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
- Branston Pickle
- Pickled Red Onions
- 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 roughly 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 just finished making this and am canning it now. It’s exactly what I wanted. I had a bunch of overripe cukes and an odd mixture of onions and peppers from the garden and just used what I had. I had never made relish, so now I know the basics, thanks to you and can carry on experimenting with corn, etc.
Incidentally I just guessed at the amount of diced cucumbers and I ended up with exactly two pints! Thanks much for your recipe!
Fantastic, Thies, I’m so glad you liked it, thank you!
I tried this recipe and it is very good i found it too sweet for a dill pickle relish and although it only calls for 2 tsp celery seed the taste of the celery seed comes through too strong, i will make this again omitting the sugar and using half the celery seed called for in the recipe. Thanks, I’ll post how the 2nd batch comes out with the slight changes.
Going to try this recipe this weekend just confused by the salt
Not sure if I should go on the hunt for pickling salt or use what I have in the house
I have never did any canning before
Hi Laurie, no, you don’t need to use pickling salt. Kosher salt and sea salt are both great alternatives. You can use regular table salt too but because it has iodine and anti-caking additives in it, it can negatively impact the color and texture of the pickles, but it’s safe to eat.
Excellent relish, love the flavor! Will be making another batch tomorrow!
Fantastic, Cami, thanks so much for the feedback!
Kimberley, I just opened my jar from last weekend and the relish is perfect …followed the recipe just used fresh dill from garden. It’s so good even after one week. I used Kosher salt all good. Thanks for sharing I’m passing on this recipe to some friends. :)
Wonderful, Laurie, I’m so happy to hear that, thank you!
Laurie, how much fresh dill did you use per batch? I have fresh dill and was wondering. thanks.
April not much really I pull some dill from garden chopped it fine and threw it in the pot, I would say maybe only a table spoon // I can literally eat this relish out of the jar with a spoon so easy & good
Hi. I’ve followed your recipe exactly and it’s in the jars after the bath. It seems a bit runny from viewing it. Will it thicken as it matures or has it gone horribly wrong? Cheers. Andrea
Hi Andrea, it will thicken a bit once it has fully cooled and has sat for a while.
Thanks Kimberley, it looks like your photos so fingers crossed. I’ll let you know how I get on.
Hi Kimberly,
Just trying the relish, I’vegot it in the water with salt… do I leave it at room temp or in the fridge and do I cover it?
Thanks in advance
:)
Hi Hazel, just leave it out at room temp and if you have flies buzzing around go ahead and cover it.
The head space should be 1/2 inch not 1/4 inch when canning relishes.
I do not have fresh green or red peppers on hand, but I do have some frozen. Can I use frozen peppers in this recipe?
Hi Rosemary, that should work just fine. Happy canning!
Thank you. Want to get started now so they can sit overnight.
How many pint jars do you fill with this mixture? I think I cut too many cuckes.. :) Just making sure –
Hi Arlene, this makes about 4 pints.
can yellow bell peppers be added to it and celery