BHA & BHT Free Sweet Pickle Relish
Homemade pickle relish is one of those condiments that makes everything it touches taste better — hot dogs, burgers, potato salad, you name it. The problem with most store-bought versions is that they quietly contain preservatives like BHA and BHT to extend shelf life, which means checking labels becomes a whole project. This version is made entirely from scratch with cucumbers, onion, green bell pepper, vinegar, sugar, and a handful of warm spices, so you know exactly what's in every spoonful. The mustard seeds, celery seeds, and turmeric give it that classic sweet relish flavor with just enough depth to feel like something special. Salting the vegetables first and pressing out the liquid is the key step that keeps the texture bright and pleasantly firm rather than mushy. Once it's simmered down and ladled into jars, you'll have a vibrant, tangy-sweet relish ready to go straight into the fridge. It's the kind of thing you'll want to keep stocked all summer long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
32 servings
- 1 ½ lbs cucumbers (about 3 medium), finely diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- ¾ cup white distilled vinegar
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp celery seeds
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
Instructions
- 1
Combine the diced cucumbers, onion, and green bell pepper 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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