Dill Pickle Relish Recipe - A Great Way To Preserve Cucumbers (2024)

One of the easiest ways to preserve cucumbers is by turning them into Dill Pickle Relish. Then you can enjoy the taste of summer all year long!

However, if the thought of canning produce from your garden or Farmer’s market scares you, don’t worry. This is one of the easiest recipes for canning, and one that most beginners start with.

Although most people might think about using relish only as a condiment on a hot dog, there are several other ways to use relish in recipes. And if you have a homemade jars of it in your pantry, you will definitely want to find other ways to use it.

Ways To Use Dill Pickle Relish

1. As a Condiment

As stated above, when most people think about relish, they picture piling a line of it on a hot dog. However, you can also use it as a condiment on hamburgers, Reuben and Cuban sandwiches.

Or add it to a pulled pork sandwich to give it a tangy twist. You can even add it on top of Air Fryer Tilapia or Air Fryer Cod to give the fish great flavor. The choices are endless.

2. Deviled Eggs

Many people add relish to the filling of deviled eggs. The flavor of the relish balances out the creamy taste and texture of the egg yolk, mayonnaise and mustard.

Not to mention, the chunkiness of the relish provides a slight crunch to the popular appetizer.

3. Potato Salad

If you read our article on the, you know that I add diced pickles to potato salad. However, if you have extra jars on hand, you can substitute relish in place of the pickles.

You will still get that tangy flavor, but without all of the work of dicing up fresh pickles.

4. Macaroni Salad

Don’t let potato salad reap all the benefits of the added flavor of dill pickle relish. Add a tablespoon or two to a Classic Macaroni Salad and see how much flavor it adds.

5. Tuna Salad & Egg Salad

No tuna salad or egg salad would be complete without the addition of relish. These classic recipes are bland in nature, but with the addition of the relish the flavor and texture is so much better!

6. Tartar Sauce

Most often served with Fish and Chips, this creamy and tangy sauce is easy to make at home. A simple blend of mayonnaise, relish, lemon juice and herbs and you have yourself homemade tartar sauce.

However, don’t just serve it with fish. You can also use it as a dipping sauce for vegetables or a spread for crackers.

7. Chip & Vegetable Dip

To make a simple potato chip or vegetable dip, all you need is sour cream and relish! Or if you prefer, substitute the relish for the pickles in this popular Dill Pickle Dip Recipe.

Now that you know how you can use relish in all sorts of ways, lets get to the actual recipe!

Dill Pickle Relish Recipe

*Complete recipe instructions including specific measurements, cook temperatures and times are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to keep reading for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.

*Makes approximately 7 pints

INGREDIENTS

• 8 pounds pickling cucumbers
• 1/2 cup pickling salt
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 4 cups water
• 2 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons dill seeds
• 4 cups white distilled vinegar

*Although you aren’t making actual pickles, it is still best to use pickling cucumbers to make relish. That is because pickling cucumber varieties have less water content than standard salad cucumbers.

However, if you find yourself with too many larger cucumbers, you can certainly use them in this recipe. Although you will likely need 10 lbs. instead of 8.

If you don’t have a Kitchen Scale to weigh the cucumbers, 8 pounds of pickling cucumbers will require approximately 2 dozen.

INSTRUCTIONS

The first step in making Dill Pickle Relish is to chop the cucumbers into small bits. Although you could do this by hand, it is much easier to chop them in a large food processor.

Be sure to work in batches so that the cucumbers can become chopped and not pureed. I have a 12 cup Hamilton Beach Food Processor and I am able to process about a third of the cucumbers at a time.

Once the cucumbers are chopped, place them in a glass or stainless steel bowl. Then sprinkle them with picking salt and turmeric. Add water, cover, and let them stand in a cool place for 2 hours.

Then transfer the mixture to a colander placed over a sink and drain thoroughly. Rinse using cool water and drain again.

Finally, squeeze out any excess liquid by pressing or squeezing the mixture with your hands. Be sure to move the cucumber bits around so that any trapped water from the middle can be released.

Cooking Instructions

In a large stainless steel saucepan add the drained cucumbers, onions, sugar, dill seeds and vinegar. Stir and then bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.

Reduce heat to maintain a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Continue to boil until the mixture becomes slightly thickened and the vegetables are heated through (approximately 10 minutes).

As the mixture cooks, heat the sterilized canning jars in a hot water bath canner. Then when the relish is done cooking, ladle the hot relish into the warm jars.

Be sure to leave 1/2 inch head space at the top to allow the jars to seal properly during the canning process. Next, remove any air bubbles that might be in the mixture by placing a plastic utensil down the inside of each jar.

Wipe the rim clean to remove any spilled relish. Then add the lid and band.

Using jar tongs, carefully lower each jar of the dill pickle relish in the hot water. Be sure that there is 2 inches of water above the top of the jars.

Water Bath Canning

Cover and bring the water to a boil. Once the water begins to rapidly boil, set a timer for 15 minutes.

Turn the heat off and remove the lid. Let the jars sit in the hot water for 5 minutes before removing them. Use the jar lifters and remove the jars from the water bath canner and set them on a thick towel to cool.

Let them sit undisturbed for 24 hours. Before storing, make sure that the lids have sealed by pushing down in the center of the lid. If the lid does not move, it is sealed properly and can be stored in a cool, dry place.

However, if a lid did not seal properly, place the relish in the refrigerator and use within 3 months.

Other Homemade Relish Recipes

If you enjoy the taste of relish, here are a few more recipes that you might want to try.

1. Sweet Pickle Relish
2. Grandma’s Zucchini Relish
4. Spicy Pickle Relish

Enjoy!

Mary and Jim

Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.

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