Corn Relish

Hot dog covered with corn relish.
The Spruce / Diana Rattray
Prep: 50 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Boil Water and Processing: 40 mins
Total: 2 hrs
Servings: 112 servings
Yield: 7 pints

This is a flavorful sweet corn relish with a bit of heat from hot peppers. Fresno peppers, jalapeño, serrano, and Hungarian red wax peppers are all good choices. Use more or less, depending on how much heat you like.

Serve this delicious corn relish on chicken or fish tacos, or use it as a replacement for salsa as a dip for tortilla chips. The tangy sweet-hot flavor and beautiful color make it a terrific condiment to serve along with beans, grilled meats, hot dogs, fish, and seafood. Or, for a quick and tasty dip, blend about 1 cup of corn relish with 8 ounces of cream cheese and a bit of salt and pepper, to taste.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups sweet onions (coarsely chopped)
  • 3 bell peppers (red and green, coarsely chopped)
  • 1 cup hot peppers (coarsely chopped)
  • 8 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen, thawed)
  • 2 cups cucumber (diced)
  • 3 cups cider vinegar (at least 5% acidity)
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon canning salt (or kosher salt)
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon celery seeds
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for corn relish.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray
  2. Fill a boiling water canner with water. Add the jars and bring to a boil. This will take approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer to keep the jars hot.

    Canning kettle with jars.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray
  3. Transfer the coarsely chopped onions, bell peppers, and hot peppers to a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. 

    Chop the onions and peppers in the food processor.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray
  4. In a large, stainless steel pot or enamel-lined Dutch oven, combine the corn, diced cucumber, onions, bell peppers, hot peppers, vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard, celery seed, and turmeric. Bring the vegetables to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

    Combine the corn and other ingredients in a stockpot.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray
  5. Meanwhile, put the lids and bands in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Do not boil.

    Scald the bands and lids in a saucepan.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray
  6. Spoon the relish into the hot jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe rims and jar threads with a damp kitchen towel or paper towel. Using a jar lid magnet or tongs, place the lids on the jars. Screw on the bands just to fingertip tightness. 

    Filling canning jars with corn relish.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray
  7. Place the filled jars on a rack in the canning kettle and lower them into the water. If the water level isn't at least 1 inch above the jars, add more very hot or simmering water to the pot.

  8. Bring the water back to the boil, cover the kettle, and boil gently for 15 minutes. Remove the jars to a rack to cool.

    See below for high altitude processing/boiling times.

    Seven pints of home canned corn relish.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Tips

  • When choosing fresh corn, make sure the husk is tightly wrapped around the corn, and look for bright green color. Avoid corn with yellow or dry-feeling husks.
  • Homemade relish that has been properly canned should retain its optimal quality for up to 1 year.
  • If you find that a jar did not seal properly, store it in the fridge and use within 1 month.
  • When processing, make sure the jars are not touching each other or the sides of the kettle.

Recipe Variations

  • For more heat, add an extra cup of chopped hot peppers.
  • For less heat, replace the hot peppers with another bell pepper (any color).

High Altitude Processing Times

  • For altitudes from 1,001 to 6,000 feet, process the jars in the boiling water bath for 20 minutes.
  • For altitudes above 6,000 feet, for 20 minutes. For altitudes above 6,000 feet, process the jars for 25 minutes.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
17 Calories
0g Fat
4g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 112
Amount per serving
Calories 17
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 78mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Protein 0g
Calcium 2mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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