Nitrate & Nitrite Free Classic Relish
Bright, tangy, and loaded with crisp vegetables, 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 relishes are notorious for sneaking in preservatives, and many conventional brands rely on sodium nitrate or nitrite-based additives to extend shelf life, which makes finding a clean option at the grocery store genuinely frustrating. This version keeps things pure and simple: fresh cucumbers, bell peppers, onion, vinegar, sugar, and a handful of warm spices are all you need. The salting step draws out excess moisture so the final relish has great body and texture rather than turning watery in the jar. Mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric give it that classic golden color and a gently spiced depth that tastes far more complex than the ingredient list suggests. It comes together in one saucepan and stores beautifully in the fridge, so you can batch it ahead and have a preservative-free condiment ready to go all week long.
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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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