Sweet Pepper and Onion Relish
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This Sweet Pepper and Onion Relish recipe 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. This Sweet Pepper and Onion Relish makes the perfect gift and has always been a hit with everyone.
If you’ve ever tried the popular Harry and David Sweet Pepper and Onion Relish you know how delicious it is. It’s also quite pricey and you get such a small amount – which is pure torture because you want enough of it so that you can eating it without worrying about running out! Well this homemade version solves that problem. It yields 12 half pint jars and at a fraction of the cost! And I promise you, it tastes AMAZING! Slather this relish on chicken or pork before baking for a marvelous glaze or mix it with cream cheese and serve it with crackers – it’s fabulous!
Sweet Pepper and Onion Relish Recipe
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. Be sure to simmer it uncovered so that some of the liquid evaporates. 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. For this recipe I use 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 canner with the water covering the top of the jars by least 3 inches and process for 20 minutes.
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!
For more delicious homemade relishes be sure to try our:
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Sweet Pepper and Onion Relish (Harry and David Copycat)
Ingredients
- 6 cups skinned, seeded and diced tomatoes , first blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds for easy peeling (a few readers have reported success using the equivalent of canned tomatoes; drain first)
- 6 cups seeded and diced red bell peppers
- 4 cups diced yellow onion
- 4 jalapenos , seeded and diced
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
- 5 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 tablespoon cayenne
- 6 tablespoons Ball Classic Realfruit Pectin , or equivalent (I have only used and tested this recipe with the Ball product)
Instructions
- 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 1 1/2 hours, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Add more cayenne to taste if desired. Add the pectin and quickly bring to a boil for 1 minute. ***See NOTE below.Remove from heat and ladle the hot mixture into hot, sterilized canning jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
- Process the jars in a water bath canner with the water at least three inches above the jars, for 20 minutes. Remove the jars and let them sit undisturbed for 24 hours. Store in a dark, cool place. This relish will keep for up to a year.Makes about 6 pints or 12 half pint jars.
Notes
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet November 21, 2013
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 just tried tonight and I should not have focused on the 5 cans at 28oz was horribly too much. I should have used the canned and only measured out 6 cups of tomatoes without the juice. 140oz of canned tomatos and liquid bombed the recipe and was a total fail :(
Anyone trying this should focus on the 6 cups (48oz) and don’t use the specified amounts in the recipe.
how big of a stick pot? I started with a 6qt pot and it wasn’t big enough. switched to 8qt pot and it’s full to the top. did I do something wrong? seems like a lot for 6 qt jars.
I plan to steam can this recipe but I’m new to it. Do I need to add citric acid to canned tomatoes to make this work?
Hi Nickie, this recipe hasn’t been tested for safety for canning and so I can’t recommend it for that purpose.
I’m in the process of making this and was wondering if I could double the recipe 🤔
Hi Carlene, it’s generally recommended not to double quantities like this when there is pectin involved because it can prevent it from thickening properly.
I have made the relish and it is just to runny, I even tried adding more peectin but it is still runny. What do you suggest adding more peppers? I cooked it a second time after I added the extra pectin and no luck? I want to give as gifts and don’t want to give runny relish!!!
Hi Sharon, what kind of pectin are you using? Is it the Ball Classic RealFruit Pectin? Did you allow the mixture to fully cool down first to see if it thickens?
Made the exactly as written. Had to recook and use more pectin. Ended up using 2 1/2 boxes and it still did not jell completely. Taste OK, but too runny to add to cream cheese to make a dip. Was looking for a replacement for Harry and David’s Pepper Onion Relish.
Is this really meant to have a tablespoon of cayenne pepper in addition to the jalapeno? I like spicy but my jam is too much even for me.
I’ve never had H&D relish. I was hoping to find a recipe for Fourth Creek red pepper relish which I love and is highly recommended by Martha Stewart. (Her version of it didn’t even come close to the original.) This recipe is the closest I think I’ll ever get to cloning it–after I added 2 tablespoons of mustard seed which Fourth Creek has, and the jalapenos in this take the place of their habanero. I used 6 jalapenos instead of 4 as mine were on the smaller side.
The big change I need to mention is that I don’t eat sugar, so I substituted 3 cups of sucralose sweetener (Splenda) for it. Accordingly, I always use ‘low-sugar’ pectin (pink box) in everything I make.
I have canned pickles, relishes and jams for years. I have been making this relish for several years and am so happy I found it. The recipe is incredible – it is easy to follow and forgiving. We use the relish almost every day. Try it on scrambled eggs! I use a little bit of Guar Gum at the end of the cooking time to give it a lovely shine. I was trying to replace the Rothschilds Roasted Pepper and Onion Relish which I could no longer find and was very expensive. Thank you so much for this wonderful copycat.
Oh I’m so happy to hear that, Betty, and am thrilled that this has been a regular in your home for so long! Thank you so much for the feedback! <3
I’ve been making relish for 6 years now. I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to comment but I thought it was high time and just wanted to let you know that this relish is a staple in our home. I make at least two large batches of it every year for our family and usually make extra to give away. Thank you for such an amazing recipe!
Oh I’m so glad this has become a family favorite, Cori, thank you very much for the feedback!
Is it possible to make this, but skip the canning step?
Hi Taylor, yes you can forego the canning step and just store the relish in the fridge. It just won’t keep for very long without canning – maybe a week or so.
I’m just about out of my first every jar of H&D brand. Now I’m looking for a recipe to make myself. I put this jam on burgers then melt cheese on top. sometimes I’ll add a bit of bacon, too. it’s delicious and I can’t wait to make this!
If using canned tomatoes do I add the juice from the tomatoes
Hi Joni, yes, include the juice.
Hi Kimberly, I make your delicious relish at least twice a year, I can’t keep it in my pantry! But I wanted to weigh in to say that I do ‘lightly’ drain the cans of tomatoes when I use them to make it in the winter months- draining some of the juice means the tomatoes are still wet and juicy but not as watery- using all the juice from the five cans, I found I needed to add more pectin, even after simmering uncovered for an hour and a half.
Thanks so much for that feedback, Dee, I appreciate it!
This relish turned out great in my opinion. I am not an experienced canner, and during research about the process found some things missing from the instructions for this recipe:
Leave 1/2″ air space at the top when filling jars
Tighten the ring only fingertip tight, air needs to leak out during processing
Water must boil for the entire 20 minutes during processing
In my opinion I think that one would need all the vinegar to ge the PH level to the right amount. I tested mine today with the exact measurements and it was at 4.1. Refusing vinegar would out you over 4.6 which would make it a low acid food and need to be pressure canned.
Used to love the Harry & David’s stuff, but this recipe was inedible as is. Half both vinegars, much better. Cut sugar a bit & introduced chopped fresh pomegranates (3) and it was out of this world. (A couple thai chilies in the batch was really nice also!) I probably wouldn’t eat the H&D anymore (and certainly would not pay that price!)