Sweet Pickle Relish

I love this pickle relish on brats or homemade hamburgers. Add to potato or egg salad as well. It makes a great summer food addition. Yields about 6 pints.

Ingredients

clean, and place seals and rings.

• 1 quart chopped cucumber • 2 cups chopped onion • 1 cup chopped green pepper • 1 cup chopped red pepper • 1/4 cup canning salt • 3 1/2 cups sugar • 2 cups cider vinegar • 1 Tbsp. celery seed • 1 Tbsp. mustard seed

Supplies

• Water bath canner • Canning jars, seals, and rings • Large pot • Canning funnel, lid lifter, and jar lifter • Ladle and bubble tool

Procedure

Start by preparing jars and getting water in the canner heating. You want the canner hot, but not boiling, when the jars are ready to be processed. See page xx for full water bath canning instructions.

1. 2. Combine vegetables in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and cover with 3. Let stand 2 hours. 4. Drain well, pressing out excess water. 5. Mix sugar, vinegar, and spices and bring to a boil. 6. Add well-drained vegetables to vinegar mixture. Simmer 10 minutes. 7. Pack into hot jars, leaving 1/4” headspace. 8. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims

cold water. 9. Place jars in the warm canner. 10. Process according to chart below.

Processing Times for Water Bath Canner (Hot Pack)

Altitude

0-1,000 ft 1,001-3,000 ft 3,001-6,000 ft Above 6,000 ft

Pints

10 minutes 15 minutes 20 minutes 25 minutes

SHARON’S TIPS FOR SWEET PICKLE RELISH

Note on Red Peppers

The red peppers add a nice color, but you can use all green peppers if you don’t have red on hand.

Salad Spinners are amazing things!

I use a salad spinner after the soaking time to get excess water out. It works great! If you don’t have one simply put your mix in a colander and press to drain the extra water. You can also wrap the whole thing up in a towel, take it outside and whirl it around. The extra water will drain out. Make sure you have a tight grip and don’t end up spewing your canning project over the front lawn!

Easy Summer Tuna or Chicken Sandwich Filling

So it is pretty obvious that this is a relish that is the perfect combination with hamburgers, hot dogs, or brats. But you know how I use it the most? Chicken sandwiches! Simply mix some of this relish in with home canned chicken breast and some shredded cheddar cheese. Add a couple shakes of hot sauce and some salt and pepper to taste. Spread it on a sandwich or mix with some macaroni for a cold macaroni salad. A quick summer lunch!

Adapted from Resource:

Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving.

LOW-TEMPERATURE PROCESS PICKLES

Are You Pickle Challenged?

I will fully admit here to being picklechallenged. In fact, I did not make dill pickles for many years. This came as a result of a frustrating experience.

On my first attempt, I made dill pickles using the recipe from the Ball Blue Book. My pickles were tasty but soft and soggy. My family resisted eating them. I realized they were never going to be eaten. I threw them out. Jars and jars of them! I vowed to NEVER make pickles again. All that work, down the drain.

I next tried a product called Pickle Crisp, and I did get some fairly nice pickles. This is a product put out by the Ball Company. It is very easy to use, and I do recommend giving it a try. You simply add a bit to each jar as you pack the pickles. It can be used in any pickle recipe. Just follow the directions on the package. I then decided to try a low-temperature process that I saw posted on the National Center for Home Food Preservation website. The trick with this method is a lower temperature process. The caution is that you must carefully monitor the temperature and use a recipe that has been tested for this method. It won’t work for just any pickle recipe.

If you want to do this, use a thermometer and time things carefully. In addition, use this processing method only with a tested recipe that specifically says lowtemperature pasteurization treatment.

Guess what? It worked. I am now happily filling my jars and ending up with nice, crunchy dill pickles. I’m happy. My family is happy! Give it a try!

I’ve included directions for both standard water bath processing and lowtemperature processing with fresh pack dill pickles (next recipe).