It’s that time of the year when cucumber season is in full swing, and we can’t wait to share our amazing sweet pickle relish recipe with you. We’re thrilled to be harvesting our cucumbers from both our raised row garden and straw bale crates. By late June, the cucumbers are growing like crazy, and we have to pick them almost every day!
With Independence Day just around the corner, we have plenty of time to make relish for our upcoming barbecues and picnics. We’ll be using this homemade relish as a condiment for hot dogs and hamburgers, as well as in deviled eggs and potato salad. It’s a versatile and tasty addition to any summer meal.
Sweet Pickle Relish Recipe
Note: Complete recipe instructions with specific measurements, cook temperatures, and times can be found in the printable recipe card at the end of this article. However, keep reading for helpful tips and tricks.
Ingredients:
- Cucumbers
- Sweet Onion
- Pickling or Kosher Salt
- White Vinegar
- Sugar
- Garlic
- Dill Seed
- Mustard Seed
- Celery Seed
- Turmeric
Instructions:
The first step in making this scrumptious sweet pickle relish is to prepare the cucumbers. Begin by slicing the washed cucumber lengthwise and removing the seeds with a spoon.
Next, finely dice both the cucumbers and onions. While you can do this by hand, I prefer using my Food Processor to save time and effort. Just be cautious not to process the vegetables for too long, or they’ll turn into mush.
Once the cucumbers and onions are diced, place them in a non-reactive pot and add the salt. Stir and let the mixture sit for 2 hours. The salt will draw out the moisture from the vegetables, and after two hours, you’ll notice a significant amount of liquid in the bowl.
Drain the mixture in a strainer until all the liquid is removed. Press the mixture against the strainer to ensure you remove any hidden moisture located in the center of the pile.
While the cucumbers and onions continue to drain, prepare the relish brine. In a medium pot over medium-high heat, add vinegar, sugar, garlic, dill, celery, mustard seed, and turmeric. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Add the drained cucumber and onion mixture to the pot and stir. Once it comes back up to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool completely. Store the relish in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use it as desired.
Canning Instructions
If you’d like to make this recipe shelf-stable, you can can your Sweet Pickle Relish using a hot water bath canner.
After removing the relish from the heat, ladle it immediately into hot and sterilized pint-size mason jars. Fill the jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace at the top. Run a plastic knife down the edges of the jar to remove any air bubbles.
Wipe the rim of each jar with a clean cloth and then add the lid, finger-tightening the band. Using a jar lifter, lower the jars into a preheated hot water bath, ensuring that the jars are 1-2 inches below the water line.
Increase the heat to bring the pot to a full rolling boil. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Once the time is up, turn off the heat and carefully remove the lid. Let the jars sit in the water for 5 minutes.
Using the jar lifter, remove each jar and place it on a thick towel. Allow the jars, filled with this delightful sweet pickle relish recipe, to cool at room temperature for 24 hours.
After they have cooled completely, test the jars to ensure they have sealed properly. Press on the center of the lid; if the lid moves up and down, the jar didn’t seal and should be stored in the refrigerator. If you can’t press the lid in, the jars are safe to store in a cool, dark place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Favorite Relish Recipes
- Dill Pickle Relish
- Grandma’s Zucchini Relish
- Sweet and Spicy Zucchini Relish
- Spicy Pickle Relish
Enjoy!
Mary and Jim
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