Xanthan Gum Free Classic Relish
Bright, tangy, and loaded with crisp vegetables, this homemade condiment is the kind of thing that makes a hot dog or a pulled pork sandwich feel genuinely special. The brine gets its beautiful golden color from ground turmeric and its warm depth from mustard seed and celery seed — simple pantry spices that do a lot of heavy lifting. Store-bought relish is a surprisingly common source of hidden thickeners and stabilizers, so making your own means you know exactly what's in every spoonful. The natural thickening here comes entirely from reducing the vinegar-and-sugar brine down with the vegetables, no additives needed. Salting the cucumbers, onions, and bell peppers first draws out excess moisture, which is the key step that keeps the final texture pleasantly chunky rather than watery or mushy. Once it's jarred and chilled, it keeps beautifully in the fridge and tastes even better after a day or two when the flavors have had time to meld.
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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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