Classic Sweet Hot Dog Relish

By Pikachutherecipereader

This traditional hot dog relish is just what the chef ordered for your cookout.

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 cucumbers
• 1 medium onion
• 1 small red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt (or another non-iodized salt)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch (or ClearJel)
• 1/2 cup apple cider (or white wine vinegar)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 dash black pepper

Preparation

Step 1

1. Slice off the stem and lower ends of the cucumbers and compost or discard them. Slice the cucumbers lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a small spoon.

Step 2

2. Chop the cucumbers very finely, or pulse a few times in a food processor. You should have about 4 cups of finely chopped cucumber. Transfer to a large, non-reactive bowl.

Step 3

3. Peel the onion and slice off the ends. Slice off the stem ends of the bell pepper and remove the seeds. Finely chop the onion and bell pepper, or pulse a few times in a food processor. The vegetables should be in tiny pieces, but not totally pulverized into a puree. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of finely chopped onion and bell pepper. Add to the cucumber in the bowl.

Step 4

4. Add 2 tablespoons of kosher salt to the vegetables and mix well. If that seems like a lot of salt, don't worry: You'll rinse most of it off later. The salt is there to draw water out of the vegetables, a step that results in better texture and flavor in the finished relish.

Step 5

5. Cover the bowl of vegetables and leave it in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Step 6

6. Transfer the vegetables to a finely meshed sieve or strainer and let them drain for a couple of minutes. Rinse them well with cool water and let drain again. Get out even more of the liquid by squeezing with your clean hands (squeeze hard), or by pressing the vegetables against the sieve with the back of a wooden spoon.

Step 7

7. In a medium saucepan, whisk the cornstarch or ClearJel into the cool or room temperature vinegar. Stir in the sugar and spices. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often to help dissolve the sugar and prevent lumps.

Step 8

8. Once the syrup is boiling and becoming translucent, add the vegetables. Simmer the relish for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 9

9. Scoop the hot dog relish into clean, hot canning jars leaving 1/2-inch of head-space. It is not necessary to sterilize the jars for this recipe. Screw on canning lids. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Once the jars are processed and sealed, sweet relish will keep at room temperature for up to 1 year. It is still safe to eat after that, but the quality will decline. Once opened, store the jars in the refrigerator.