This homemade Corn Relish recipe is superbly delicious, fabulously versatile, and comes together in a snap! We provide canning instructions so you can preserve the taste of summer corn all year long!
One of the things I love about canning is that it enables you to enjoy the fresh flavors of Summer produce long after the growing season is over.  It’s also a great way to make use of sales when you can buy in bulk for a good price and especially if you have your own garden or fruit trees.  And of course there are few things as satisfying as walking into your pantry or out to your garage shelf and seeing jars and jars of homemade goods ready for your family to enjoy. And seeing jars of homemade sweet corn relish is something I get especially excited about!
This year we celebrated our first harvest of homegrown sweet corn and let me tell you, what a celebration it was! The ears of heirloom sweet corn couldn’t have been more picture perfect and the flavor was as good as the best corn we’ve had anywhere. We harvest just shy of 200 ears of corn, shucked them all, blanched and froze a lot of cobs and froze the rest of creamed corn. But not before setting some aside to make our favorite sweet corn relish!
How Long Does Corn Relish Keep?
If you follow the canning directions and keep the jars stored in a cool, dark place the corn relish will keep for a year. Once opened keep the jars in the fridge and use within 2 months.
How to Use Corn Relish
Corn relish can be used in a variety of ways to add a tangy and sweet flavor to your dishes. Here are a few ways to use corn relish:
- Topping for Grilled Meat, Chicken, Burgers, Hot Dogs, and Seafood
- Tacos, Burritos, Quesadillas
- Salads:Â It’s great in both leafy green salads and pasta salads
- Sandwiches and Wraps
- A dip for tortilla chips
- Baked Potatoes
- Bruschetta
- Scrambled Eggs or Omelets
- Rice and Grain Bowls
Something that isn’t remotely necessary but that I’m kind of anal about it getting all the veggies chopped uniformly.  You can chop by hand or use a food processor but appearance-wise relishes just look so much nicer when the veggies are all uniform in size and shape.  A gadget that my mother-in-law got me as a gift a few years ago and that I love to use for purposes like this is the Vidalia Chop Wizard, which doesn’t appear to be available anymore, but this vegetable chopper does the same thing plus has a lot of additional features. It enables you to chop your veggies in perfectly uniform sizes.
Corn Relish Recipe
Let’s get started!
Finely chop the onions.
Do the same with the red and green bell peppers and the celery ribs.
Remove the husks and silk from the corn and cut the kernels off the cobs.
Put everything in a pot.
Add all remaining ingredients and bring it to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Spoon the mixture into hot sterilized jars leaving 1/4 inch of head space and seal with lids. Â Place in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Here is the canner I use (I have an older model) and it comes with all the accessories: Â Granite Ware Enamel-on-Steel Canning Kit
Wait a week or two before eating the relish to allow time for the vinegar to mellow out.
Keep the jars stored in a cool dark place. Â They’ll keep for at least a year. Â Once opened, store in the fridge and use within 2 months.
Enjoy!
For more delicious pickling recipes be sure to try our:
- Giardiniera
- Pickled Carrots
- Dill Pickle Relish
- Sweet Pickle Relish
- Sweet Pepper and Onion Relish
- Pickled Onions
- Pickled Pepperoncini Peppers
- Pickled Jalapenos
- Pickled Banana Peppers
- Dilly Beans
- Pickled Asparagus
- Pickled Turnips
- Pickled Peppers
- Pickled Beets
BEST Corn Relish
Ingredients
- 10 fresh ears of sweet yellow corn , husks and silk removed, slice kernels off the cob with a sharp knife
- 2 large red bell peppers , cored, and finely chopped
- 2 large green bell peppers , cored and finely chopped
- 8 ribs celery , finely chopped
- 1 large yellow or sweet onion , finely chopped
- 4 cups apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground mustard
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 4 whole allspice berries
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Ladle the relish into hot sterilized jars and seal with lids. Process the jars in a water bath for 10 minutes.
- Keep stored in a dark, cool place. Will keep at least one year. Once opened, store in the fridge for up to two months.Makes approximately 8 pintsNote: Wait a week or two before eating the relish to allow time for the vinegar to mellow out.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet July 19, 2015
Kathryn says
This looks great. Maybe I’m missing it, but what size jars did you use and how many jars does the recipe make?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Kathryn, it’s easy to overlook but it’s in the top left corner of the recipe box – it makes about 8 pints. You can use half pint or pint-sized jars.
grand says
in western Colorado there is a special sweet corn. It’s so sweet, you think there was suger sprinkled on it. I will BBQ my corn first. For a nice touch.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That sounds wonderful, grand, I’d love to try that special sweet corn! If I’m every in western Colorado during corn season I’ll definitely remember to try it, it sounds wonderful!
Johnny miller says
I’d like to know a lot more ways to use this relish. I’ve canned a batch but I want more ways to use it.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Johnny, as I mentioned in my post this relish is great on hamburgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, fish, served with roasted chicken, in a cheese omelet or pasta salad, sprinkled over tacos or in burritos, added to your favorite pasta salad or mixed with black beans/tomatoes/onions/cilantro for a fresh Summer salad. Let us know if you find any other tasty uses for it. Enjoy!
Bonnie DuCharme says
Put it in some chili or mix it in with melted cheese
Do a quick dip.
cathy b colyer says
It is so good with Pinto Beans
Julia says
Just scoop with ritz crackers. Yum
Pamela Eubanks says
A few hot peppers will spice it up more
Thomas Harbour says
Only thing I did different with recipe was to blanch and cool the sweet corn.Great recipe,delicious!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, thank you, Thomas!
Betty Joy says
Mine was so sour from vinegar…I switched the sugar and vinegar and now its good…4 sugar 2 vinegar….
anne says
fyi you can’t switch the sugar and vinegar. the vinegar is for safety. The corn has a low acidity and may grow harmful bacteria/botulism. canning is chemistry. you shouldn’t randomly change the recipe. I hope you are healthy and well after eating this.
Michelle Goth says
I canned quite a bit of sweet corn last year. I’m going to mix it up with your relish this summer!
Katerina @ Diethood says
I’d love to take a spoon to that! I am also a fan of canning for the same reasons, but it also relaxes me! So odd. :-D
Des @ Life's Ambrosia says
I usually buy the Trader Joe’s corn relish but I don’t need to now. This looks wonderful!
Jessica - The Novice Chef says
I love corn relish! Definitely don’t make it enough. Thanks for sharing!
Cookin Canuck says
I can think of a thousand ways that I would want to serve this relish – including on a spoon, straight into my mouth. Great flavors here!
Anonymous says
Are u really a Canuck, I am and brought alot of receipies from Canada. Long live poutine
Dave Williams says
I’m a canuck and have shared some recipes with my American neighbors. 1 even gives me her ham bone so I can make the real split pea soup Quebec style. Make poutine some times and every one loves my salmon pie with cucumber dill sauce. GO LEAFS
Sandra Lierle says
Not from there but would have some of these recipes you have mentioned. Will try to get some you would like an send to you in exchange. Where I live we have many different nationalities along with several different native American tribes. I have been making Kraut and this corn relish. Can’t wait until it is ready to eat. I put sweet potatoes in freezer but thinking about canning them in the next few days. My freezer is very small but gets full and hard to find things in it even though I live by myself so need to keep room for when I buy groceries. I also want to start making breads and pies for the holidays to put in freezer. Have apples to preserve right now.
Justine | Cooking and Beer says
I have been going crazy over corn lately! What a great way to preserve it!
Kristi says
I have never canned before, but I’ve always wanted to. That looks incredible – I’m craving this corn relish now!
Sandra J. says
This looks delicious! With some great deals on corn coming up I’m going to stock up and make a double batch of this to give away (and of course to keep for myself! :) Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s exactly the smart thing to do, Sandra – happy canning!
Corinne says
Oooh, this sounds yummy, I love a good corn relish!
Katherine Thorne says
I’ve made your dill pickle relish and your sweet pickle relish so far and LOVE them both, so I’m definitely making this one. Thanks also for all the ideas for how to use it.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Katherine, so thrilled to hear that, thank you!