Sweet Pickle Relish

"After much experimentation with ingredients and ratios, this is my favorite sweet pickle relish. I usually can it when the burpless cukes from the garden get away from me."
 
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photo by Chef Linda of Louis photo by Chef Linda of Louis
photo by Chef Linda of Louis
photo by Jessica J. photo by Jessica J.
photo by Roseann0617 photo by Roseann0617
photo by misdanrs photo by misdanrs
Ready In:
5hrs
Ingredients:
9
Yields:
3 pints
Serves:
96

ingredients

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directions

  • To deseed cucumbers, I cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with my finger.
  • I chop the unpeeled cucumbers as well as the other vegetables with a Pampered Chef chopper.
  • Put all the vegetables in a large bowl.
  • Sprinkle the salt over the chopped vegetables.
  • Cover with cold water and let stand for 2 hours.
  • Drain vegetables well, then press out as much liquid as possible.
  • In a large pot, combine sugar, vinegar and seeds.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Add vegetables.
  • Bring back to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Using a slotted spoon, put into pint jars according to standard canning procedures.
  • (Note: Although some of the brine needs to go in the jars, I use a slotted spoon to keep it from being too soupy.).
  • Process in a hot water bath according to your altitude (10 minutes for up 50 1000 ft.).

Questions & Replies

  1. It's getting late and I'm not going to be able to finish. Can I drain the water off veggies and put in covered container in frig and finish tomorrow
     
  2. Can I put this in jelly jars and how long do I process
     
  3. Another recipe that I’’m excited about….I like a little heat so I added 3 jalapenos and two serranos to the recipe to give it some nice back heat but not overpowering. Love
     
  4. When you say “cidar vinegar” do you mean apple cidar vinegar?
     
  5. I have made this recipe 2 years in a row. There is always to much liquid. Does anyone else have this issue?
     
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Reviews

  1. Why doesn't anyone review the actual recipe?? Always I changed this and changed that.... well let me say this review the actual recipe. Did anyone try the recipe as was written?
     
  2. I do not agree with the posters who said to cut sugar and vinegar in half. I doubled this recipe yesterday and again today, and after jarring (both times), I had almost 2 cups of juice left over, which, imo, is not enough to risk the loss of flavor the sugar and vinegar add to the overall recipe. I use homemade sweet relish for my deviled eggs and often pasta/potato salads. Literally, at all occasions, I am asked by everyone to bring deviled eggs, and they get gone just as fast as I put them down, nomatter how many I make. The secret to the flavor of my deviled eggs is this homemade relish, and reducing ingredients can result in reducing flavor, particularly when you are talking about the sugar and vinegar base. My opinion? Stick with the recipe as is....it's a winner.
     
  3. This is a very good recipe. When you make it, cut the sugar and vinegar in half. Then you will not have leftover juice. I also cut the sugar down by 1/2 cup and the end result was quite tasty. After I soaked the veg with the salt water I drained, washed it well and then put it in my cloth bag I use for jelly juice to squeeze out all the juice. Worked quite nicely. I also made a double batch with a single batch of the juice and seeds and it turned out very good. Donna should be commended for the basic recipe. I will keep it to use each year from now on!!
     
  4. My mom used to make this for our family of 10, back many years ago. I believe I can help those that have lots of pickling liquid leftover...mom used to drain the veggies (after 2 hrs in saltwater) by putting them in a clean pillowcase and gang it outside, periodically squeezing it to release liquid. That's the secret, the veggies need to be quite dry when you add them in the pickling liquid to simmer 10 min. When I made this recipe, I added a few more peppers/onions had very little liquid left over. Hope this helps.
     
  5. We added a few things to this recipe. We doubled the recipe by adding 4 cups of Zucchini along with 4 cups of cucumbers. 3 cups of splenda, 3 cups of vinegar, and then pickling spices instead of mustard and celery seed. Could still cut back Splenda back by a cup, a little sweet. Taste just like what Grandma used to make !!!
     
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Tweaks

  1. I added 6 habanero peppers, leaving 2 with seeds and it was delicious and just a little heat.
     
  2. I made this today with the following changes and it is scrumptious. Instead of 2 cups vinegar, 1 cup was used. Instead of 3-1/2 cups of sugar, 1-3/4 cup of Splenda/sucralose was used and instead of the celery/mustard seeds, 2 T of pickling spices were used. This was my first attempt at any kind of relish. I ate it warm on crackers - very good! Can't wait until I can put it in some tuna!
     
  3. It’s too sweet for my family so I reduced the sugar by 1/2 cup. I added 1/2 tsp caraway seeds to the syrup. It adds a nice twist.
     
  4. It’s too sweet for my family so I reduced the sugar by 1/2 cup. I added 1/2 tsp caraway seeds to the syrup. It adds a nice twist.
     
  5. First of all. Let me just say this.. This Relish is AMAZING! <br/>I've been a line cook for about 5 years now and I am huge on flavors...This Relish sings to me! I made it at our restaurant one day, added it to our burgers, served to my chef and fellow cooks.. We were talking about it all day!<br/><br/>*You cannot imagine how much THIS RELISH compliments burgers, hot dogs or sandwiches*<br/><br/><br/>I was in a rush one day, so I cheated..My cheat for this recipe:<br/><br/>- I used dill pickles instead of cucumbers<br/>- I omitted the kosher salt and seeds (dill pickles)<br/>- I used Apple Cider Vinegar<br/><br/>My favorite relish to date. I'd give more stars if I could!
     

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

I am the mother of 6 (only 5 of whom I birthed), and the grandmother of 10. Since my children were born in ’70, ’73, ’80, ’85, and ’90, I have always had kids in different stages of life; so my life has never been boring. I homeschooled the youngest 3 for 15 years(which I really really enjoyed), but my youngest daughter is now going to the University of Hawaii. The next oldest daughter is a theater manager and English teacher in Seattle. Our 4 sons are are all merried, living in West Virginia, Nevada, and Oregan and are the parents of all our grandchildren .I did the Cub Scout leader a long time ago; then the Girl Scout leader and like that a lot better. I also love to garden and to cook. I started cooking in grade school, was fixing dinner every night as my “family chore” by the time I was in junior high, and have been enjoying it ever since. I think when you enjoy cooking, it is contagious. My married sons both share some of the cooking with their wives; my college daughter has enjoyed putting on Sunday Suppers in her dorm. Reading is also a favorite pastime, but my “reading” is done via books on tape since I am legally blind. I love Zarr because it allows me access to so many recipes, as well as the benefit of others’ experiences (thanks to modern technology and a specialty computer software program designed for the blind and visually impaired. My husband (DH is an understated term) and I are involved in our church choir together, enjoy traveling, visiting friends around the country, and taking our grandchildren and Girl Scouts camping.
 
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