Sweet Pickle Relish Recipe – Use Fresh or Can For Later Use

One of the best ways to preserve the cucumbers from your garden is by making your own sweet pickle relish. Not only is it delicious, it is surprisingly easy to do.

This classic condiment will provide a slight crunch and tangy sweetness to a variety of dishes. Whether you use it on a hot dog, mix it into a potato salad, or use it as a secret ingredient in your favorite sandwich spread, relish adds a little extra flavor to your meals.

Best of all, this recipe is versatile enough that you can prepare it exactly how you like it. Then store it in the refrigerator for use throughout the summer, or can it so that you have fresh relish all year long.

SWEET PICKLE RELISH RECIPE

*Complete recipe instructions including specific measurements, cook temperatures and times are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to keep reading for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 pounds Pickling Cucumbers or 4 pounds of Large Cucumbers
• 1 Large Sweet Onion
• 2 Tbsp Pickling or Kosher Salt
• 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 cups Sugar*
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 teaspoons Dill Seed
• 2 teaspoons Mustard Seed
• 2 teaspoons Celery Seed
• ½ teaspoon Turmeric

*Adjust the sugar to your taste preference. If you like more sweetness in your relish, use the entire 2 1/2 cups.

INSTRUCTIONS:

The first step in making this sweet pickle relish is to prepare the cucumbers. Start by slicing the washed cucumber lengthwise and remove the seeds with a spoon.

Then finely dice both the cucumbers and onions.  Although you can do this by hand, I prefer to use my Food Processor to do the work for me.

However, you must be careful not to pulse the vegetables too long. Otherwise, the cucumbers will turn to mush.

Once the cucumbers and onions are diced, place them in a non-reactive pot and add the salt. Stir and let the mixture sit for 2 hours. The salt will draw out the moisture in the vegetables and after two hours you will notice a significant amount of liquid in the bowl.

Next, drain the mixture in a strainer until all the liquid is removed.  You will need to press the mixture against the strainer to remove the hidden moisture located in the center of the pile.

Continue to let the cucumbers and onions drain while you prepare the relish brine. In a medium pot, over medium-high heat, add vinegar, sugar, garlic, dill, celery, mustard seed, and turmeric. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Then add the drained cucumber and onion mixture and stir. Once the pot comes back up to a boil reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool completely. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator and use as desired or follow the canning instructions below.

Canning Instructions

If you want to make the recipe shelf-stable, you will need to can the Sweet Pickle Relish using a hot water bath canner.

Once you remove your relish from the heat, immediately ladle the hot mixture into warm and sterilized, pint size mason jars.

Fill the jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace at the top. Then run a plastic knife down the edges of the jar to remove any air bubbles.

Wipe the rim of each jar with a clean cloth. Then add the lid and finger-tighten the band.

Using a jar lifter, lower the jar in a pre-heated hot water bath, being sure that the tops of the jars are 1-2 inches below the water line.

Then increase the heat to bring the pot to a full rolling boil. Once the water is rapidly boiling, set a cook timer for 10 minutes.

When the time is up, turn off the heat and carefully remove the lid and let the jars sit in the water for 5 minutes.

Then using the jar lifter once again, remove each jar and place them on a thick towel. Allow the jars filled with the sweet pickle relish recipe to cool at room temperature for 24 hours.

Once they have cooled completely, test to make sure that the jars have sealed properly. Do this by pressing on the center of the lid. If the lid moves up and down the jar didn’t seal and will need to be stored in the refrigerator.

However, if you can’t press the lid in, the jars are safe to store in a cool, dark place.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Type Of Cucumbers Should I Use To Make Sweet Pickle Relish?

When canning cucumbers it is most often best practice to use pickling cucumbers. However, because you are making a relish and not pickles, you can use standard, slicing cucumbers as well. Just be sure to remove the thick seed core before making the relish.

Can I Make This Sweet Pickle Relish Recipe Sugar-Free?

I have tried to use various sugar substitutes however I have not found one that gives me the same taste of standard sweet pickle relish.

How Long Can I Store It?

Fresh sweet pickle relish will last up to 6 weeks in the refrigerator. However, if you can it using the hot water bath method discussed above, it can be stored safely for up to a year.

Do You Have A Recipe For Dill Pickle Relish Instead of Sweet Pickle Relish?

As much as we like this sweet relish, some people prefer the taste of dill pickle relish instead. Good news! We have shared our favorite Dill Pickle Relish in a previous article and have included it here as well.

How Can I Use Relish?

One of the most popular ways to use relish is as a condiment on hot dogs and hamburgers. However, many recipes also call for the use of relish including deviled eggs and potato salad.

But did you know that a little spoonful of relish in tuna salad and chicken salad will add a little tanginess to your recipe? And don’t forget to mix in a little with softened cream cheese for a light and refreshing dip that can be served with chips, crackers and more!

Our Other Favorite Relish Recipes

• Dill Pickle Relish
• Grandma’s Zucchini Relish
• Sweet and Spicy Zucchini Relish

Enjoy!

Mary and Jim

Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.

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