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A batch of homemade sweet pickle relish hot pack canned into half pint jars.
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Homemade Sweet Pickle Relish a Favorite Old Fashioned Canning Recipe

Simple old fashioned sweet pickle relish. This relish has no extra ingredients and no alum or food colouring.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American, Canadian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 4 pints
Cost $6

Ingredients

  • 6 large cucumbers Or 5 lbs
  • 3 onions
  • 2 ½ tbsp pickling salt (don't substitute)
  • 2 pints water
  • 2 - 3 cups sugar to taste
  • 1 1/2- 2 cups pickling vinegar to taste
  • 1 ½ tsp pickling spice

Instructions

  • Wash, trim, and peel most of the skin off of the cucumbers. Cut and peel onions.
    Partially peeled cucumbers with the ends trimmed off, sitting on a cutting board before being processed into relish.
  • Place the cucumbers and onions through a grinder or a food processor. Add the pickling salt and stir well. Cover and place in the fridge overnight.
  • Place the relish in a colander and let drain for 2-3 hours.
    A large collander filled with a mixture of grated cucumber, relish and pickling salt. The colander is sitting over top of a large bowl, allowing the water to drain out.
  • To a very large 6 to 8 quart stainless steel pot, combine the sugar, vinegar, water, and spices over medium heat, cook until boiling then add your cucumber and onion mixture.
  • Continue to cook the relish over medium heat until boiling. Stirring regularly, let simmer for at least five minutes before filling your jars.
    A large pot of sweet pickle relish being cooked on the stove for canning.
  • Make sure your jars are sterile and hot, ladle the hot relish into the jar. Wipe the jar rim and rings with a clean damp cloth. Quickly add the lid and ring.
  • Set the jars aside while they cool. Sealed jars will "pop" when cooling. If the jars don't seal simply place the relish in the fridge.