Do you have an abundance of zucchini right now? Then, this Zucchini Red Pepper Relish is for you. I love to grow zucchini but they do have a way of getting ahead of their gardener. I came back from a few days away and found I’d grown a green baseball bat. That’s when I know it’s time to pull out this recipe and my canning equipment.
I like this recipe because it’s easy to make. I can do it in an evening. You use a food processor to do the majority of the cutting. During the time when the vegetables sit in salt for an hour, you can get all your canning equipment ready. Once you boil the brine, things go really quickly.
If you are plagued with a counter full of zucchini (and you know who you are – LOL) this recipe is for you. Use the relish on sausages, hot dogs, and burgers of any sort. It is sweet and will brighten any food.
Let me know how you make out. I would love to hear from you in the comment section below.
PrintZucchini Bell Pepper Relish
This recipe is a keeper because of how easy it is to make compared to a lot of preserves. You may end up blessing your bounty of zucchini yet. I use it on spicy sausages, and beef and bison burgers. If you like hot dogs, it’s the perfect accompaniment.
- Prep Time: 75 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 5 to 6 x 1 cup jars
- Category: preserves
- Method: canning
- Cuisine: Canadian
Ingredients
3 lbs of (unpeeled) zucchini (weigh it on a scale)
3 finely diced yellow onions
2 finely diced red bell peppers
¼ cup pickling salt
2½ cups cane sugar
1½ cups white vinegar
1½ teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon celery seeds
½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 Tablespoon water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Cut the zucchini into large chunks about 2X2 inches each and place in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely grated and then transfer to a large bowl with the onions and peppers.Sprinkle with the pickling salt, stir, and leave for 1 hour.
- Drain the mixture through a sieve, rinse with running water, drain again. Scoop the mixture into a clean tea towel and squeeze all the moisture out over the sink. Empty the “dry” mixture from the tea towel into a bowl and set aside.
- Combine the sugar, vinegar, mustard, celery seeds, pepper, and turmeric in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Add the drained vegetable mixture and return to a boil, stirring frequently.
- Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender and the liquid has thickened; about 15 minutes.
- Combine the water and cornstarch and stir into the relish.
- Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until the liquid clears and thickens. Note: you could stop here, bottle the relish in clean jars, and give it away for immediate consumption or carry on to seal and preserve it for up to one year.
- To process and preserve the relish safely: Bring water to boil in a water bath.
- Wash and rinse jars, lids, and bands.Place the jars and a stainless steel funnel on a clean baking sheet in a 250℉ oven for 10 minutes or until you need them.
- Boil the lids in a small saucepan of water for at least 5 minutes. Turn off the heat but leave them in that water until needed.
- Use a ½ cup measure and funnel to fill each jar with hot relish, leaving ½-inch headspace in the jar. Cover with the lids and screw the bands on firmly but not overly tightly.
- Place all the jars in the canning water bath, bring to a boil, and process for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the canner to a rack and let cool completely. I leave them overnight.
- Check the seal and store in a cool dark place for up to one year.
Keywords: Easy Zucchini Red Pepper Relish Recipe
