Citrus Free Sweet Pickle Relish
Most store-bought relishes sneak in citrus juice or citric acid as a preservative, which makes label-reading a frustrating chore. This homemade version keeps things beautifully simple — cucumbers, onion, green bell pepper, and a brine built from white distilled vinegar and apple cider vinegar, so you know exactly what's in every spoonful. The mustard seeds, celery seeds, and turmeric bring a warm, subtly spiced depth that makes this relish taste far more interesting than anything from a jar on a grocery shelf. Salting the vegetables first and pressing out the liquid is the key step that keeps the final texture crisp and snappy rather than soggy. A quick simmer in the sweet, tangy brine pulls everything together into a glossy, golden relish that's just as good piled onto a hot dog as it is stirred into potato salad or a creamy dip. It stores in the fridge and gets even better after a day or two as the flavors settle in.
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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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