Sweet Cucumber Relish Recipe
It never fails. I always have an overabundance of cucumbers every summer from the backyard garden. I probably plant way too many mounds of cucumbers. They ripen by the end of July in NC. We all get pretty tired of eating them, so I try to find great canning recipes to help use up and ease the same recipes over and over again. This sweet cucumber relish is one great water bath canning recipe to help do just that.
My cucumber relish uses cucumbers, red and green sweet bell peppers, and onions. Red onions give the relish more of a beautiful array of colors in the mason jars, but you can use yellow or white onions just as well. I love how beautiful the colors are in the brown sugar vinegar mixture. The more colors the jar has, the more appetizing it seems to be.
Cost to make recipe.
Section coming soon.
Similar recipes to try and water bath can
Recipe adapted
This canning recipe is taken from Ball’s Blue Book: A Guide to Preserving. All images and text are all my own and original to Vintage Mountain Homestead. Click here for more information about our home food preservation disclaimer.
Cucumber Relish
Ingredients
- 2 quarts cucumbers, seeded and chopped small
- 2 cups sweet green pepper, chopped small
- 2 cups sweet red pepper, chopped small
- 1 cup onion, chopped small
- 1 Tbsp. turmeric
- ½ cup pickling salt
- 4 quarts cold water, divided
- 1½ cup brown sugar
- 1 quart 5% white vinegar
- 2 stick cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp. mustard seed, brown or yellow
- 2 tsp. whole allspice
- 2 tsp. whole cloves
- Ball Pickle Crisp, optional
Instructions
- Cut up all vegetables and combine in a large bowl. Sprinkle with turmeric over vegetables.
- Dissolve salt in 2 quarts of cold water and pour over cut vegetables and let stand for 2-4 hours.
- Combine brown sugar. white vinegar, and spices in a large saucepot and bring to a boil. Take off heat and let sit.
- Take out brined vegetables and drain completely.
- Strain liquid to take away large spices. Pour sugar vinegar spice liquid over drained vegetables. Cover and let sit in refrigerator overnight or 12-18 hours.
- Prepare water bath canner, equipment, and mason jars with lids and rings.
- In a large stockpot, heat vegetables in the sugar vinegar mixture until the relish is hot throughout.
- Pack hot relish into hot mason jars leaving a ½ inch headspace.
- Add pickle crisp to each jar if you want but it is not necessary.
- Remove air bubbles, wipe down jars, and place lids.
- Process for 10 minutes in water bath canner.
Cucumber Relish
Cooking Methods
- Water Bath Canning Equipment
- Mason Jars, Lids, and Rings
Ingredients
- 2 quarts cucumbers, seeded and chopped small
- 2 cups sweet green pepper, chopped small
- 2 cups sweet red pepper, chopped small
- 1 cup onion, chopped small
- 1 tbsp. turmeric
- ½ cup pickling salt
- 4 quarts cold water, divided
- 1½ cup brown sugar
- 1 quart 5% white vinegar
- 2 stick cinnamon
- 1 tbsp. mustard seed, brown or yellow
- 2 tsp. whole allspice
- 2 tsp. whole cloves
- Ball Pickle Crisp, optional
Instructions
- Cut up all vegetables and combine in a large bowl. Sprinkle with turmeric over vegetables.
- Dissolve salt in 2 quarts of cold water and pour over cut vegetables and let stand for 2-4 hours.
- Combine brown sugar. white vinegar, and spices in a large saucepot and bring to a boil. Take off heat and let sit.
- Take out brined vegetables and drain completely.
- Strain liquid to take away large spices. Pour sugar vinegar spice liquid over drained vegetables. Cover and let sit in refrigerator overnight or 12-18 hours.
- Prepare water bath canner, equipment, and mason jars with lids and rings.
- In a large stockpot, heat vegetables in the sugar vinegar mixture until the relish is hot throughout.
- Pack hot relish into hot mason jars leaving a ½ inch headspace.
- Add pickle crisp to each jar if you want but it is not necessary.
- Remove air bubbles, wipe down jars, and place lids.
- Process for 10 minutes in water bath canner.