BEST Dill Pickle Relish
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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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.)
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.
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.
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.
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. In addition, the relish needs to sit to give it time to absorb some of the liquid and to thicken.
It’s so satisfying to see the end result of your labors – and you can enjoy this relish all the year long!
For more pickled vegetable recipes be sure to try my:
- Giardiniera
- Corn Relish
- Sweet Pickle Relish
- Pickled Pepperoncini Peppers
- Sweet Pepper and Onion Relish
- English Pickled Onions
- Pickled Banana Peppers
- Pickled Okra
- Pickled Green Beans
- Pickled Asparagus
- Pickled Turnips
- Pickled Peppers
- Pickled Beets
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BEST Dill Pickle Relish
Equipment
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. In addition, the relish needs to sit to give it time to absorb some of the liquid and to thicken.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet February 15, 2014
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
I really want a dill taste. We are trying to get the same flavor (or better) as store bought. I have fresh dill plants available as well as dill seeds. Would you just add more dill seeds or add any fresh dill?
Hi Katie, for a strong dill taste you can add both the seeds and the fresh dill.
What do you do with the “guts” of the cucumber? It feels wasteful to toss them… suggestions?
Hi Monica, I feed them to my chickens. Prior to having chickens I added them to my compost bin for my vegetable garden.
Do you have a relish that includes tomatoes?
When making my pickles I like to let them sit on ice for about an hour before making the recipe it makes the pickles crunchier and crispy without using alum. Can I do that with this relish recipe?
Hi Alyson, I don’t see why not. Happy relish making!
Can you leave the mixture for less than six hours if you’re short for time?
Hi Angie, I wouldn’t reduce the time by more than an hour. The primary purpose of that is to draw out excess water so that you don’t dilute the brine, thus altering the pH level and rendering the relish unsafe for canning.
Thanks for this recipe! Dill relish is my fav and have never made my own. Love hearing the “pop” of lids sealing! Brings back warm fond memories water bath canning with my grandmother, aunt, and my mom when a young girl. I added some cayenne pepper to this recipe for an extra kick, substituted white vinegar for apple cider vinegar, and used Japanese cucumbers. Can’t wait to taste after the mellowing week! Thanks again for sharing.
In other recipes, they add as much water as they do vinegar. Could I do that with this recipe?
Hi Toni, for the relish to be safe for canning it has to be the correct pH level. Adding water will dilute the acidity and render it unsafe. Other recipes I’ve seen that include water in the ingredients list aren’t including that water in the actual brine, that’s just the water for soaking the diced veggies and that water is drained before adding the vinegar brine.
I just made this recipe. I think it has too much vinegar. The vinegar taste is overwhelming. Next time I will reduce the vinegar and maybe substitute some lemon juice. I will also add some jalapeno for a little extra spice. Overall a great recipe.
If you eat it straight away yes, the vinegar will be overpowering. As noted in the recipe, the relish needs to sit for at least a week before using it so the flavors have time to meld and the vinegar mellows out.
Do you leave the pickling spices mixed with the relish?
Hi KaDee, yes you do. They soften up.
Do you refrigerate overnight? Or sit bowl out on counter
Hi Barb, no need to refrigerate, just let it sit out, covered, at room temp.
Did you use pint jars or a smaller size?
Hi Karen, this makes approximately 4 pints of relish. You can also use 8 half pint jars if you prefer.
Made again this year as gherkins growing mad. Added 4 birds eye chillies to spice it up, lovely with burgers.
Did the water bath, though these don’t last us long 😋
Thank you so much, Michael, I’m happy it’s become a favorite!
I want to make this today..I have to ask if this tastes very dill ? My favorite relish is dill. Love your site so glad I found you.
Hi Carol, not overly dill but you can certainly add more. How intense the dill flavor is will also of course depend on the quality of the dill you use.
Can I add jalapenos to the relish?
Yes you can, Janet!
I am making this now, with Armenian cukes. Can’t wait to see how they turn out!!
The recipe sounds great. My problem is I have a ton of burpless cucumbers. I know they are not good for pickles but how would they work in relish? Sure would like to be able to use them.
Hi Patti, I wouldn’t hesitate to use your burpless cucumbers for this relish. Happy relish making! :)