Pear Relish With Peppers

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 02/28/22
Home Canning Preserves and Relishes
Robert George Young / Getty Images
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 32 servings
Yield: 6 pints

Fruit relish may not be as common as vegetable relishes, but they are delicious nonetheless. This recipe features pears, along with bell peppers and onions, making for a flavorful topping for meat and fish, or an interesting sandwich spread that is a nice change of pace.

This pear relish is similar to a fruit chutney, but the peppers and onions make it more of a cross between a chutney and a relish. The vegetables are ground up and then boiled along with vinegar, sugar, salt, pickling spices, and turmeric. The mixture is spooned into sterilized jars and processed in a canner. Before you begin the recipe, make sure to prepare the jars and lids and have all of the ingredients ready.

You can purchase pickling spice or make your own, which allows you to customize the spice blend. The turmeric adds both a yellow color as well as unique flavor to the relish; this spice has a strong aroma and a musky and earthy taste, as well as notes of pepper similar to horseradish.

This pear relish with peppers is a wonderful accompaniment to roasted and grilled meat, as well as pork chops, chicken burgers, and pan-fried fish. You can also serve it as a topping for hot dogs or deviled eggs. Store the relish in a cool, dark spot for a year, and once opened, place the jars in the fridge and enjoy them within a month.

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Ingredients

  • 12 pounds firm pears (about 40 pears), peeled, cored, and quartered

  • 2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and quartered

  • 2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and quartered

  • 2 pounds onions (about 7 to 8 medium), peeled and quartered

  • 5 cups white vinegar

  • 4 cups sugar

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons salt

  • 2 tablespoons whole mixed pickling spice

  • 2 tablespoons turmeric

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Using a food processor, grind the pears, bell peppers, and onions together; you will need to do this in batches.

  3. Put the ground mixture in a colander to drain off all excess liquid.

  4. In a large nonreactive kettle, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, pickling spices, and turmeric. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.

  5. Add the ground-up fruit and vegetables to the kettle and return to a boil. Boil for an additional 15 minutes.

  6. Spoon the relish into hot sterilized jars and seal quickly.

  7. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

  8. Serve the relish with roasted or grilled meats and enjoy.

High Altitude Canning

When canning, for altitudes of 1,001 to 6,000 feet, process for 20 minutes. Over 6,000 feet, process for 25 minutes.

Tip

This recipe calls for large quantities of fruit and vegetables and makes six pints of relish. You can easily cut the recipe down if needed.