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!
Making a second batch tomorrow, this time a triple batch! First batch turned out so good. Personally I hand chop all the veggies for a more coarse relish.
Fantastic, Rod, thank you so much!
Can you use fresh dill instead of dill seeds?
We are inviting our 6 grandkids over for “RELISH PARTY”. We’re are going to harvest the cucumbers together in the afternoon and brine them and set them in the fridge. Then we will set up tents, roast hot dogs over the BBQ and have supper and call it a night. The next morning we will make the herbs and boil the jars. Each one gets to take home a quart of relish and pictures.
So fun, Rebecca, I love your plan!
I’ve made this recipe before and my family love it. I was thinking I used ACV instead of white will that be okay?
Hi Veneta, yes that’s no problem, it will just have a little different flavor profile. The important thing is that the vinegar is at least 5% acidity which white vinegar and apple cider vinegar both are.
I made this relish 6 weeks ago. I opened a jar yesterday and the vinegar was over powering. Could I maybe add more cakes, onion and peppers. And reprocess?
Would it be ok to use Walla Walla sweet onions and replace green pepper with red or yellow peppers? Will it alter the taste of the relish? Excited to make & try this recipe.
Hi Jenny, yes you can definitely make those substitutions. It will alter the flavor a little but not in a bad way.
This is my third year making but I use pickling cukes. The remains crunchy its great and I add more garlic.
I can’t make enough of it as it goes pretty fast! Was even offered $10 per jar!
Love the recipe 5 stars ⭐️
Do you need to refrigerate the soaking cucumbers, or can they sit on the counter overnight?
Hi Hollie, I just let them sit out at room temp.