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Home » Food » By Type of Dish » Canning & Preserving » BEST Corn Relish

BEST Corn Relish

August 29, 2023 by Kimberly Killebrew · 155 Comments

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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!

corn relish recipe best homemade canning preserving sweet

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!

corn field the daring gourmet

fresh corn

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

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.

chopped onions in pot

Do the same with the red and green bell peppers and the celery ribs.

chopping peppers

Remove the husks and silk from the corn and cut the kernels off the cobs.

shucking corn

Put everything in a pot.

vegetables in pot

Add all remaining ingredients and bring it to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

add sugar and spices

Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

simmering the veggies

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

ladling relish into jars

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!

corn relish recipe best homemade sweet canning preserving

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

Kimberly Killebrew
Enjoy this delicious and versatile relish on hamburgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, fish, served with roasted chicken, in a cheese omelet, pasta or tuna salad, sprinkled over tacos or in burritos, or mix it with black beans/tomatoes/onions/cilantro for a summer salad (just for example)!
Print Recipe
4.87 from 23 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course condiment
Cuisine American
Servings 128
Calories 21 kcal

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 pints
    Note: Wait a week or two before eating the relish to allow time for the vinegar to mellow out.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 21kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.03g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 79IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.1mg
Keyword Corn Relish, Sweet Corn Relish
Tried this recipe? Mention @daringgourmet or hashtag #daringgourmet

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet July 19, 2015

 

 

 

 

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155 Comments →

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155 Responses

  1. Tgo says

    August 31, 2023 at 12:37 pm

    Can you add jalapenos and cilantro when canning this recipe?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      September 1, 2023 at 6:25 pm

      Hi Tgo, official canning guidelines always advise against adding any additional veggies and they also advise against using fresh herbs, only dried. That said, personally I would feel comfortable adding a minimal amount of jalapenos, but you’ll need to make that decision for yourself.

      Reply
  2. Linda Foy says

    August 11, 2023 at 6:38 am

    Why is my relish cloudy?

    Reply
    • Joy says

      September 20, 2023 at 5:20 am

      starch from the corn or hard water.

      Reply
  3. Terry Scott says

    September 24, 2022 at 4:16 pm

    My mom made this when I was a kid, I’d eat it by the jar!

    Reply
  4. teresa says

    August 15, 2022 at 4:33 am

    so disapointed way too much vinegar.

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      August 15, 2022 at 6:26 pm

      Hi Teresa, as the recipe notes, it’s important to wait “at least” a week, preferably two, before eating it to allow the vinegar to mellow out.

      Reply
  5. Cheryl says

    August 8, 2022 at 8:05 pm

    I tried this recipe! Tastes great, but it’s really runny, what can I do next time to thicken it?

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      August 9, 2022 at 9:06 pm

      Hi Cheryl, be sure to pack the jars as tightly as you can with the veggies and then only add enough liquid to immerse them within the jar. Also, a lot of the liquid will absorb into the veggies over time.

      Reply
  6. Donna Smith-Powell says

    May 31, 2022 at 11:05 am

    One lady already asked my question but I didn’t see the answer. I made this this morning exactly. My question is it suppose to be watery. I thought it would congeal

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      May 31, 2022 at 1:28 pm

      Hi Donna, no it won’t congeal because there are no thickening agents/additives in it. It’s normal for it to be that watery initially though. After it has sat for a couple of weeks some of the liquid will be absorbed by the veggies and the relish will become “thicker.” The longer the relish sits the more liquid will be absorbed. But I’d recommend two weeks as the minimum anyway from a flavor standpoint.

      Reply
  7. Ruthy says

    May 2, 2022 at 6:27 am

    Hello, this recipe looks amazing! I really want to try it. Question: I’m new to canning and I just want to double check on the water bath method. I’ve mostly read that low acidic vegetables should be pressure canned. Since you’ve already stated that it could make the veggies mushy, does adding the vinegar raise the acidic content of the vegetables?

    Reply
    • Kimberly Killebrew says

      May 2, 2022 at 7:41 am

      Hi Ruthy, correct, foods that are low in acid must be pressure canned, but that does not apply to this corn relish. The inclusion of the vinegar and sugar both raise the acidity level sufficiently to make it safe for using the water bath method. So no need to pressure can. Happy canning!

      Reply
  8. Patrick J O'Shea says

    October 22, 2021 at 3:54 pm

    is it supposed to congeal afterwards because I have a lot of liquid even with the amounts given in the recipe

    Reply
  9. John Currier says

    September 19, 2021 at 4:15 pm

    I made this last fall and it was a hit. I will be making 2 batches this year. I to omitted the allspice berries because I couldn’t find them,it still tastes great. 🙂

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      September 19, 2021 at 5:59 pm

      Thank you, John, I’m so glad it’s been a hit!

      Reply
  10. Janet says

    September 5, 2021 at 10:14 am

    I see what appears to be brown sugar in a picture? It is not in recipe? Or is that ground mustard yet it says to use mustard seed. Also can I use corn starch to thicken if I have to?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      September 5, 2021 at 1:02 pm

      Hi Janet, thanks for catching that, it should read ground mustard. You can thicken it as long as you’re not canning it. Thickening agents are generally not considered safe for canning, plus they’ll also make the brine cloudy.

      Reply
  11. Connie says

    August 6, 2021 at 5:33 am

    I can’t find allspice berries , how much cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper do I use in this recipe,

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      August 6, 2021 at 12:53 pm

      Hi Connie, I would not add any of those spices to the corn relish. If you can’t find allspice berries I would simply omit them. The relish will still taste good.

      Reply
  12. Connie says

    August 4, 2021 at 7:59 am

    What is whole allspice bertied

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      August 4, 2021 at 10:44 am

      Hi Connie, allspice is reminiscent of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper. You can buy it either ground or whole and this recipe calls for whole allspice, known as allspice berries.

      Reply
    • Anonymous says

      August 29, 2021 at 7:22 pm

      you can get them at any bulk store they are just little red berries
      l have been making corn relish for over 30 years and l never have added them

      Reply
  13. Steve says

    July 26, 2021 at 2:06 pm

    I was curious about the 3 teaspoons of salt , is that pickling , kosher or table salt for this recipe. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 28, 2021 at 7:30 pm

      Hi Steve, I recommend either pickling or kosher salt. You “can” use table salt but because of the additives in it, it can change the color of the relish and make it aesthetically less pleasing.

      Reply
    • Mary says

      August 13, 2021 at 11:16 am

      How long would I cook this recipe in a pressurized canner

      Reply
      • Patsy-Lee Hadix says

        August 16, 2021 at 7:27 am

        If you pressure can your veggies will be mushy. Water bath is better for crispness.

        Reply
  14. Charlene Woods says

    July 14, 2021 at 6:19 pm

    About how many jars will I need for this recipe?

    Reply
    • Bruce says

      August 2, 2022 at 2:17 pm

      I boiled the peppers, celery and onions with the vinegar and other ingredients for 10 minutes before adding the fresh corn off the cob (much better than frozen). Since I preferred more crunch to the corn, I only boiled it for the last ten minutes before the hot water bath. Yield: Seven pint jars and one 1/2 pint jar. Delicious!

      Reply
  15. Tammy Allan says

    July 14, 2021 at 3:25 pm

    Hi i am wondering with this recipe if you can just use normal vinegar and is it the same amount as apple cider vinegar. Thank you am really looking forward to trying this.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 15, 2021 at 9:13 pm

      Hi Tammy, yes you can (same amount) but it will have a “harsher” flavor as apple cider vinegar is fruitier.

      Reply
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kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Welcome!  I’m Kimberly and I share delicious originals, revitalized classics and authentic dishes from around the world.  Come travel the world through your taste buds!

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