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 made this recipe a few months ago, turned out great! This evening I made a second batch. This time I added two hot peppers (1/2 cup) and substituted half as much brown mustard seed instead of yellow. Nice flavour but may be too spicy for some.
Fantastic, Ed, thank you!
When it sits in the water over night should it be in the fridge
Hi Donna, just leave it out at room temp.
Why do you soak the cucumbers, et al in a salt brine?
Hi Paul, it seems counterintuitive, but the salt brine draws out excess water from the cucumbers (important for getting the right pH level and preventing the relish from being too water-diluted) and it also improves texture.
Just wondering if I should weigh the cucumber before or after peeling and deseeding. Thank you for a timely response making this tomorrow
Hi Kathy, I usually go closer to 2 3/4 pounds of cucumbers so that I end up with roughly 2 1/2 pounds after peeling and seeding them.
Hi, I read a response from someone that said this wasn’t really a dill relish, but more of a sweet relish. I have s good sweet relish recipe, but was hoping this was more “dill ish”. Should I just reduce maybe half the sugar or double the dill seed?
Thanks
Dorothy
Hi Dorothy, I have a sweet pickle relish on my blog also – different flavor profile and definitely sweeter. Yes, you can simply reduce the amount of sugar if you prefer it more tart/tangy.
Sorry…. I am just learning how to can…do we use canning salt to soak or table salt??? For the dill relish if I add the sugar will it still be dill and not sweet relish..
Hi Diana, most people recommend avoiding salts that contain anti-caking agents or iodine, not because they are unsafe to use (they are safe), it’s just that those substances can affect the quality and color of the vegetables you’re canning. So as long as you have table salt, sea salt or kosher salt without anti-caking agents and iodine in them you’re set to go.
As for the sugar, it helps temper the harshness of the vinegar but you can definitely reduce the amount if you prefer.
Have you ever tried using dill pickle relish in tuna salad? Its a staple of mine every time I make it. I love sweet pickle relish but on the rare occasion I use dill relish it is nearly just as good. Thank you for sharing this recipe, I think it is about time I start making my own at home!
Hi Billy, yes, I usually use dill pickle relish in tuna salads. I’ve used sweet before too and agree, both are good.
How much dried dill weed (jar purchased) would you suggest as a substitute for seeds?
Hi Darlene, without having tried it with dried dill weed I’m not sure how much to recommend without tasting it. If I were using fresh dill I’d probably aim for 1/2 cup chopped – the equivalent in dried is roughly 2 1/2 tablespoons.