Sweet Zucchini Relish

If you are swimming in zucchini and can't give any more away to the neighbors, try making this delicious relish!

It’s the middle of the summer, and this is just about the time of year where I start getting into more zucchini than I can handle. There are many ways to cook with zucchini¹, but the portions of the harvest that don’t make it immediately to the table get turned into delicious relish and put down for long-term storage. This is probably my wife’s favorite thing that comes out of the garden. Here’s how I make it:

Zucchini relish is so good! I make about 12 quarts of relish every year, and it’s usually all gone before its time to make more.

Ingredients:

• 13 cups of shredded zucchini

• 4 cups onion, finely chopped

• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

• 5 tablespoons pickling salt

• 6 cups white sugar

• 2 1/2 cups white vinegar

• 1 tablespoon corn starch

• 2 teaspoons celery seeds

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

1. Grate or finely chop the zucchini, onion, and bell peppers. Place them in a large bowl and sprinkle the pickling salt over them. Mix well, cover, and let it sit overnight.

   

   A good food processor makes short work of the veg!

2. Rinse the vegetables thoroughly under cold water to remove the salt. Drain them well using a colander or sieve, and gently press to remove excess water.

   

   Brining, and straining the brine out, are important steps in the process.

3. Sterilize canning jars.

4. In a large pot, combine everything except the vegetables. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

5. Add the drained zucchini, onion, and bell peppers to the pot with the vinegar mixture. Stir well to combine everything.

6. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let the relish cook for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the mixture thickens.

7. Carefully ladle the hot zucchini relish into the sterilized jars, leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace. Wipe the jar rims clean, place the lids on top, and screw on the bands just until they're fingertip-tight.

   

   I highly recommend getting a canning funnel for ease of filling the jars.

8. Process the filled jars in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes to ensure a proper seal. Make sure the water level covers the jars by at least an inch.

9. After processing, remove the jars from the water bath and let them cool on a towel or rack. As they cool, you should hear a "ping" sound, indicating that the jars are sealing. Once the seal is established, remove the rings, and store the cooled, sealed jars in a cool, dark place. Store for about a year… mine always gone long before there’s any risk of spoilage!!!

Bring relish back!

I’ve been to a few barbeques this summer, and for some reason, no one seems to use relish on hotdogs and burgers anymore. What’s more, a quick perusal of the grocery store aisles reveals less options in this category, and less brands are carrying it. I don’t know what’s going on with people these days - but we need to bring relish back, because it’s delicious, it’s an excellent condiment that can be served with many things besides hamburgers and hot dogs, and most importantly, it’s a great way to use up all those extra cucumbers and zucchini! Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think in the comments.

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Here’s a video where I make zucchini relish:

1. I’m talking about zucchini in the this article but this same recipe can be used to make relish from cucumbers as well.