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Home » Food » By Country or Region » North America » America » Homemade Dill Pickle Relish

Homemade Dill Pickle Relish

August 15, 2014 by Kimberly Killebrew · 320 Comments

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An easy, wonderfully versatile and utterly deeeeelicious homemade dill pickle relish recipe! Canning instructions are included so you can enjoy this relish all year long!

pickle relish recipe dill best homemade canning preserving

It’s relish like this that makes eating a sandwich or hot dog just that much better.   It also adds a wonderful dimension to your pasta and potato salads. Last Summer I posted my recipe for Sweet Pickle Relish and here is the more savory version with a more pronounced dill flavor.  It’s so easy to make and comes with instructions for canning so you can enjoy it all the year long.

Homemade Pickle Relish Recipe

Let’s get started!

We’re going to use regular cucumbers.  They’re much cheaper than English cucumbers (the ones that come shrink-wrapped) or pickling cucumbers and taste exactly the same.  I prefer to peel them since the peel is fairly tough.  We’re also going to remove the seeds.

cucumbers

So peel the cucumbers and thinly slice them lengthwise.  Slice them into strips, discarding the inner strip of seeds.  Then very finely dice the cucumbers.

dicing cucumbers

Very finely dice the onions, garlic and red bell pepper.  You can use a food processor, just don’t let the onions and bell pepper get mushy.  I prefer to just do it by hand.

chopping onions

chopping peppers

Note:  There are no green bell peppers shown in the pictures and they weren’t added to this particular batch, but they belong in it.  Okay, now that that’s clear, let’s move on.

Place the diced vegetables in a large bowl along with the salt.  Cover with water and let it sit for at least 6 hours or overnight.

(Ignore the fact that some of the cucumber peels are on.  The second batch I made I peeled the cucumbers and the result was better.)

soaking veggies

Put the sugar, vinegar and spices in a large stock pot and bring it to a boil.  Reduce the heat to a low boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

spiced brine

Drain the cucumber mixture in a colander, thoroughly rinse, and drain again.

Add the mixture to the stock pot.  Return to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.   Discard the bay leaves.

veggies in pot

Ladle the hot relish into the hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace.  Wipe the rims of the jars clean and seal tightly with the lids.  Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

pickle relish recipe dill best homemade canning preserving

Ah, the masterpiece is done!

Best eaten at least a week later after the flavors have had time to meld and the vinegar mellows out a bit.

pickle relish recipe dill best homemade canning preserving

It’s so satisfying to see the end result of your labors – and you can enjoy this relish all the year long!

pickle relish recipe dill best homemade canning preserving

Be sure to also try our:

  • Giardiniera
  • Corn Relish
  • Sweet Pickle Relish
  • Marinara Sauce
  • Sweet Pepper and Onion Relish
  • Pickled Onions
  • Dilly Beans
  • Pickled Asparagus
  • Pickled Turnips
  • Pickled Peppers
  • Pickled Beets

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pickle relish recipe dill best homemade canning preserving

 

Homemade Dill Pickle Relish

Kimberly Killebrew
Enjoy this delicious relish on your sandwiches, hot dogs and hamburgers or add it to your pasta and potato salads!
Print Recipe
4.58 from 56 votes
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 55 mins
Course condiment
Cuisine American
Servings 128 servings
Calories 6 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2½ lbs cucumbers (weighed prior to peeling and seeding),peeled, center row of seeds removed, and finely diced
  • 1 large yellow onion ,finely diced
  • 1 small red bell pepper ,finely diced
  • 1 small green bell pepper ,finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic ,finely minced
  • ¼ cup kosher or pickling salt (neither of these have additives which is important to avoid when canning)
  • 3 cups white vinegar
  • 1/2 cup sugar (optional or use less according to taste)
  • 2 teaspoons dill seeds
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
  • 2 teaspoons celery seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 bay leaves

Instructions
 

  • Place the diced cucumbers, onion, bell pepper, and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Combine with the salt and pour water over the mixture until covered. Let sit for at least 6 hours or overnight.
  • Drain the cucumber mixture in a colander, rinse thoroughly with water, and drain again.
  • In a large stock pot, add the sugar, vinegar, and spices and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the drained cucumber mixture and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.
  • Ladle the hot relish into hot sterile jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims of the jars clean and seal tightly with the lids.
  • Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
  • Sealed jars will store in a cool, dark place for a year. If the seal is broken, the relish will keep in the fridge for at least a month. Makes 4 pints (you can use pint-sized or half pint jars).  
    Best eaten at least a week later after the flavors have had time to meld and the vinegar mellows out a bit.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 6kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Sodium: 221mg | Potassium: 18mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 2.3mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.1mg
Keyword Dill Pickle Relish, Pickle Relish
Tried this recipe? Mention @daringgourmet or hashtag #daringgourmet

 

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320 Comments →

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320 Responses

  1. Deb says

    March 8, 2022 at 8:42 am

    Isn’t that a lot of sugar for dill relish?
    I’m just checking to see if I read that right.

    Deb

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      March 9, 2022 at 7:24 pm

      Hi Deb, yes it’s 1/2 cup. I personally really like it that way and you can scroll through the comments to read the feedback from others, but as I note in the recipe it’s optional or you can use less according to your taste.

      Reply
  2. Tammy W. says

    September 6, 2021 at 7:42 am

    Want to make your recipe however the recipe says salt…. Can you confirm if that is pickling salt. Other recipes I’ve looked at specify course or picking salt. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      September 6, 2021 at 5:45 pm

      Hi Tammy, you can use either pickling salt or kosher salt. Neither of them contain any additives or iodine and that is preferred for pickling and canning.

      Reply
  3. Lara Wilson says

    September 5, 2021 at 5:21 pm

    I only got 3 500ml jars.. measured and weighted everything.. hopefully it tastes okay

    Reply
  4. Pamela White says

    August 25, 2021 at 2:46 pm

    I’m in the middle of making this now. When you say to let it sit for at least six hours, is that refrigerated or outside the fridge? Perhaps a stupid question.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      September 1, 2021 at 7:18 pm

      Hi Pamela, you can do either as long as outside the fridge is no warmer than room temp.

      Reply
  5. nicole says

    August 23, 2021 at 12:04 pm

    used sea salt and the taste is quite salty, i rinsed 2x, I added canned pineapple chuncks to balance the taste a bit. Do you know if brown mustard seeds taste that much different then yellow? I couldnt find yellow! fingers crossed!

    Reply
  6. Sue says

    August 20, 2021 at 4:45 pm

    This sounds like zucchini relish minus dill

    Reply
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kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Welcome!  I’m Kimberly and I share delicious originals, revitalized classics and authentic dishes from around the world.  Come travel the world through your taste buds!

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