Pickle Relish

Isn't this a cool picture!  This is taken from "The Womens Institute Library of Cookery 1925" and is from Guttenburg Press.  I've got some jars like this ~ but you are no longer supposed to use these for canning ~ they reportedly aren't safe, so I use the standard canning jars and 2 piece lids.

Now onto Pickle Relish.  I've stopped buying relish in the grocery stores because of all the unpronouncable junk in their ingredient list and the incredibly junky HFCS that is showing up in all manner of products.  The hardest thing about making my own relish is chopping all the ingredients.  I tried using the food processor once for the chopping, but didn't like the consistency of the finished relish ~ so now I hand chop everything, not bad, just time consuming!

This recipe is taken from "So Easy to Preserve" pg.161 by the Cooperative Extension at UGA.

Sweet Pickle Relish

4 cups chopped cucumbers (about 4 medium)

2 cups chopped onions

1 chopped green bell pepper

1 chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup salt

3 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups cider vinegar

1 tablespoon celery seed

1 tablespoon mustard seed

Combine cucumbers, onion, and peppers in a large bowl; sprinkle with salt and cover with cold water.  Let stand 2 hours.

Drain thoroughly; press out excess liquid.  Combine sugar, vinegar and spices; heat to boiling.  Add drained vegetables and simmer 10 minutes.

Pack into hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Remove air bubbles.  Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids. Process 10 minutes in Boiling Water Bath Canner.

***My adjustments ~ I think this recipe is too "watery", too much liquid to vegetable ratio.  So I double the amount of vegetables and use the same liquid recipe and they turn out just fine.  And I can this in pint jars instead of 1/2 pints.  

Here are some pictures of yesterdays canning ~~~~~

draining vegies

starting to simmer

after 10 minutes simmering

finished jars

I am linking this post up with ~~~~~

 http://mysimplecountryliving.blogspot.com/2012/04/country-homemaker-hop-week-16.html 

and

http://frugallysustainable.com/2012/04/frugal-days-sustainable-ways-23/