The tomato – botanically, a fruit, but a vegetable in common culinary practice – is very delicious regardless of where you stand in this whole “fruit or vegetable” debate. Tomatoes are so good to eat when they are fresh, with the right level of crispiness and juiciness. Tomatoes are just as good when cooked. They are soft, and the way tomatoes influence the flavor profile of food explains why people all around the world love cooking with tomatoes and eating tomatoes too. You don’t need a very complex recipe to bring out the goodness of tomatoes. Even something as simple as a green tomato relish is enough to amplify that natural great-tasting quality of tomatoes. That is the power of the green tomato relish – simple and easy to make for something this delicious and versatile.
Green Tomato Relish Trivia
- They say relish but it looks like salsa! Well, that’s because relish and salsa are one and the same. Relish is a French term while salsa is a term of Spanish origin.
- Xitomatl is the term used by the Aztecs to refer to tomatoes. It means “plump thing with navel”.
- The heaviest tomato in the world weighed 10 lb 12.7 oz (4.896 kg). This record was made on July 15, 2020.
- In 2013, Surjit Singh Kainth was able to grow a tomato plant that was able to have the most tomatoes: 1,355.
Green Tomato Relish Buying Guide
- They say relish but it looks like salsa! Well, that’s because relish and salsa are one and the same. Relish is a French term while salsa is a term of Spanish origin.
- Xitomatl is the term used by the Aztecs to refer to tomatoes. It means “plump thing with navel”.
- The heaviest tomato in the world weighed 10 lb 12.7 oz (4.896 kg). This record was made on July 15, 2020.
- In 2013, Surjit Singh Kainth was able to grow a tomato plant that was able to have the most tomatoes: 1,355.
Buying Guide:
You can buy green tomato relish in supermarkets, groceries, and specialty stores. Locally-made, artisanal, small-batch green tomato relish are also sold in local farmers’ markets. You can also order online.
When buying green tomato relish, check the packaging. Make sure there is no damage or anything that suggests the content inside has been compromised and rendered unsafe to consume. Check if the plastic seal is intact. Inspect the contents inside (jars are usually transparent or see-through, allowing you to see the contents of the jar).
It is good to buy enough, perhaps an extra jar or two, but there is no need to stockpile green tomato relish since these are not seasonal hard-to-find commodities. You can always go to the supermarket or grocery to buy it if your supply has run out, so don’t let your refrigerator or pantry get too crowded because you have lots of green tomato relish.
If you have specific diet restrictions, you can find a jar of green tomato relish that is MSG-free, gluten-free, low sodium, low sugar, and with no fat.
Green Tomato Relish Production & Farming in Texas
Many Texas businesses produce green tomato relish. Texas Best Smokehouse, located in Italy, Texas, makes green tomato relish in 16-oz jars. Rustlin Rob’s Texas Gourmet Foods makes and sells its own green tomato relish. Red Kitchen Foods, located in Keller, Texas, makes Pickled Green Tomatoes.
You can enjoy Catfish King’s very delicious green tomato relish. Catfish King is a chain of catfish restaurants in Texas. Catfish Sam’s, located in Arlington, Texas, also have their own green tomato relish, sold in 32 0z. Jar. One of the things guests at the Big Pines Lodge, in Karnack, Texas, enjoyed is the green tomato relish they have there.
Walmart in Ballinger, Texas, sells green tomato relish.
Pesticides, Additives, and Chemicals
Green tomato relish may contain food additives, like sodium benzoate and calcium chloride.
- Sodium benzoate – This is added to improve the shelf life of green tomato relish.
- Calcium chloride – This is used to give food, especially pickled and fermented vegetables, a salty taste, without increasing the food’s sodium content.
Geography
Green tomato relish is common in the Southern United States, although today, you can buy a jar of green tomato relish even if you are in a different part of the country, thanks to e-commerce. The closest counterpart of green tomato relish found in northeastern and midwestern US is similar to the British piccalilli, which is uncommon in the western United States.
Packaging
Green tomato relish is sold in glass or plastic bottles with a sealed lid or cover. Check the plastic seal. It should be intact. If this is broken or damaged, the product may have been tampered with and the quality and safety have been compromised. Do not buy green tomato relish with damaged safety seals, or those that have other signs of damage like cracks on the bottle.
An important part of the packaging is the label, which contains important information for the consumers, including the name of the manufacturer, expiration or best-before date, ingredients, nutritional information, storage instruction, etc.
Enjoying Green Tomato Relish
Green tomato relish is crisp with a sweet and tangy flavor. Green tomato relish tastes great with meat – chicken, pork, beef, or fish. It complements the taste of fried or blackened fish, smoked pork chops, ham, even a bowl of red beans, or just plain rice.
Storage
According to Helen Steudler Young, in her book “New Ways to Enjoy Lancaster County Pennsylvania Cooking“, it is important to keep your jar of tomato relish in a cool dark place.
When storing green tomato relish, never keep the jar’s contents exposed without the lid on it. Close it after you are done scooping it out.
Read the label of the jar of green tomato relish you bought. It should have instructions regarding storage. But the rule of thumb when it comes to making sure your green tomato relish is safe and keeps for a long time is to refrigerate it, especially once you’ve opened the jar.
Cooking
It’s a great idea to have a jar of green tomato relish at your disposal when cooking because it is useful for many things. You can use it when making sandwiches or salads. It is a great side dish if you are eating fried chicken, or use this to garnish your hot dogs.
Green tomato relish is easy to make at home. The ingredients are not difficult to find and easily available in the supermarket or the grocery. You will need green tomatoes, fresh ginger (grated), onions, coriander seeds, mustard seed, black pepper, salt, sugar, vegetable oil, and vinegar. You can also add red pepper flakes if you want your green tomato relish to be a little spicy.
In the book written by Linda R. Yoakam entitled “1,001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipes: Delicious, Easy-to-Make, Healthy Meals for Everyone“, the author mentioned here that tomato relish is great to have along with cannellini bean patties.
James Newton, in his book “Jam, Chutney and Relish Made Easy“, shares a recipe. Besides the common ingredients like red bell peppers, onions, jalapeno, and herbs and spices, Newton also recommends using apples.
Paul Kirk, in his book “Paul Kirks Championship Barbecue: Bbq Your Way to Greatness with 575 Lip-Smackin Recipes from the Baron of Barbecue“, recommends you try making a smoked, sun-dried tomato relish instead of fresh green tomatoes.
Nutritional Benefits
What nutrients are found in green tomato relish? It has protein, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin A, niacin, vitamin C, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium.
