what is a small bag of pickling spices?

[Contrary Housewife]

This is the recipe I am planning to use (we have sleet today, no more ripe tomatoes this year!):

GREEN TOMATO SWEET PICKLE RELISH

14 lb. green tomatoes
12 lg. onions
4 lg. peppers (red and green)
2 qts. vinegar
7 c. sugar
4 tbsp. salt
1 stick cinnamon
1 tbsp. whole cloves
Sm. bag of pickling spices

Put first 3 ingredients through a food chopper and drain in colander. Add vinegar, sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and a small bag of pickling spices tied up. Boil until tender and bottle while hot.


So... how much is a small bag? I have pickling spices in a tin. What would I use? 1 teaspoon?

[never2late]

My mom used to make a bag of pickling spice when she would make sweet pickles. Not sure what she used. Found this one on at allrecipes.

1 cinnamon stick broken into pieces
5 bay leaves crushed
2tbsp mustard seed
1tbsp whole allspice
1tbsp coriander seeds
1tbslp whole black peppercorns
1tbsp ground ginger
1tbsp dill seeds
2tsp cardamom seeds
1-2 tsp hot pepper flakes
1tsp whole cloves

Combine all and store for up to a year in airtight container.

I'm almost wondering if your recipe means for you to put the cloves and cinnamon stick into a bag rather, especially since those are ingredients that may already be in pickling spice?

[MaryCarney]

1 bag refers to you tying up a couple of Tablespoons of the spices in a cheesecloth or (better) coffee filter 'bag'. Use a twist tie or length of string and then you fish it out when you're done!
Send me some!!!

[never2late]

Just wondering how your relish turned out? After reading the recipe again today, I am thinking more than ever that the cinnamon and cloves were to go in the spice bag. You definitely wouldn't want to munch on a whole clove in your relish!

[Contrary Housewife]

I just finished canning it. I got 3 jars. I had a bowl full of tomatoes all different sizes from pecan size to medium and I have no idea how much it weighed, so I kind of guessed how much of everything else to use based on proportions in other recipes. Ended up with 1 T of pickle spice and the cinnamon in a coffee filter. Did not add extra clove because it was in the pickle mix.

I did not know how long to cook it (hate these vague recipes!) but I let it go 20-30 minutes or so until it looked and smelled like pickle relish. Put a few drops of green food color in to perk it up, the tomatoes were very pale, some were pink and it looked kind of bland. It's not day-glo green now like the supermarket stuff, just a sort of natural soft green.

It looks and smells good, like pickle relish. One of the jars has already sealed. Hope the others do too.

[mauimagic]

Great job on sharing something new (to me at least!!) Interesting recipe for pickling spice!! Mahalo!!