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Bright, zesty pickle relish loaded with crunchy cucumber bits, tangy vinegar zing, and a touch of sweetness, which is perfect for leveling up burgers and hot dogs! This is so good and like magic in a jar!
Why I Love This Pickle Relish Recipe
Canning and preserving came from a place of necessity. But in today’s world, the convenience and ease of grocery stores have changed what we preserve. Over time, recipes like pickle relish seem pointless when you can just run to the store and buy a jar.
But this straightforward process makes creating relish at home simple and rewarding. As always, I’m using what I have growing in my garden for the season: cucumbers, bell peppers, and cabbage.
Making this relish at home also gives control over the contents. No preservatives or food coloring are needed in this recipe.
Pickle Relish Ingredients
The ingredients for this pickle relish recipe are pretty simple and very garden-forward.
- Onion provides a tangy but pungent flavor, cutting through the brine.
- Peppers provide a robust, sweet, and slightly hot flavor, contrasting with the tanginess of the pickles.
- Cucumbers are the namesake star of this dish, bringing a freshness that helps neutralize stronger flavors in the relish.
- Cabbage gives a tangy flavor and crunchy texture to contrast with the dish.
- Salt is necessary for seasoning the vegetables while also drawing out moisture.
- Vinegar is the base for the brine, providing the acid necessary to preserve the vegetables.
- Honey adds sweetness to the brine, awakening it to complement the flavor.
- Celery seed gifts earthy freshness to season the relish.
- Mustard seed gives the preserves a tangy and slightly spicy flavor while giving little pockets of crunch.
- Turmeric has a warm, earthy flavor to brighten the relish
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
Food safety tip: This recipe may not be approved by the USDA. To prevent the risk of botulism, always check with the USDA Canning Guide.
How to Make Pickle Relish
There are three steps to making pickle relish:
- Prepare the vegetables
- Prepare the brine
- Can the pickle relish
Step 1: Prepare the vegetables. Cut the onion, pepper, cucumber, and cabbage into small chunks. Place each vegetable in a food processor. Pulse the processor a few times to break it down into small, semi-uniform pieces. Add all the ingredients to a large bowl. Stir together. Add the salt and mix. Place in a large bowl and let sit for 6 to 8 hours. Then, drain the liquid from the bowl. Rinse the vegetables with water and let them drain.
Step 2: Prepare the brine. Add the vinegar, water, honey, celery seed, mustard seed, and turmeric to a large kettle. Add in the vegetables, then place over medium heat. Bring to a boil and let cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 3: Can the relish. Pour the relish into sterilized jars, leaving ½-inch of head space. Ensure the brine fully covers the vegetables. Wipe the rims with a paper towel dipped in hot water. Place the rings over the lids and tighten them down to fingertip tightness. Place into a boiling water bath with a bottom rack, ensuring the water covers the jars by at least 1 inch. Let boil for 10 minutes (see chart below for elevation changes), then remove from the bath. Let cool for 12 to 24 hours, then remove the ring to check for proper sealing. Store in a cool, dark place.
Each altitude can require a different processing time. I’m located between 0 and 1,000 feet above sea level. If you are at a different elevation, make sure to check the USDA Canning Guide for your processing time:
| Elevation | 0 to 1,000 ft | 1,001 to 6,000 ft | 6,000 ft + |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time (for pints) | 10 minutes | 15 minutes | 20 minutes |
Pro Tips for Success
- Remove the seeds and pith from the cucumber. This will improve the flavor of the final dish while reducing the water content in the relish.
- Ensure the salt covers the vegetables fully. This is necessary to allow them to be fully seasoned and remove the excess liquid.
- Using a colander works well to allow the juices to be drawn out. It elevates the pieces while providing a place for the liquid to escape. Use a bowl underneath to create a basin to catch the liquid.
Serving and Storage
To serve: This relish works well as a condiment. It’s great as a topping on burgers, brats, hot dogs, or other sandwiches. It can also go beyond that. This relish is great on a chicken, egg, or chickpea salad. It also makes a great addition to charcuterie boards.
To store: Once the jars have sat for 12 to 24 hours and have sealed, the rings can be removed. Place each jar in a cool, dark place, such as a pantry, for up to 1 year. To fully develop the flavors, the jars should be allowed to sit for 2 to 4 weeks before opening. When ready to eat, break the seal by removing the lid, then place the jar in the refrigerator. Once opened, the pickles will last for weeks in the fridge due to the high level of vinegar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bell peppers are an excellent choice for this recipe. Their sweet, mild flavor complements the relish without being overpowering.
That jar cannot be stored at room temperature as it is not shelf-stable, but not all is ruined! Simply refrigerate the jar and enjoy it within 3 to 4 weeks!
These jars will last at least 1 year in a cool, dark place.
How to Make this Pickle Relish Recipe
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
Canned Pickle Relish
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups finely chopped onion
- 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
- 8 cups finely chopped cucumbers pith and seeds removed
- 3 cups finely chopped cabbage
- ½ cup canning salt
For the brine
- 5 cups distilled white vinegar (5%)
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup honey
- 2 ½ tsp celery seed
- 2 ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 2 tsp turmeric
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the onion, red pepper, green pepper, cucumbers, and cabbage. Sprinkle with salt and mix to incorporate. Pour into a large strainer and allow to drain for 6-8 hours. The drained liquid may need to be discarded during this time. After 6-8 hours, discard any liquid and rinse the vegetables well. Drain any excess rinsing liquid.3 cups finely chopped onion, 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper, 1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper, 8 cups finely chopped cucumbers, 3 cups finely chopped cabbage, ½ cup canning salt
- In an 8-quart stockpot, combine the drained vegetables, vinegar, water, honey, celery seed, mustard seeds, and turmeric. Stir to combine and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and fill sterilized jars, leaving ½-inch headspace.5 cups distilled white vinegar (5%), 1 cup water, ½ cup honey, 2 ½ tsp celery seed, 2 ½ tsp mustard seeds, 2 tsp turmeric
- Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean cloth. Place on lids and rings, following the manufacturer's instructions. Place the filled jars in a boiling water bath, ensuring the water covers the jars by one inch. Boil for 10 minutes, then remove the jars from the water bath and allow to rest at room temperature for 12-24 hours. The jars should all be sealed after 1 hour.
- After 12-24 hours, remove the rings to check the seals and place any unsealed jars in the refrigerator. Store at room temperature.
I never tried to can before, until I started watching you,now love it, you make it so simple.Your the best
Do you have a recipe for pickled okra?
Love watching you on all of your vetoes.
Enjoyed your video. I tried this today but its a bit too tangy for me. I would reduce the vinegar next time and maybe use part apple cider vinegar. Also do you know if I can substitute mustard seeds for ground mustard powder? I increased the honey so hope that does not ruin it. Last comment, hoping you can tell me where to find a kettle pot like yours?
Been canning for a couple year now but never canned relish pickled relish, seem easy enough, wish me luck..
No luck needed – you got this!
I grew up with a Mother that canned! I did not try it until about 5 years ago. So wish that I had began earlier! Husband always said, just go buy a can! I have changed his mind! 😄
Thank you so much for your sharing the knowledge that your family has instilled in you! Much appreciated.
Love your videos! My recipe is a little different using green tomatoes in place of cucumbers. I would like to start adding cucumbers to my recipe, or just add some green tomatoes to your recipe. However, I don’t care for honey. Could you substitute sugar in place of honey in your recipe? If so, how much?
I followed your recipe to can relish. I gave a jar to my Dad’s wife and she said it was tangy/sour. Is that the normal taste of the relish?
Delicious
I made this and it so SO delicious!! Thank you for the recipe! I tried “Dolly Partons coleslaw” recipe and she uses sweet pickle relish but I used this instead and my boyfriend ate the whole bowl of coleslaw it was so good!
Made your relish. Yum. I’ve made my version of a hot dog relish for over 30 years. But in all that time I never used a colander to put the veges in while they soaked in salt. I used to hand squeeze the salt brine off veges and then wash the salt off then repeat. U saved me so much time. Thank u.
Wondering if you could use red cabbage in this recipe?
In the South this would be called Chow-chow with the addition of cabbage. Great on pinto beans!
They processed nicely in the jars and look pretty but the brine seemed especially strong with the vinegar.
I was looking for the recipe for the sour krout , you said you kept it in refrigerator. I was telling some ladies abut it now i cant find it..Help
KALEB.
IN THE RECIPE FOR SOURKRAUT CAN YOU ADD A VINEGER??
Bonjour,
Since my mom passed in 2021, I have been checking with relatives and all over the Internet for her recipe of winter salad she was calling it. I was just remembering a few ingredients but not the ratio. Your recipe seems to be the closest I have found so far. I am so excited, will try this week.
This looks delicious and fun make.
Sounds good. I don’t care for cucumbers and don’t grow them, so I make Green Tomato Relish like my mom used to. In fact, I have a batch salted for overnight right now. Folks sometimes call it End of Garden Relish as they use up everything left in the garden before frost. I’ve had it called Chow-Chow and it is similar to Piccalilli. Don’t have a food processor so I use the grinder attachment on my Kitchen Aid Mixer. Thankfully I’ve never had to use the old hand grinder 🙂 My family always liked it on grilled cheese sandwiches as well as hot dogs and hamburgers. Had one guy just eating it right out of the jar.
This is our favorite 😋
Another neat twist…we used a mix of mild and hot banana peppers (seeds, too) instead of bell peppers. A giant crop of them this year. DELICIOUS!