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 made the relish but I after making it still has a brimie bitter taste 👅 Can I recook & add something to it ?
How long is the relish good for?
If you can it using the water bath method it’s good for at least a year. Otherwise, in the fridge, it’s good for several weeks and potentially several months.
How long is this good for after opening a jar? So let’s say I can, wait a week or two, then open a jar to use, how long is it good for in the fridge?
Hi Natalie, for at least several weeks.
Is there no way to make pickle relish with out the canning at the end? I would like just a small recipe that I can refrigerate. I don’t own can lifters or racks for my stock pot and I don’t have a good place to store the jars of canned relish.
Hi Lisa, no you don’t have to can the relish. You can cut the recipe in half and store the relish in jars in the fridge and it will keep for several weeks. For optimal flavor I still recommend waiting at least a week before eating it so the flavors have time to develop.
Is it possible to use Splenda or Swerve as a sugar-free alternative?
Hi Shelia, most “official” sources do not recommend using Splenda or Swerve or similar alternative sweeteners in pickling.
You did not mentioned the bell green will be added in which stage or step?.
Hi Mercator, it’s listed in Step 1 – added at the same time as all the other veggies.
Best ever dill relish! My daughter eats it in a dish with a spoon, nothing else needed. I like that the sugar is optional, we don’t like sweet relishes in this family. I’ve made it twice with our bumper crop of cukes and now I’m going to try it with green tomatoes. We’ve come to the end of the season and they aren’t going to get any riper! I imagine it will be just as tasty! Thanks for this marvelous recipe.
I’m so glad you both enjoyed it, Zoë, thank you so much! Using green tomatoes is a great idea.
I’m not a fan of relish, well now I should say store-bought relish. This recipe is absolutely delicious. And I’ve already thought of several ways to use it in my cooking other than putting it on a hot dog. Thank you so much!
I’m so glad, Susan, thank you very much!
Question? What is the purpose of letting the vegetable mixture sit overnight?
Hi Gregg, cucumbers are loaded with water and letting the salted veggies sit overnight draws out the excess water. That will prevent the brine from being diluted with too much water which would otherwise render the pH level unsafe for canning.
Do you have to add any more salt after rinsing the salt off?
Hi Margaret, no you don’t add any more salt, the veggies will already have absorbed quite a bit, even after rinsing them.
Hi, is the 8 cups of cucumbers for 2 1/2 lbs after peeling and removing the seeds?
I have a LOT of cucumbers and this looks like a great way of putting a lot of them aside for winter and good for gifts too. I like that it sounds like it won’t be like the sickly sweet pickle relish that one commonly finds.
Hi Sarah, that’s 2 1/2 pounds before they’re peeled and seeded. If your cucumbers are particularly “seedy” you can add a little more. Happy canning and I hope you enjoy the relish!
I wish I had read this first. I weighed them after peeled and seeded. I haven’t made it yet. It’s still soaking. Maybe I’ll add more of the other vegetables. Hopefully they will turn out okay without soaking them as long
My first time making this recipe & I’ve doubled the ingredients. Do I need to double the vinegar & spices as well?
Hi Judy, yes you’ll need to double everything for the sake of the flavor, having enough liquid, and to keep the pH level where it needs to be for safe canning.
How many cups of diced cucumbers do you think equals 2 1/2 pounds? Even a rough idea would be helpful. Making this recipe over the holiday weekend, excited.
Thank you!
8 cups
Good recipe, the first batch I made was real soupy, so the second batch I squeezed the mixture though a cheese cloth and got all the liquid out before adding to vinegar mixture and cooking….PERFECT!
Have not made yet, but wanted to share with other canners that I put all veggies thru an electric grinder with the largest holes. I do this with both zucchini and cucumber relishes. Saves time and labor.
Hello! I am trying this recipe for the first time and was wondering, is that 2 1/2 pounds of cucumber before it is peeled and diced, or do you want to end up with 2 1/2 pounds of peeled diced cucumber? Thanks!
Hi Heidi, aim for 2 1/2 pounds (or just slightly over) of whole cucumbers before they’re peeled. Happy canning!