Thank you to Pollinate Media Group for sponsoring this post.
This Sweet Pepper and Onion Relish is my copycat version of Harry & David’s popular treat. It’s delightful mixed with cream cheese and spread on crackers or used as a glaze for pork and chicken.
And it makes a fabulous gift!
I always enjoy receiving homemade gifts. When someone takes the time to make something for you, whether it’s a simple plate of cookies or some elaborate craft, it says a lot. It makes you feel all the more unique, special, appreciated and loved. Cooking happens to be one of my biggest passions, and so naturally I particularly enjoy making gifts for people that are edible. Christmas cookies, as always, are on my list this year along with a few other goodies. And today I’m sharing a special one with you.
I picked up this month’s issues of Cooking Light, Real Simple and Sunset at Safeway and once the kids were in bed I enjoyed a luxurious evening thumbing through each issue. One of the recipes in Cooking Light is for glazed chicken that features red pepper jelly. The moment I saw that the light bulb came on. What a great gift idea – homemade red pepper jelly. As the wheels continued turning I thought about a red pepper and onion relish that I love from Harry & David that’s especially popular during the holidays. It’s delicious mixed with cream cheese and spread on crackers, or used as a glaze for pork or chicken. Those tiny jars of it are pricey for what you get and so I decided to make my own copycat version.
Back to Safeway to buy some more canning jars, pectin, and the ingredients for this relish. Then back to my kitchen to finish up the experiment. The end result: It’s fabulous! You’re going to love it and so are the lucky recipients of your gift! Just add a ribbon and a little tag and your gift is complete!
Let’s get started!
Combine all the ingredients, except for the pectin, in a large stock pot.
Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Now it’s time to add the pectin. You won’t need much because most of the liquid will have evaporated by now.
Add the pectin (I used and recommend Ball’s Realfruit Classic Pectin), bring the mixture to a rapid boil and boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
Immediately ladle the hot relish into hot sterilized canning jars with sealable canning lids. Process in a water bath for 20 minutes.
* A note about the water bath process: There are specific canners for the job – this is the one I have. It’s deep enough to fully cover the bottles by several inches, it has rack with separate compartments that keeps the bottles separated so they don’t break by getting knocked against each other while boiling, and it comes with all the extra equipment you’ll need. If you don’t own a canner and don’t want to buy one, just use a large, deep stock pot and place the jars in it with the water covering the top by at least two inches.
Remove the jars from the canner and let them rest for 24 hours undisturbed before moving. This Sweet Pepper & Onion Relish will keep up to a year.
This recipe makes about a dozen 1/2 pint jars. For the ones you want to give away as gifts, just tie a ribbon around them with a little label. Are they cute or what?
Enjoy this relish mixed with cream cheese and spread on crackers, as a glaze for chicken or pork, or however else your imagination inspires!
- 6 cups tomatoes, skinned, seeded and diced (first blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds for easy peeling) (a couple of our readers have reported success with using canned tomatoes - see reader comments below)
- 6 cups red bell peppers, seeded and diced
- 4 cups yellow onion, diced
- 4 jalapenos, seeded and diced
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1½ cups cider vinegar
- 5 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 tablespoon cayenne
- 4 tablespoons pectin (recommended: Ball's Classic Realfruit Pectin)
- *See NOTE if relish turns out too runny.
- Place all the ingredients, except for the pectin, in a large stock pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 1½ hours, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Add more cayenne to taste if desired. Add the pectin and quickly bring to a boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and ladle the hot mixture into hot, sterilized canning jars.
- Process the jars in a canner or large stock pot (see note on canners in post), with the water at least one inch above the jars, for 20 minutes. Remove the jars and let them sit undisturbed for 24 hours. Relish will keep for up to a year.
- Makes about a dozen ½ pint jars.
Frannie says
I dont have a canner but do have a pressure cooker, if I use this how long do you process the relish. Thank you
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Frannie, I’ve only used a water bath canner so I’m not sure. Perhaps some of our readers can chime in.
Linda Pelino says
I just made the relish using caned tomatoes because fresh aren’t great now. Can hardly wait for summer for the fresh homegrown produce. It was great and really simple. Than you so much for giving us this great recipe!!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Linda, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Anonymous says
I was curious to know how many ounces of drained diced tomatoes did you use to equal 6 cups of fresh tomatoes? Thank you!
Lesley Hicken says
How many canned tomatoes did you use. Thanks
CR says
Liquid pectin is always added to the boiling mixture near the end of the cooking process while powdered pectin is stirred into the raw fruit at the beginning. For a recipe that calls for liquid pectin a powdered version is not interchangeable.
Since this recipe is with powdered pectin, should you be adding it in the beginning and the sugar at the end? This may solve the gelling problem so many are having. Garden season is over so I will have to wait until next year to try this recipe. It sounds delish!
Cynthia Tucker says
My relish turned out completely watery. I am going to reprocess. Should I boil it down first? I added 5 TBLS of pectin, waited 24 hours and it was way too watery. Should I add tomato paste? I don’t want to distort the taste. Thanks
Stephanie Radtke says
I’m making this now for a second time. I am doubling the recipe though. Does this effect the time needed to cook down? I thought I maybe would need to cook longer, but unsure. Thank you.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Stephanie, I haven’t tried doubling it but you may need to cook it longer since there’s more liquid but the same surface area.
Anne Hart says
Thank you so much for such a lovely, delicious recipe!!
Anne Hart says
So very good :) !! I am from Medford Oregon and I moved to Kansas about 4 years ago. My daughter was missing Harry & David’s sweet pepper onion relish (6.99 for a 10 oz.jar plus shipping) so I thought I would give this a try. I started out making only 1/2 the recipe and I am sorry I did not make the full recipe and I should not have bothered canning it (as we ate it so fast :) my daughter LOVES this even more than H&D’S she says it tastes like home:) !! Next time I will make the full recipe (it is so good with chicken, pork, with cream cheese of course and just on rice). The only change I made was that for 1/2 recipe I used 1/2 Tsp. cayenne pepper and for the full recipe I will only use 1 Tsp. cayenne pepper (not a TBSP.)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I am absolutely thrilled to hear that, Anne, thanks so much for the feedback!
Rhonda J says
We are from Ashland but now luve in Portland and MISS this relish. I just finuahed the last har my mom mailed so I’ll give this recipe a try!
Anonymous says
PS. I’m not using Meyer lemons. the ones I have are large with thick skins/white.
Connie says
This looks really good! I’ve been looking for a lemon relish recipe on this order, do you think I could substitute lemons for the tomatoes? I’m not sure if it would be too runny. Do you have a lemon relish recipe? :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Connie! I don’t have a lemon relish recipe, sorry, but sounds delicious!
Max N Banning says
We have not tried your recipe yet but will very soon. We were in Harry and David today and their price for this relish is now $6 a bottle if you buy 3. We usually buy a case because I love it on almost everything. But at $72 a case, we are thrilled to get your recipe.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Max, I look forward to hearing what you think!
Pat Maravola says
My mother used to make a tomato peppers relish that everyone loved. No one has the recipe so I have been searching for one that closely matched. I’m going to try this one and see how close I can get. I will use Hungarian peppers instead of the green and cut by at least half. Also will add garlic and cut sugar. Will let you know how it goes.
Melody A Towslee says
Pat, How did the Harry & David recipe pair up to your search for the lost family recipe?
Melody Towslee