Old Fashioned Green Tomato Chutney

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Published: Apr 27, 2019 Last Updated: Apr 27, 2019 by Andrea Geddes

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This old fashioned green tomato chutney (relish) is the perfect use for unripe tomatoes at the end of the season. It is glossy, beautifully sweet and savoury and has such a robust flavour. Perfect for biscuits, cheese, sandwiches and cold meats. It is also really good in burgers and steak sandwiches!

This old fashioned green tomato chutney comes from such a special recipe. It was shared with me by my husband’s beautiful aunty Carolyn, handed down from her mother. The recipe is at least 60 years old, possibly even older. I knew this as soon as I received it- written in beautiful handwriting and with the (Australian) measurements still in pounds and ounces! The taste has definitely stood the test of time and I feel so honoured to be sharing it here.

It also makes a lovely homemade hamper gift. You can use pretty, old jam jars and store the chutney in your pantry for up to 2 years.

Sterilising Jars

You can sterilise any old jar, as long as the seals in the lid are intact. Sterilising is important if you want your chutney to last and not be contaminated. It can be done with a sterilising solution, such as Milton’s, or in the oven.

To sterilise your jars in the oven, simply clean them with warm, soapy water and place them on a rack in the oven. Heat at 120C° for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the jars from the oven and add the chutney.

To seal the lids, place the mixture (chutney, jam, curd, etc) into the jars whilst still hot. Close the lids and turn the jars upside down to seal. The lids will seal during this process. Store in a cool place in your pantry for up to two years. Once opened, store in the fridge for up to four weeks.

Old fashioned green tomato chutney (relish) is an excellent way to use leftover green tomatoes at the end of the season. This easy, 60-year-old family recipe has been passed down through several generations and is glossy, with a robust flavour – and is the perfect combination of sweet and savoury. Incredible when spread over a burger or steak sandwich, it is also perfect with crackers, cheeses and grilled or cold meats.

4.84 from 24 votes

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Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Australian

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 12 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 jars

Calories: 695kcal

Author: Andrea Geddes

Ingredients

▢ 1.35 kg green (un-ripe) tomatoes chopped
▢ 2 large onions 500 grams, finely diced
▢ 2 tablespoons salt regular table salt
▢ 3 cups white sugar
▢ 95 ml Ezy sauce *OR see ingredients below for a homemade spiced pickling vinegar as an alternative to Ezy sauce.
▢ 1 teaspoon mustard powder
▢ 1 teaspoon curry powder
▢ 1 teaspoon cornflour
▢ ½ teaspoon ground turmeric

To make spiced pickling vinegar (this is only required if you can't use Ezy Sauce)

▢ 15 grams whole cloves
▢ 7 grams chilli flakes mild
▢ 15 grams whole black peppercorns
▢ 30 grams ginger fresh, peeled and roughly chopped
▢ 400- 500 ml double strength white vinegar 8% acidity

Instructions

For the spiced pickling vinegar (this step is only needed if you don't have Ezy sauce)

Add the cloves, chilli, peppercorn and ginger to a glass jar with a 500ml capacity. Add 400-500ml of the vinegar (to the top of the jar) and cover with the lid. Leave to sit for at least 12 hours (but it can be made weeks ahead and will be more flavourful the longer it sits).
Before using, the vinegar must be strained and the cloves, chilli, pepper and ginger discarded. *Please note you will not need to use all of the spiced vinegar in this recipe. Only 95ml is required (same quantities as Ezy sauce). The rest can be stored in your pantry.

For the chutney

In a large mixing bowl, add the tomatoes, onions and salt and stir together. Cover and set aside in a refrigerator for 12 hours, overnight if possible.
Add the tomato mixture (including the excess liquid from the tomatoes) to a large pot. Bring to the boil over low heat. When boiling, add the sugar and 95ml of Ezy sauce (or 95ml of the homemade spiced pickling vinegar) and stir.
Gently simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 1 ½- 2 hours, or until thickened to desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Make sure the chutney doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan as it thickens, or it will burn.
Remove from the heat and stir the relish mix into a chunky paste. Add the mustard powder, curry powder, cornflour and turmeric. Stir and return to a low heat for a further ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the hot chutney to sterilised jars and seal. Enjoy!

Notes

‘Ezy sauce’ is an Australian sauce and condiment recipe mix that is used to make chutneys, spreads, pickles and sauces. It is a highly concentrated acid solution that is flavoured with black pepper, clove oil and chilli. It can be purchased online, as well as in most Australian supermarkets and grocers. (Continue reading for notes on substitutions for Ezy sauce).
Vinegar/acid (from the Ezy sauce or spiced pickling vinegar) is an important ingredient in chutney making, as it inhibits the actions of unwanted micro-organisms. The vinegar needs to have an acetic acid content of at least 5%. Malt, white vinegar or distilled malt vinegar can be used. I use a ‘double strength’ white vinegar with 8% acidity, which can be found in most supermarkets.
April 2022 update; As of early 2022, ‘Ezy sauce’ has been discontinued (but is currently still available in some stores). This recipe card has been updated with an alternative to Ezy sauce, labelled ‘spiced pickling vinegar’. Please note that the ingredients will make 400-500ml of pickling vinegar, but you will only need 95ml for this recipe. The pickling vinegar can be made 3 months in advance and stored in your pantry in a sealed jar. The longer the vinegar sits, the more flavourful it will be. The vinegar needs to be strained and the cloves, chilli, pepper and ginger discarded before adding the vinegar to the chutney.
Green tomatoes are regular tomatoes that haven’t ripened. Any variety of green tomato can be used in this recipe. The best kind of green tomatoes for chutney are the tomatoes that don’t ripen by the end of the growing season and would otherwise be thrown away. They are much firmer and less juicy than a ripe, red tomato. Red tomatoes are too juicy for this recipe.
Sugar helps to balance the vinegar and tomatoes and gives the chutney a ‘jammy’ consistency.
I use Keen’s curry powder, but any mild curry powder will work.
Keep the heat low and in the last half hourof the cooking time, stir the chutney more frequently and keep an eye on the bottom of the pan, as the chutney can catch and burn.
To prevent contamination, the chutney needs to be added to clean, sterilised jarswhile hot. To effectively sterilise jars, clean them with warm, soapy water and place them on a rack in the oven. Heat at 120°C for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the jars from the oven (they will be very hot) and add the hot chutney. Alternatively, you can soak the jars (and lids) in Miltons’ or a similar sterilising solution according to the packet instructions.
To properly seal the jars, place the chutney into the jars whilst still hot. Close the lids and turn the jars upside down to seal as the chutney cools. Store the sealed jars of chutney in a cool place in your pantry for up to two years. Once opened, store the chutney in the fridge for up to four weeks.
This recipe yields 3-4 x 220ml jars.
The colour of the chutney can vary, depending on the type of tomatoes you use.
Please note that thenutrition informationis based on the chutney being divided into 4 jars, with the nutrition information calculated per jar of chutney. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any sides served with the chutney.
This recipe is made usingAustralian cups and spoon measurements.Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.

Nutrition

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Reader Interactions

Comments

oliver says
May 05, 2024 at 5:02 am
Hi Sounds like a great recipe and will try it Great photos but the lovey white balls shown are not in the recipe. are they mustard seeds or white pepper
cheers Oliver
Reply
- Andrea Geddes says
  May 11, 2024 at 4:17 am
  Hi Oliver, thanks for getting in touch! I hope you enjoy the recipe. I think the white balls you are referring to are the tomato seeds. Andrea 🙂
  Reply
Suzy says
April 15, 2023 at 2:13 am

Cannot stop eating this iam puttijng it onto everything.
Well done Grandma
Reply
See Also
10 Jam Recipes for Preserving Prime Summer Fruit Jam Making 101: The Secrets to Getting Jam to Set Like a Pro Canned Seasoned Tomato Sauce Roasted Tomato Peach Salsa Canning Recipe • Heartbeet Kitchen
- Andrea Geddes says
  April 21, 2023 at 9:31 am
  Hi Suzy! I’m so happy to hear that you are enjoying it! It certainly is a special recipe. Thanks so much for letting me know! Andrea.
  Reply
Mickey Nelson says
April 14, 2023 at 9:47 pm

Awesome recipe, definately the best.
Reply
- Andrea Geddes says
  April 21, 2023 at 9:32 am
  Hi Mickey! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed it! We love making this every year and I’m glad it’s found a place in your home too. Thanks for letting me know! Andrea.
  Reply
Neil says
October 10, 2022 at 8:26 pm

This recipe seems like a wiiner. Very moreish. Just one question, how big are your jars? I only managed to just fill two using 1.35kg of green tomatoes.
Reply
- Andrea Geddes says
  October 13, 2022 at 1:23 am
  Hi Neil! I’m so happy to hear that you are enjoying the chutney. Thanks for taking the time to let me know! The notes in the recipe card say you should get 3-4 220ml jars, depending on how much the chutney has reduced. I hope that helps! Andrea.
  Reply
Gaye says
July 19, 2022 at 8:22 pm
Hi
I have fennel and carrot’s aplenty can I add them to the mix?
Reply
- Andrea Geddes says
  July 20, 2022 at 5:25 am
  Hello Gaye! I haven’t tried the chutney with either of those ingredients, if you do try adding some I’d love to hear how it turns out!
  Reply
Sue Carmody says
May 10, 2022 at 9:32 pm
Is it possible to use rapadura or panels sugar instead of white sugar?
Cheers
Sue
Reply
- Andrea Geddes says
  May 11, 2022 at 3:16 am
  Hi Sue! I haven’t used either in this recipe, so I can’t offer any advice on those sugars. The white sugar not only adds sweetness, but thickens the chutney to a “jammy” consistency, so any sugar replacement you use will still need to do this. Let me know how you go! Andrea 🙂
  Reply
Liz says
May 05, 2022 at 9:39 am
Hi I followed the recipe exactly but unfortunately mine turned out like toffee where did I go wrong
Reply
- Andrea Geddes says
  May 05, 2022 at 11:06 am
  Hi Liz! Without being there to see your process, my best guess is that the chutney perhaps over-reduced/overcooked. As all stoves are slightly different, this is likely the cause and yours may need slightly less cooking time. I would suggest cooking over a lower heat and keeping an eye on it in the last hour, stirring a few times to make sure it doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan. When it is a thick, jammy consistency and the tomatoes/onions are soft, take it off the heat. I hope that helps! Andrea 🙂
  Reply
Peter says
March 19, 2022 at 5:01 am
My second year with this recipe.
Last year tried ripe tomatoes but no good too much juice!
So this year, after a cool summer, I decided not to wait until the end of the season but have been picking green tommies BEFORE they ripen.
The result is just as good. So don’t wait pick early and enjoy.
Peter, Limestone Coast SA.
Reply
- Andrea Geddes says
  March 19, 2022 at 8:08 am
  Hi Peter! I’m so happy that you had success with this recipe and that you are enjoying the chutney. It’s definitely perfect for end-of (or almost end of!) season green tomatoes. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment! Andrea 🙂
  Reply
  - Peter says
    March 10, 2024 at 6:17 am
    Why wait to the end of the season??
    I’m picking green Romas before ripening. Perfect result.
    Just love this recipe.
    Peter. Limestone Coast. SA.
  - Andrea Geddes says
    See Also
    Homemade Tomato Relish
    March 12, 2024 at 6:36 am
    Hi Peter! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. Absolutely, make them with green tomatoes any time! It’s a great use for them. Andrea 🙂
John Paterson says
February 17, 2022 at 6:57 am

An absolutely great chutney. Thanks very much.
Reply
- Andrea Geddes says
  February 17, 2022 at 9:38 am
  Hi John! It’s my pleasure. Thank you so much for leaving a comment to let me know that you enjoyed the recipe. Andrea 🙂
  Reply
Heather says
February 14, 2022 at 6:22 am
Hi. I followed the recipe to a tee and am just doing the 10 minute extra cooking once you add the mustard powder etc. it seems a bit watery though. Will it thicken when cooled?
Reply
- Andrea Geddes says
  February 15, 2022 at 1:18 pm
  Hi Heather! The chutney should be thick and glossy by this time and not watery. It may have needed a little more cooking time. Let me know how it turned out! Andrea 🙂
  Reply
Shirley says
February 14, 2022 at 4:05 am

so a friend if mine gave me about 4.5kg of green tomatoes (end of season) I Googled recipes and yours looked the best. I tweaked it a bit by using muscovado sugar (2 cups) instead if white sugar. I also added 4 Grannie Smith apples and a heap of raisins. I doubled the recipe and it made 10 300ml jars. It looks amazing and I can’t wait for the flavours to infuse to try it. Thank you for sharing.
Reply
HELEN GRANT says
February 11, 2022 at 10:51 pm

Have to laugh, i made the chutney, well set it going that is, about and hour and half into it I sat down for a minute and would you believe , I dropped off to sleep. Oops, big mistake ,,
Woke and checked my chutney, burnt to the bottom of the saucepan. Well, we taste tested it and it was still delicious, very dark in colour but tasted beautiful. I am about to make another lot, this time I’m not sitting down for anything it was so easy and I know this next batch will be even more delicious.
Oh and PS. The saucepan came up perfect in the dishwasher..Had to clean out the dishwasher with all big black burnt chutney chunks in the bottom but one good thing was my dishwasher drawer has had a good clean
Reply
- Andrea Geddes says
  February 12, 2022 at 3:18 am
  Hi Helen! Oh no!!! What a shame- but I am so glad that you enjoyed the recipe (that you could salvage!). I’m glad you’re giving it another go and thank you so much for your lovely feedback 🙂
  Reply
  - HELEN GRANT says
    February 13, 2022 at 5:32 am
    Hi again Andrea, I’m just doing the last 10 mins on my second , NON burnt batch , The colour of mine is GREEN Yours seems to be a Brown colour. Should it be left for longer to caramelise
  - Andrea Geddes says
    February 13, 2022 at 7:56 am
    Hi Helen! If you have cooked the chutney for the time indicated in the recipe, it should be ready. The colours may vary slightly depending on the colour of the tomatoes used. Mine is usually a golden colour once done. I hope you enjoy it! Andrea 🙂
Tim says
October 09, 2021 at 7:46 am

Making this for the third time since trying it out a couple of months ago, soooo good! I’m using cherry tomatoes from the garden which is a bit of a mission with all the chopping (took about 2 hours!). Totally worth it though, planning to give out to the family at Christmas. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe!!
Reply
- Andrea Geddes says
  October 12, 2021 at 8:44 am
  Hi Tim! That’s so great to hear! I’m so happy that you love this recipe and really grateful that you took the time to stop by and leave a comment. I bet your family will love it as a Christmas gift! Andrea.
  Reply
Judy says
June 22, 2021 at 9:52 am
Hi, I am making my second batch of this recipe. First batch turned out just like in the picture and tastes great. I was wondering if I could do the first cook in a slow cooker. I could then put it on overnight and finish it off next morning without having to stand over it to check it isn’t burning etc. My first batch took 4-5 hours on the stovetop at a low temperature before it looked right. That’s a long time to constantly watch it. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Reply
- Andrea Geddes says
  June 23, 2021 at 8:20 am
  Hello Judy! I am so happy to hear that you love this chutney. It is a really special family recipe that we love too. I have never tried to make it in a slow cooker before, so I’m not sure how it will turn out. But if you do try it, I’d love to know how it turns out. It would be so much easier to “set and forget” if possible! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Andrea 🙂
  Reply
Dawn Keene says
May 24, 2021 at 6:06 am
Do you drain the liquid off ,does it make it very salty.
Regards Dawn
Reply
- Andrea Geddes says
  May 25, 2021 at 11:43 am
  Hi Dawn! No, you throw everything into the pot together. The end result isn’t salty at all, it’s all lovely and balanced. I hope that helps! Andrea.
  Reply
Tracey says
January 03, 2021 at 10:26 am
Thanks for the recipe, just chopping up my tomatoes and onion now. Quick question, have you tied it with less sugar or oes it really need all of the sugar?
Thanks, Tracey
Reply
- Tracey says
  January 03, 2021 at 10:32 am
  Sorry, cooking and typing at the same time…
  *tried and *does.
  Reply
- Andrea Geddes says
  January 04, 2021 at 2:07 am
  Hi Tracey! I haven’t tried it with less sugar, so I’m not sure how it would turn out if you added less. You could try adding a little less and testing the flavour- but the sugar does help to caramelise and balance the chutney. Good luck, let me know how you go! Andrea.
  Reply
  - Tracey says
    January 04, 2021 at 12:06 pm
    
    Super easy, delicious. Will probably try with less sugar next time, just to see.
    Thank you for sharing your recipe with us all.
    Side note, I stuck to the exact measurements and it made 7 x 125ml jars with a little left over for the family to try. x
  - Andrea Geddes says
    January 06, 2021 at 9:55 am
    Hi Tracey! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed it! It’s a really special recipe that I’m so lucky to share. Thank you for taking the time to comment 🙂
- Lisa says
  January 14, 2021 at 7:05 am
  Yes can use half the sugar. Once you open the jar refrigerate
  Reply
Kelly says
December 15, 2020 at 6:52 am

This is absolutely delicious!! I’ve never made chutney before, but have sooo many green tomatoes and found this recipe while trying to figure out what to do with them all. Thank you so much for sharing. I’m going to be making a LOT more.
Reply
- Andrea Geddes says
  December 15, 2020 at 11:12 pm
  Hi Kelly! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! It’s one of my favourites too and such a great way to use up green tomatoes. Thank you for taking the time to comment! Andrea x
  Reply
Chris says
May 04, 2020 at 9:01 am
Hi Andrea. Looks great but I noticed there is no vinegar used. Isn’t vinegar nesessary to make it stable from infections.
Reply
- Andrea Geddes says
  May 10, 2020 at 6:43 am
  Hi Chris. The ezy sauce is a concentrated acid solution which covers that. See the comments for an alternative to easy sauce (which includes vinegar) if you can’t source ezy sauce. Thanks for commenting!
  Reply
Peter says
April 28, 2020 at 4:13 am
A fantastic recipe.
Andrea have you tried it with ripe tomatoes?
Peter. Kingston SE, SA
Reply
- Andrea Geddes says
  April 29, 2020 at 2:33 am
  Thank you Peter! No, I haven’t tried using ripe tomatoes, I use it for my green ones at the end of the season! If you do try it that way, let me know how it goes!
  Reply
Danielle says
April 13, 2020 at 11:40 pm
Hi- I live in NZ and have not heard of “Ezy Sauce” – what is it please…?
Reply
- TheCookingCollective says
  April 14, 2020 at 4:34 am
  Hi Danielle! Thank you, I will update my recipe to reflect this information. Ezy sauce is a sauce with concentrated spices that is used to add to homemade sauces, chutneys and relishes. If you can’t get ezy sauce in your supermarket (it would be worth an ask!), my friend has suggested that the following would be a suitable substitute. If you can get some, EZY sauce is the best option as it is already made and ready to go.
  This was the suggestion:
  15g/ 1/2oz mace
  15g/ 1/2oz cloves
  15g/ 1/2oz allspice
  7g/ 1/4oz chillies
  15g/ 1/2oz pepper
  30g/1oz ginger
  And mix with 375-500ml vinegar and allow the flavours to sit for as long as possible (you can leave it for up to 3 months to get really flavourful). To use, you will need to strain the mixture. Don’t use all of the homemade version in this recipe, follow the quantities of ezy sauce above. Please note that I have not tried this alternative.
  Reply

Old Fashioned Green Tomato Chutney - Relish - The Cooking Collective (2024)

Sterilising Jars