Corn Relish
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Similar to Southern chow chow relish, my easy corn relish recipe is bursting with flavor and vegetables, like bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, and corn (of course). It’s tart, sweet, and oh so delicious.
Although it may be considered antiquated and unnecessary by some, I personally love to can things! I can’t help but think about the old days, how efficient houses ran back then, out of necessity. Women would tend to their gardens all summer long not as a hobby but knowing that how that garden fared would determine how their family fared over the winter months. Eating fresh vegetables during the summer with a constant eye on canning, dehydrating, and various other methods of “putting up” food for the winter. How much a woman canned really made all the difference in whether or not her family went hungry. With that in mind, it’s hard not to have a reverence and appreciation for canning today.
Why Make Relish?
Relish was an easy way to save vegetables and the combinations were limitless. This corn relish recipe is a little similar to a relish called “End Of The Garden Relish” or chow chow, where you pretty much took everything that was left in the garden and combined it together. However, chow chow’s main vegetable is cabbage, while this time we’re focusing on corn. I customized this recipe for my own tastes and you can do that, too. Just know that as you add or take away you will end up with more or less in terms of quantity to can.
This time around, I’m pickling corn, bell pepper, tomatoes, and onion in a pickling liquid that’s bursting with flavor. It includes vinegar, turmeric, ground mustard, celery seed, sugar, and salt. This is a really easy relish recipe to make, I promise. And the reward is multiple jars of corn relish to keep you and your family happy for a long time.
You Absolutely Can Can!
Now for those of you who say “I wish I could can” I want you to know that you ABSOLUTELY can! Canning is simple as can be, so don’t be intimidated by it. Folks have been doing it for countless generations and there is absolutely no reason why you can’t, too. You don’t even need any special equipment, other than the jars and lids. I don’t even own a canner, I just use a big old pot lined with a dish towel to keep my jars from clinking together while they are boiling. I did a full tutorial on this a year or so ago with step-by-step photos and even a little video to start it out so click here to go visit that and can away!
Recipe Ingredients
- Bell peppers
- Tomatoes
- Vidalia onions
- Vinegar
- Frozen corn
- Spices: ground turmeric, ground mustard, and celery seed.
- Salt
- Sugar
How to Make Corn Relish
Chop up your onion and bell peppers.
Add your tomatoes.
Add in your corn and water.
Now you’re gonna need a R-E-A-L-L-Y big pot!
And your sugar, salt, and vinegar.
I know you are thinking this is a lot of salt but keep the number of vegetables in perspective and it really isn’t. You do need the salt, honest. It won’t taste salty when you are done.
Add your spices.
Stir that up as best you can.
First, you’re going to bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Then reduce the heat to medium and keep stirring every now and then, for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
You are going to think “wow, this is not nearly enough liquid” but as your vegetables start cooking up it will generate a whole lot more.
Here it is stirred up after it has cooked for a little bit.
Can according to directions found here.
Enjoy your garden all year long with this yummy sweet corn relish.
Storage
When canned and stored in a cool, dry place, your corn relish will last for up to one year. Once opened, the relish will last in the fridge for up to 2 months.
Recipe Notes
- Here are some variations to make this corn relish recipe work for you:
- Use white vinegar, white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.
- Add red bell peppers or green bell peppers, and yellow onion or sweet onion.
- Add other vegetables you might have on hand, like celery or cucumber.
- Use different spices, like ground allspice, mustard seeds, crushed red pepper flakes, coriander seeds, or ground cumin.
- Add 1 minced jalapeno pepper or serrano pepper for some spice!
- You want to use coarse salt like pickle salt or kosher salt, not iodized table salt.
Recipe FAQs
Should I use fresh or frozen corn?
Of course, you can use fresh corn kernels but I gotta tell ya, if I’m going to go to the trouble of shucking and preparing fresh corn, I’m gonna eat every last bite of it fried. I recently put up 80 ears of corn and ended up with enough for about 5 meals. That’s a lot of work for just a few meals! Fresh corn is a precious thing and since we’re canning this you won’t be able to tell much difference so let’s keep it easy, alrighty?
Do the tomatoes need to be ripe?
They don’t have to be ripe, but if they are that is alright. You can even use green tomatoes if you like.
Where did corn relish originate?
It’s believed that traditional corn relish originated in the South and in particular in Louisiana.
How do you serve corn relish?
When it comes to ways to serve corn relish, the options are basically endless:
- Add it as a topping to burgers, hot dogs, or sandwiches like a pulled pork or grilled cheese sandwich.
- Mix it with black beans and cilantro to make something reminiscent of summer corn salad, then add it as a topping to tacos or burritos.
- Serve it on a cheese board or an appetizer with corn chips for scooping.
- Serve it as a side dish with a main dish like Southern fried chicken, Southern fried catfish, pork chops, or roasted chicken.
- Enjoy it for breakfast with an omelet or eggs and bacon.
- Add it to your next pasta salad or tuna salad.
Check out these other relish recipes:
Ingredients
- 3 32-ounce packages frozen whole kernel corn
- 4 cups chopped bell peppers
- 2 cups chopped Vidalia onions
- 4 cups chopped red tomatoes
- 5 cups vinegar
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon celery seed
- 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard or dry mustard powder
Instructions
- Combine all vegetables in a large pot. Add vinegar, sugar, salt, turmeric, celery seed, and mustard. Heat to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring every now and then to ensure even cooking.3 32-ounce packages frozen whole kernel corn, 4 cups chopped bell peppers, 2 cups chopped Vidalia onions, 4 cups chopped red tomatoes, 5 cups vinegar, 2 cups sugar, 1/4 cup kosher salt, 1 tablespoon turmeric, 1 tablespoon celery seed, 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard or dry mustard powder
- Seal in hot, sterilized canning jars according to directions that can be found in my canning tutorial. Try to get an equal amount of liquid in each jar. You need a good bit of liquid to cover the vegetables but you strain that out when you serve them. Process for 10 minutes in boiling water for pint size, and 5 for half pints.
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Do you feel your tomatoes first
Sorry I meant peel
Yes, I usually do but it is a personal preference thing, if you don’t want to you don’t have to.
What I tried by the Amish had pickles in it and we really liked it. Do you have s recipe with a pickle in it?
Hello I am from Washington and my Grandma made this corn reish the ingredients
Corn
Bell peppers 4 colors
Onions
Brussle so or cabbage (purpe)
Garlic
Carrots
Only 3-4 tomatoes red or green
Cucumbers cut in 4ths ( rounds then in 4 pieces
Sugar
pickling spice
Apple cider vinagar and red wine vinagar 1/2
Salt
Mustard seed
Celery seed
Black pepper
Lime juice from one lime she said she did that to keep some of the vegetables from discolouring put that over veggies first and tossed and let set then added other ingredients I don’t have a recipie yours is the closest to what hers was but with no measurements but yours on the salt and vinigar lime and sugar will that give it enough acid with my veggies to can with out the awful “B” do you have any recommendations I am in a safe certified
canning Facebok page that ost recipies and certified safe gals answer question’s and when I was talking about tweeking a recipie by lowering the tomatoes and adding corn and carrots but keeping the vinagar salt sugar lime the same they say no to adding or omitting Veggies. What’s your take and can you recommend an idea for me thanks
Word. Ha.
Made the corn relish today. Used 2 dozen ears of corn and 3 lbs. of frozen corn. Green and red tomatoes and 6 different colors of peppers Very attractive in the jar and tastes SOOOO good.
Thank you for posting this recipe.
Oh my goodness, I can see and taste it now!!! I am so glad to hear you liked it!!!
I am going to make this recipe tomorrow using garden corn. How many ears of corn do you think I will need? Thanks, Ruth
Hmmm, I’m just guessing here but I’d think at least a dozen, maybe two.
Yes I want to use fresh corn too??
Christy, can I can this using the method I do with canned tomatoes. Just put hot food in hot jars or does it have to be in a water bath? Thank you!
I would always always always use a water bath for something like this and tomatoes, too. I know folks have done it in hot jars in the past and not died from it but that isn’t actually canning or preserving the food, and since it isn’t processed, the temperature isn’t reached to safely kill the bacteria present in veggies, jars, etc. It’s a recipe for botulism in an environment that it thrives in. Just ten to fifteen minutes at a full rolling boil (with the lid on the pot) changes everything and gives you a safe end product with no worries whatsoever 🙂
Hi Christy, just wanted to say I love your corn relish recipe. I use to watch my Big Mama can vegetables when we were little kids, and I remember her making this corn relish, but she would always call it succotash.
I am so glad you like it Annette!!!
What do I use my corn relish for?!
I eat corn relish straight but it is excellent served on cornbread, on the top of beans or as a little side with any country vegetable.