Squash Relish

(from cokerlj’s recipe box)

I like the recipe for Squash Pickles (recipe in this book) better that this…hubby likes this better.
You might want to compare ingredients of this to the Squash Pickles also in this book. Sort of mix and match.
I have seen several recipes…most call for you to finely chop or grate the ingredients…I believe I like this sliced method better.

Source: Denise Houston Hale

Categories: Canning & Pickling

Ingredients

  • 10 cups yellow squash, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups green pepper, thinly sliced (I used a combo of green, red & orange bell peppers.)
  • 1 large jar diced pimento (for color, that's why I used the red & orange bell peppers...so I only used a small jar of the Pimentos)
  • 2/3 cup kosher OR canning & pickling salt
  • 3 quarts ice water (use distilled water combined with ice)
  • -
  • Syrup:
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon celery seed
  • 2 cups white vinegar, 5% acidity
  • 1 tablespoon mustard seed
  • -
  • Pickle Crisp - Optional, will insure your ingredients are nice and crisp and is not harmful like lime. Use 1/16 teaspoon directly in jar for half pint, 1/8 teaspoon directly in jar for pints. Follow instructions on container. I found mine at my local WalM

Directions

  1. NOTES: I have seen variations of this using jalapenos, green AND red bell peppers, leaving out pimentos. Using a cinnamon stick in the brine and using apple cider vinegar.

  2. Soak squash in 3 quarts ice water and 2/3 cup salt for 1 hour. This is an important step, do not skip. Drain squash after the hour and mix with the other vegetables. While still in colander, mash down hard on the vegetables to make certain to get all of the liquid out. NOTE: I used a food processor to slice all my veggies. First I did squash and added the salt/water. Then I did the remainder of the veggies…I just dumped them on top of the squash/water but didn’t mix in.

  3. Bring Syrup ingredients to a boil. NOTE: You can add the spices directly to the brine or you can tie the spices up in a spice bag…a coffee filter works great to tie spices in…Denise leaves them loose in brine. I don’t like to bite into the celery seeds so I tied those up for flavor and left the mustard seed just floating around.

  4. Drain vegetables, mashing to get all the liquid out and dump into boiling liquid. Return to a boil. Just as it starts to bubble, turn the heat off.

  5. Fill jars with vegetables, (slightly straining off liquid, add optional Pickle Crisp as directed. Top off with brine. Seal immediately.

  6. NOTE: My friend that gave me this recipe uses the “flip” method, however, every recipe I have read on line says to process in hot water canner for 10 minutes. That being said….. You can process in a hot water bath, counting 5-10 minutes from time you place in water OR if you worked quickly, you can flip jars upside down on counter for 10 minutes, then flip back over. Jars should seal as they cool. I have used this “flip” method with certain fruit preserves that I have made and it works quite well.

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