BEST Corn Relish
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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: 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
Corn Relish Recipe
Let’s get started!
Something that isn’t remotely necessary but that I’m kind of OCD 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.
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. 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: 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. They’ll keep for at least a year. Once opened, store in the fridge and use within 2 months.
Enjoy!
For more pickled favorites try my:
- Giardiniera
- Pickled Carrots
- Dill Pickle Relish
- Sweet Pickle Relish
- Branston Pickle
- Sweet Pepper and Onion Relish
- English Pickled Onions
- Pickled Red Onions
- Pickled Pepperoncini Peppers
- Pickled Jalapenos
- Pickled Banana Peppers
- Pickled Green Beans
- Pickled Okra
- Pickled Asparagus
- Pickled Turnips
- Pickled Peppers
- Pickled Beets
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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
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!
Hi, I remember loving my grandmother’s corn relish and never had any luck finding the recipe she used. I think yours is very close and am anxious to try it. The one thing I am hesitant on is I am sure she froze hers. Her house was small and shelf space was limited. She used small pint size plastic boxes. Can your recipe adapt to the freezer?
Also, have you ever heard of freezer slaw? It was a vinegar based cole slaw she made that was safe to freeze. She would make it late summer when cabbage was plentiful and then would call her sons to come get what they wanted for their families. I know freezing was required because we couldn’t eat it until it had “cured” in the freezer for several weeks. But guaranteed we had it for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners!
Hi Kim! Yes, this relish can be frozen, no alterations to the ingredients needed. Freezer slaw, yes! In fact, I really need to post my recipe for it, thanks for the reminder :)
Hi Rita:. Being diabetic, I gave up sweet corn relish. Is it possible to use a sweetener and sugar mix in order to make my relish delicous and healthy for a diabetic diet? Tim
Hi Tim, yes you can use an alternative sweetener but you won’t be able to can relish for long-term storage. Not enough research has been done on alternative sweeteners and canning, including using a mixture of sugar and an alternative sweetener. You can however store it in your fridge for several weeks.
I have never heard of. What would the difference be if I omitted them?
Rita. I have been giving a few cases of can corn and we wondering if I could use it to make this relish. If so should I use the same amount as the receipt?
Thanks. It loves to good
Hi Rita, yes you can used canned corn and yes, it would be the same amount. Happy canning!
This recipe is AWESOME make for a craft show and everyone loved it. Getting ready to make another batch. Can be used on anything from fish to hot dogs. This is a must try recipe.
I’m so happy to hear that, Vicki, thank you!
Do you have a great bread and butter pickle recipe?
I have a great bread and butter pickle relish recipe and you can use the same brine/ingredients for making whole pickles: https://www.daringgourmet.com/homemade-sweet-pickle-relish/
Love this recipe. Made half size last year but made sure I had a bigger crop to make full amount this year. So yummy I can eat straight out of the jar….no accompaniments needed. Don’t think I’ll be giving any away to my friends! (I didn’t need to change the recipe at all)
Wonderful, Karen, I’m so glad to hear it, thank you!
Hi, i recently made your corn relish but it appears a little runny , great taste. Would it be ok to add a little cornflour next time ?
Hi Dennis, yes, you can add some thickening if you prefer but you won’t be able to can the jars. If you’re not water-bath canning the jars, then no problem.
This looks like a wonderful recipe so much so that I just made it what a wonderful aroma can’t wait to try it
Wonderful, Tara! Some people enjoy it straight away but I generally recommend waiting a few days before eating it to allow the flavors to meld and for the tartness of the vinegar to mellow a bit.
Hi kimberly yes I’m going to try it for Christmas lunch and give some to my neighbours thanks for the recipe