Grandmas Best Sweet Pickle Relish Food

SWEET PICKLE RELISH

Steps:

• Combine cucumbers, onions, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper in a large bowl; add salt and pour in enough cold water to cover. Allow to soak for 2 hours. Thoroughly drain in a colander.
• Pour vinegar into a large, heavy stainless steel pot; add celery seed and mustard seed. Stir sugar into mixture and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the drained vegetable mixture and return to a boil, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack relish into hot, sterilized jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a clean knife or thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars into the boiling water using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.

GRANDMA'S OLD-FASHIONED SWEET RELISH

Steps:

• Combine cukes, onions, ice and salt.
• Let stand for 2 hours,.
• then drain.
• Mix the next 6 ingredients in a large pot.
• Bring to a boil, add ground cuke mixture, and cook for 20 minutes, or until it begins to thicken.
• While still hot, seal in sterilized jars.
• As far as preparation time, I use Grandma's old hand grinder, so I'm sure it would be much faster with a motorized food grinder.

OLD FASHIONED SWEET CUCUMBER PICKLE

Steps:

• Please note that I use whatever quantities of cucumbers I have on hand, adjusting the quantity of brines and syrup to cover the cucumbers generously. You will need more brine to cover the cukes initially than you will need syrup later as there is a lot of shrinkage. Therefore I don't guarantee the above quantities will all work out exactly but each solution is easy to adjust to what you need. Start with what you think will cover the cucumbers and just make a little more if you need it.
• The use of alum is no longer recommended in home canning - I have noticed that some of the big pickle companies still use it and so do I in these pickles. It makes them crisp. I have made them without and they were not nearly as good.
• Day# 1.
• Prepare the salt/water brine by heating together until salt dissolves. It will cool sufficiently while you prepare the cucumbers.
• Wash the cucumbers in cold water. If they are less than 1 1/2" inches in diameter slice them in 3/8" - 1/2" slices. Larger ones may be halved or quartered and the seeds scooped out then cut into pickle-sized chunks.
• Put the cucumbers in a container (a large crock is preferred but hard to come by anymore - a plastic pail works fine). Do not use metal.
• Pour the salt/water brine over the cucumbers to cover. Place a plate over the cucumbers to submerge them. Put a weight on it (plastic vinegar bottle perhaps?). Cover with a cloth. Let stand 7 days.
• Day#8.
• Your pickles might not look very nice after 7 days but they are okay. Drain the brine off (dump in a clean sink), rinse the pickles and pail, put cucumbers back in and cover with plain hot water. Let stand till next day, (day# 9) drain again, and cover with alum/water solution (again heated to dissolve alum). Let stand one day.
• Day# 10.
• Drain pickles and return to pail. Prepare syrup by combining sugar and vinegar in a large (not aluminum) pot. Tie the pickling spice in a piece of cheesecloth and put in pot. Add a couple of drops of green food coloring and several of yellow. Bring to boil, simmer 10 minutes. Pour over cucumbers, submerge the spice bag in the pail.
• Every day, for 3 days, (days 11-12-13) drain the syrup into a pot, reheat and pour back over the pickles. Each day check the color, correcting it with yellow food coloring - it rarely needs anymore green.
• On day #14 put the pickles in sterilized jars, adding a piece of cinnamon stick and a few whole cloves to each jar. Heat brine, (discard spice bag)and pour in jars to cover pickles, leaving a little head space. Seal with 2 piece lids.
• Modern canning instructions would now call for these to be processed in a water bath for 10 minutes. I do not. If the odd jar doesn't seal I refrigerate it and use it first. In a cool dark place these pickles will keep a long time (I usually make a 2 year supply) Time and servings guestimated.

OLD-FASHIONED PICKLE RELISH (TRADITIONAL OR SPICY)

Steps:

• Combine the cukes, onions, and peppers in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and cover with cold water. Place a layer of ice cubes on top to cover surface of relish.
• Let stand 2 hours up to 12 hours.
• Drain thoroughly, pressing out excess liquid.
• Place drained veggies, sugar, vinegar and spices in a large stainless steel kettle. If making the spicy version, you will add your pepper flakes now also.
• Bring to a boil over high heat watching so as not to scorch. Simmer for 10 minutes.
• Pack hot into 1/2 pint jars.
• Process in a water-bath for 10 minutes.

SOUTHERN SWEET PICKLE RELISH

Steps:

• Combine all veg in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt, add water to cover and let stand for 5 hours.
• Drain well and press out remaining liquid.
• Combine remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
• Stir until sugar is dissolved.
• Stir in veg and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Pack into clean hot jars leaving 1/2 inch head space.
• Process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath at altitudes up to 1000 feet.

GRANDMA'S SPICY SWEET PICKLES

Steps:

• Slice cucumbers about 1/8 inch thick.
• Pour salt over cucumbers.
• Pour enough boiling water over all to cover.
• Stir and let stand 8 hours or overnight.
• Drain and discard brine.
• In a saucepan, combine vinegar, 1 cup sugar, spices and alum.
• Bring to a boil.
• Put cucumbers in a large glass jar or plastic bucket with lid or a stoneware crock.
• Pour boiling vinegar mixture over cucumbers.
• Cover and let stand.
• Next day, and each consecutive day for 5 days total, stir in one additional cup of sugar.
• Do not reheat when sugar is added.
• At the end of the 5th day, pickles are done and may be stored in covered jar.
• Do not seal jars.
• Pickles will keep indefinitely and get better with age.