An abundance of cucumbers led me to making this homemade sweet relish the first year, but the flavour has made it a “must have” every year since. Great for hot dogs or hamburgers, you’ll find yourself making this homemade relish for years to come too.
A number of years ago, when I had an abundance of cucumbers from my garden, I was searching for recipes that would help me use up the bounty. I didn’t want any to go to waste, and I had already made pickles, so I was looking for something else to make.
A year or two before that, my Mother-in-law had given us a jar of homemade relish that she had made, so I emailed her to see if she would share her recipe with me. That was over a decade ago now, and my pantry shelves have always had at least a few jars of this sweet relish on there since.
If you think making your own relish is overwhelming or too difficult, let me tell you – it is not!
To make things even easier, I use my food processor to shred up all the vegetables, and from there on it’s a breeze.
I like to make our own homemade relish because then I know exactly what is in it and where it comes from. I’m not sure why, but I have found that a lot of the cucumber products in our local store – like pickles and relish – are all coming from India.
We grow plenty of cucumbers in Canada during the summer months, so I don’t know why that is.
Looking for the perfect gluten free hot dog bun to enjoy a frankfurter covered in sweet relish? Look no further than my recipe for gluten free hot dog buns.
Form into either hot dog or hamburger buns, they are better than any store-bought that I’ve tried, and quite easy to make too.
Love the homemade relish, but want even more toppings?
No problem! Here are a few more hot dog and hamburger toppings that you can make at home:
- Homemade Mustard (3 ways)
- Red Pickled Onions
- Boom Sauce (use gluten free Worchestershire sauce)
- NY Style Push Cart Hot Dog Onion Sauce
- Bacon Jam (use gluten free Worchestershire sauce)
Homemade Sweet Relish Recipe:
Homemade Relish
A sweet recipe that my Mother-In-Law shared with me years ago. Still a favourite here!
Ingredients
- 3 quarts (12 cups) cucumbers (shredded)
- 1 quart (4 cups) onions (shredded)
- 2 red peppers, finely chopped
- 2 green peppers, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup pickling (course) salt
- 3 cups water
Brine:
- 3 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
- 1 tablespoon celery seed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Turmeric
Paste:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 heaping tablespoons cornstarch (or Thermflo)
- Additional white vinegar to make a pouring consistency
Instructions
- Sprinkle cucumbers, onions & peppers with pickling (course) salt and water. Let sit for 4 hours. Drain - DO NOT RINSE.
- In a stockpot, mix brine ingredients and bring to a boil. Add drained vegetables and continue cooking until it has returned to a boil.
- Add paste to boiling mixture and cook until thick. NOTE: You can add some green food colouring before adding the paste for a greener relish.
- Place your canning jars in a large canner with enough water to cover them by at least 1-inch, and bring to a boil. Boil for at least 10 minutes. Also place your lids in a pan of simmering water, and simmer for 10 minutes. This ensures that the jars and lids are sterilized before adding the relish to them.
- Lift the sterilized jars from the boiling water bath and empty them. Half should be emptied into the sink, and half should be emptied back into the pot to keep the boiling water level up.
- Once the relish mixture is hot, fill each jar with relish, to within 1/4" of the rim. Wipe the rim clean with a paper towel dipped in boiling water, and place the lids and rings on top of the jar. Return the jars to the boiling water bath and boil them for 10 minutes, well covered in water.
- Remove from waterbath and set jars on a dry towel, free from drafts. Allow to cool completely before checking that each jar has sealed (the lid is pulled down slightly, and no longer “pops” when you push on it). Label and store in cool, dark place. It is best to used home canned goods within 12 months.
Recommended Products
Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Thermoflo is a modified cornstarch. It is made from waxy maize. Ingredion Incorporated, the manufacturer’s of Thermflo, have released a statement saying that Thermflo is indeed gluten free.
When used in canning, Thermflo is more stable than cornstarch, which can become too thick to process safely, and then break down after canning.
Thermflo can be reheated more than once without breaking down, and it can also be used as a thickener in foods you freeze. It is great for canning and pie fillings, as it doesn’t separate over time like cornstarch does. It also stays clear when it cools.
You can buy Thermflo at some stores that specialize in canning and home-baking, I buy mine at Stonybrook Pantry in Steinbach, Manitoba. I’ve read that people are able to find it at Amish and Mennonite stores as well. If you can’t locate it locally, you can order it online though Amazon as well.
PIN IT for later!
Looking for more ways to use up the seasonal vegetables or fruit? Check out my Canning board on Pinterest for more inspiration.
Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Originally posted September, 2008. Images updated August 2019.
Sam says
This looks great!
[eatingclub] vancouver || js says
The relish looks beautiful! Certainly better than the relish from the supermarket. Thanks for sharing!
betty r says
Must make some again..haven’t made relish in a long time.
Awesome pic..
RecipeGirl says
What a perfect idea… I have never thought to make my own relish before! It looks great.
April says
Looks great, sounds delicious!
Eliana says
Who needs store-bought with this recipe? Love it!
Sarah says
This is delicious! A must-try for everyone.
Jeanine says
Thanks, Sarah! I’m a fan of it too! 🙂 Glad to hear it was a hit!
yellie says
WOW, opened a can two months ago and it is all gone, with every one I shared it with, the same response, DELICIOUS, this is by far the recipe, thanks for sharing.
Jeanine Friesen says
That’s awesome! Thanks yellie!
Marisa says
Looks bright and colourful Jeanine
Jeanine Friesen says
Thanks, Marisa!
Melissa Kusowski says
How would you recommend making the relish for DILL and not sweet brine ?
Jeanine says
I think you’d have to look for a different recipe, Melissa. Sorry!
Danielle says
This recipe looks good. Did you put any food coloring and if so how much??
Jeanine says
Food colouring is optional. I’d just do a few drops, stir, and see how you like it.
Danielle says
Tried this recipe this week. It is very easy to make and tastes GREAT!! It tastes better than the big brand relishes out there. I used cheese cloth to drain the veggies and took all the brine out. Now about the food coloring because it asks for Tumeric the relish looked a little yellow to me so instead of using the green food coloring I used BLUE!! Just think about it yellow and blue make GREEN!!! I used about 8 or so drops. Just do a few at a time. Thanks for the recipe. This will be my go to relish from now on.
Tracey says
Hi
Are you suppose to remove the seeds from the cucumber first before making this relish?
Thanks
Jeanine says
I don’t bother. If the seeds are REALLY big, I might quickly scoop them out with a spoon, nothing too picky. 🙂
Ash says
Coarse*
Betty McRae says
I’m allergic to corn, could I use tapioca, potato, or arrowroot safely?
Sheila says
Have just made this. Super easy.
Erin says
Making this today…did you use pint or half pint jars?
Also, is ten minutes processing for regular elevation?
I’m in NC at 2600 feet and may need more time.
Jeanine Friesen says
Hi Erin, I used half pint jars (250 ml), and I am at a mere 800 feet where I live.
Susan says
Hi did you use regular field cucumber and did you peel and de seed them….also what onion sweet or Spanish?
Jeanine Friesen says
I used the garden cukes I grew, peeling them is optional, and I would only seed them if they grew really large. I use the onions I have on hand, usually yellow onions.
Alice says
Once again Jeanine, your recipe is perfect! I mead this for the first time ever because we have so many cukes i just may have to open a cucumber stand! I came across this recipe and since it was one of yours I just knew it would be good and it is better than good. Followed the recipe step by step, so easy. This relish will change everything hot dog ,hamburger or anything else! Thanks again.
Jeanine Friesen says
Alice, that is so kind of you! We love this relish too, no need for store bought anymore!
Vivienne says
This relish is beautiful, delicious and textually pleasing.
I chose to make it out of all the ones I looked at because of the bright green colour (beauty).
I didn’t use any food colourings but I did use dill tips instead of celery seeds because I had none.
Very yum, (delicious). And I can’t stop munching it up, (textually pleasing).