BHA & BHT Free Classic Relish
Bright, tangy, and packed with garden-fresh crunch, this homemade relish is the kind of condiment that makes everything it touches taste better — from hot dogs and burgers to a simple cheese board. Store-bought relish is one of those sneaky products that often hides synthetic preservatives like BHA and BHT in the fine print, so making your own from scratch is genuinely the easiest way to stay clear of them. Every ingredient here is whole and recognizable: crisp English cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, onion, vinegar, sugar, and a warm blend of mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric. The salting step draws out excess moisture so the finished relish has that satisfying, slightly firm bite rather than turning soft and watery. A quick simmer in the spiced vinegar brine pulls everything together into a glossy, lightly thickened condiment with real depth of flavor. Spooned into glass jars and kept in the fridge, it's ready to go whenever you need it — and you'll know exactly what's inside every single time.
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Learn more →Ingredients
16 servings
- 4 cups english cucumbers, finely chopped (about 3 medium cucumbers)
- 1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 medium onion)
- ½ cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
- ½ cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 cup white distilled vinegar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp mustard seed
- ½ tsp celery seed
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
Instructions
- 1
Combine the chopped cucumbers, onion, and both bell peppers in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the kosher salt over the vegetables and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, until the vegetables have released a significant amount of liquid.
- 2
Transfer the salted vegetables to a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Press firmly with your hands or the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible — the vegetables should feel noticeably drier.
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