
Hi, I have just made this with 1kg of tomatoes and it filled two 16oz and one 8oz jars.
I’ve just made this recipe. I reduced the sugar to 400g, half brown and half granulated white sugar. Also I only put 24fl oz of vinegar in, mostly as I had limited malt vinegar and had to top up with distilled white vinegar. Tastes amazing boiling away in the pan, can’t wait to bottle it up!
During lock down we decided to do grow our own tomatoes. But not having a greenhouse we left ours outside, plenty of green tomatoes and we did not want to waste them. Never made chutney before and as we speak it is simmering away. Went for the 2 kilos recipe. Smells divine and tastes delicious. I would say though it takes longer than an hour to reduce, more like 3 hours. Done a large batch as i like to give them to family and friends as Christmas presents, along with homemade choc truffles.
Hello all
Am in the process of making green tomato chutney as we speak. I have never heard of water bathing.
Do I need to do this? I’m getting a bit stressed by it.
Water bathing isn’t common in the UK, where only simple preserving is the norm, but is standard in the USA and other places. It’s to ensure that there’s absolutely nothing harmful is going to grow inside the bottles. Saying that, high acid environments like chutneys are unlikely to be colonized by dangerous pathogens. I usually skip the water bathing step when I make my own chutneys.
Just pulled out the last of my cherry tomatoes and have a mixture of red and green. Would it be ok to use a mixture of both do you think? Made this with just green a couple of weeks ago and loved it. Thanks,
Wendy
I’ve made this recipe with a mix of both and it was just fine. A little softer than with just green but still very tasty :)
Hi! I came across your recipe from google. Just finished making a batch and tested it on a cracker with some cheese. It’s amazing! So simple to make and tastes so good. Thanks for the recipe! I’ve never made chutney before btw! But I had so many green tomatoes leftover and I had no idea what to do with them until a relative suggested a chutney. I swapped out the brown sugar for a brown natural sweetener that I use a lot in baking and cooking. Will definitely be saving this recipe for future use!
Not sure of the sugar amount. 500g is much more than 1 and half cups. So I used the cup amount.
Made this tonight. Takes considerably longer than an hour to reduce, everyone in the house hated the smell of the vinegar as it boiled off (except me!), but an initial taste suggests it will be superb, though perhaps more on the sweet pickle side of the chutney scale. Had a partial jar at the end of proceedings, so will open very early and test with some cheddar and/or ham in a sandwich.
My first attempt at a chutney s and I think it will end up fantastic after a month or two in the jar. ?
Yes I agree, it took more like 3 hours of simmering to get it to a thick consistency. Well worth it though, tastes delish.
I’m making a batch at the moment and my family are also complaining about the smell, I was getting worried! Glad to know it will be great in the end, as this is my first attempt at chutney too. :-)
Can you make this without the raisins or sultanas? If so, do you need to add extra weight of tomatoes and onions?
You can omit them and yes, bulk up the extra amount with other ingredients in the recipe. You could add your own extras in there too! Whatever you have leftover from the garden.
Made a batch of the chutney and am making a second batch as we really liked it. The only change I made was reduce the garlic to one clove as a personal preference.
That’s the beauty of making your own preserves! Enjoy Marlene :)
Has anyone tried making this in a slow cooker?
I haven’t but if you try it and it works I’d love to hear about your experience.
I just tried it in instant pot pressure cooker and I don’t recommend that. Without being able to evaporate, it came out very watery so I ended up dirtying another pot to reduce it on the stove anyway. The end result tasted great though! I used chopped dates because I had no raisins.
Hi John – I made some rhubarb chutney a bit earlier in the year but haven't opened a jar yet. I hope it's as good as yours though :)
We were blessed with the same this year. A lot of green tomatoes. Everything was very late. Carol made green tomato chutney. Very good. She also made rhubarb chutney . It was also very good.
Mrs Bok – green tomato chutney is DIVINE…I think you'll enjoy it too :)
Sue – Thank you and I hope he likes the recipe :)
Hi Fran – if you're ever sailing around our area you're more than welcome to stop by :)
A friend rang asking for a green tomato chutney recipe last week – I'll have to point him in your direction.
Oooooooooo yum!! That's what I'll do with my green tomatoes this summer if they fail to ripen! I've never tried making green tomato anything before!
That looks good. Get the cheddar and home made bread out and I will be round soon ! x
The smell of autumn preserving…so good! :)
Oh, I can almost smell that cooking!
My first time making anything like this and it was super easy and very nice – so nice that I am making a second batch just one day later. Today I am trying with apple cider vinegar as I have run out of malt and it is not so easy to find in Poland, so hopefully it will still be nice. Thanks very much for the recipe – much the most simple that I found and a big success!