This corn relish really is the best corn relish I have ever had! I have tried several recipes, but none of them were all that good… until this one! I got this recipe from a friend in the summer of 2020 when we were talking about all the goodness we were canning all summer long. She talked about how wonderful this corn relish was that her mother once made, enjoying it with ham. I offered to try making it for her and it was a huge success! Not only did we think it was delicious, but she said I made it exactly like her mother once did, which was a great compliment!
I always love it when I share my hard work with others, and hear just how much they enjoy it, whether it was re-creating this corn relish for a friend, making someone’s favorite jam or sharing goodies because they shared their garden’s bounty with us. And the pioneers were much the same. They would get together, work hard and then share it with each other.
The pioneers did what they could to preserve the summer’s bounty of fresh ingredients to enjoy through the harsh winters and often canned as well. Relishes date back to 1837 which was then eaten as a condiment to meat and contained vegetables, and sometimes fruit like raisins, cooked in a syrup that contained sugar, vinegar and an array of spices. It was then canned or placed in crocks and sealed – though for today’s health standards our food needs to be properly canned and sealed to avoid illness or food poisoning.
Relishes have been made for many, many years and nearly any vegetable can be made into a relish! Today I am going to share the corn relish recipe I received and it is the best corn relish I have ever had! It is our favorite, and one that I will be making every year!
Let’s get started!
First we need to cut the corn off of the cobs. I love using fresh corn on the cob for this – it adds such a wonderful flavor.
Chop remaining vegetables – cucumber, ripe tomatoes, celery and bell peppers – and add to large pot.
Add corn to the vegetables.
Stir. Time to add the “sauce” ingredients!
Add sugar and spices.
Add vinegar.
Stir well. We will be cooking this for 50 minutes, stirring frequently so the mixture does not burn or scorch. There is nothing worse than burnt relish!
As relish is cooked, you will notice how the mixture changes color! And it smells great but the vinegar while cooking may burn the nose if you take a big breath over the pot! It’ll clear up those sinuses (not really recommneded though)!!
This corn relish tastes great warm from the pot, although it tastes so much better cold and even better once it has sat for a few weeks.
Time to can!! In sterilized jars, scoop relish into jars. Using a canning funnel is very helpful. I use both 500ml jars and 250ml jars.
Stir relish around in jar to remove air bubbles. Wipe rims, place seal and ring on. Only tighten to just finger tight – if the jar has been tightened too much, it may break in the canning pot. Process in canning pot 15 minutes.
Remove from canning pot carefully, making sure to not bump jars. Place on towel-lined boards to cool. As jars cool, they will pop and seal. Jars that seal can be dated and stored in a cool place and jars that have not sealed need to be refrigerated.
This corn relish has an amazing color and flavor! It is so hard to not eat the whole jar!
This is delicious eaten as you would eat any pickle actually! You can also add it to burgers, hot dogs, eaten with ham or even sandwiches. It is great with tacos and even nachos. It goes with nearly anything.
Corn Relish
1 dozen corn cobs – cut from the cob, 3 cups corn
2 cups chopped pickling cucumber
2 cups chopped ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeds removed
2 cups chopped celery
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
2 cups chopped onions
1-1/2 tbsp pickling salt
1 tbsp dry mustard
1-1/2 tsp turmeric
1-1/4 cups brown sugar
2-1/2 cup vinegar
Combine vegetables in a large pot. Add salt, dry mustard, turmeric and brown sugar. Stir. Add vinegar. Stir well. Bring to a boil and then simmer 50 minutes. Pour into sterilized jars, stir, wipe rims and seal. Process in canning pot (water bath) for 15 minutes. Remove carefully from canning pot and let cool. Store sealed jars, refrigerate unsealed jars.
