Zucchini Relish
Zucchini Relish
When the garden starts producing more zucchini than you know what to do with, this is such a good way to put some of it away for later. I like the zucchini diced into little pieces instead of shredded so the finished relish keeps that nice chunky texture.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds fresh, firm zucchini, finely diced
- 1 cup finely diced onion
- 1 cup finely diced red bell pepper
- 2 cups 5% acidity apple cider vinegar
- 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons celery seed
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 4 teaspoons mustard seed
Instructions
- Wash the zucchini thoroughly and trim away the stem and blossom ends. Dice the zucchini into small, fairly uniform pieces. Do not shred it. Peel and finely dice the onion.
- In a large nonreactive pot, combine the vinegar, sugar, celery seed, turmeric, and mustard seed. Bring to a boil.
- Carefully stir in the diced zucchini, onion, and red bell peppers. Return everything to a boil, then boil gently for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Pack the hot relish and liquid into hot pint or half pint mason jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust the headspace if necessary. The vegetables should remain covered with liquid.
- Wipe the jar rims and apply prepared lids and bands. Process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes at 0 to 1,000 feet, 20 minutes at 1,001 to 6,000 feet, or 25 minutes above 6,000 feet. Let the jars cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours before checking the seals.
Notes
As a young girl, I can remember my mom making this in our kitchen in Missouri after a big zucchini harvest. It’s one of those recipes that has just stayed with me over the years. We would use it anywhere you might normally use relish, but it’s good for so much more. I love it in deviled eggs, as a topping for pork chops, on hot dogs, and even mixed into tuna fish. It adds just the perfect amount of sweetness and brings back a lot of good memories every time I make it.