This is a good tasting Sweet pickle relish. If you have too much left over, you can put in a covered bowl in the refrigerator and use with-in two weeks. I doubt it will last that long. At least at my house it doesn't. This recipe makes 7 half-pints, which is a perfect water bath canner load. Once you make this Sweet pickle relish, then you are set to make Hot dog pickle relish. This pickle dish is a perfect example of uncooked raw packed preserving.

Sweet Pickle Relish Ingredients

• 6 medium cucumbers *
• 2-3 sweet bell peppers, at least 1 green and 1 red
• 4-6 medium onions
• 1/4 cup pickling salt **
• 3 cups white sugar
• 2 cups cider vinegar (5%)
• 2 1/2 teaspoon celery seed (not celery salt)
• 2 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric ***

Making Sweet Pickle Relish

1) Always the first step in canning is to prepare the canning jars, rings & lids in the dishwasher and leave in, with the door closed after the heat cycle.

Next: Wash the cucumbers and peppers with cold water, no soap. Dice on a small scale the cucumber and peppers. Discard the seeds and stems. Measure 6 cups of cucumber and 3 cups of mixed red and green bell pepper. Peel and dice the onions (I like to use a Southern Sweet onion like Vidalia, or a Texas sweet). Measure out 3 cups of onions. Mix the sweet pickle relish vegetable mix in a large wide bowl and sprinkle with the pickling salt. Let stand covered at room temperature for 2 hours.

2) Pour the sweet pickle relish vegetable mix into a strainer, or colander and rinse well with cold water and set to drain.

3) While the sweet pickle relish vegetable mix has been rinsed and is draining, go ahead and get the seasoning mix a boiling. Combine the sugar, vinegar, celery seed, mustard seed and turmeric in a large 4 quart pot on high heat. Once boiling, add the sweet pickle relish mix, and return to boil. Let cook on medium heat uncovered to let some of the liquid evaporate.

4) Ladle the boiling sweet pickle relish into hot, half-pint jars, leaving 1/2 headspace. Wipe the jar rims and adjust the lids and rings on snugly. Process the jars in boiling water bath for 10 minutes (start timer when water has required a boil)

Remove the jars using the jar lifter, and cool on racks or a think towel. Wait till the next morning to check for correct seal. If not sealed, put in the refrigerator, and use with-in two weeks.

Sweet Pickle Relish Notes

* These don't have to be perfect cucumbers, as the shape and type can be managed. Save your perfect cucumbers for making whole or quartered dill pickles.

** Must use a good pickling salt, not table salt, as the iodine with affect the pickle relish while it sits.

*** Go ahead a buy the small bottle of turmeric; we will use it in other cooking during the rest of the season and year. I have at least four other recipes that use it, and that is just off the top of my head, I am sure there are others I am not thinking about.

Thanks