Sweet Zucchini Relish

Winchester

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Are there any home canners on the board? Can you give me your opinion, please?

I am making Sweet Zucchini Relish tomorrow. I've made it before and it's really good stuff. We use it on brats, burgers, hot dogs, in tuna salad, pasta salads and potato salads. We have found that store-bought relish (Vlasic, Heinz, etc.) these days seems to be mostly water. I had a plethora of zucchini a couple years ago and, in desperation, made the relish. I ended up making the recipe 3 times because people would take jars of it.

The problem (and I don't know if it really is a problem) is that when somebody posted this recipe, somebody else said that it was way too sweet (and it is) and she reduced the sugar by half, keeping everything else OK. Which is what I did. I also added some ground mustard, some red pepper flakes, and a couple serrano peppers (seeded and veined) to the mix. And I used a combination of apple cider vinegar and white vinegar.

Well, another person started posting about botulism, how it wasn't safe to mess with canning, you shouldn't reduce ingredients, etc. But honestly, six cups of sugar would make the relish way too sweet, even for sweet relish.

Should I go ahead and water-bath can the relish? Or do you think I should just freeze it? I hate to freeze it because of it getting too watery as it thaws and because it takes up room in the freezer. It's a lot better with the three cups of sugar instead of the six cups. But whenever I do any kind of canning, I'm always afraid I'm going to kill somebody.

Thoughts?

SWEET ZUCCHINI RELISH

12 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini
4 cups chopped onion
5 tablespoons canning salt
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
6 cups white sugar
2-1/2 cups white vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1-1/2 teaspoons celery seed
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Place the zucchini and onion in a large, non-metallic bowl, and sprinkle the salt overtop. Use your hands to evenly mix the salt throughout the zucchini. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.

The following day, drain the zucchini in a colander, and rinse well with cool water. Squeeze out excess water and set aside. Place the red and green bell pepper, sugar, vinegar, and cornstarch into a large pot. Add the nutmeg, turmeric, celery seed and pepper. Stir to combine, then add the drained zucchini. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, sterilize 7 one-pint jars and lids to hold relish. Pack relish into sterilized jars, making sure there are no spaces or air pockets. Fill jars all the way to top. Screw on lids.

Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with boiling water. Carefully lower jars into pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary, until tops of jars are covered by 2 inches of water. Bring water to a full boil, then cover and process for 30 minutes.

Remove jars from pot and place on cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press top of each lid with finger, ensuring that seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all).

Makes 7 pints.
 

lizzie

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You're not going to be doing any harm by reducing the amount of sugar,and if you're water bath canning it,essentially you're sterilizing it ...as long as the seal is proper,and you've kept the acidity what the recipe says,no need to worry about botulism.Botulism can occur in canned foods that are low or no acid,which is why those foods should either be pressure canned or frozen,and always blanched first to get rid of surface bacteria.Veggies like green beans,corn,etc. I prefer to freeze,and have eaten them after a year in the freezer and they are fine.Right now I am making jam from raspberries I froze last year from our garden and it's turning out great...just like I was using fresh picked berries.Enjoy!
Are there any home canners on the board? Can you give me your opinion, please?

I am making Sweet Zucchini Relish tomorrow. I've made it before and it's really good stuff. We use it on brats, burgers, hot dogs, in tuna salad, pasta salads and potato salads. We have found that store-bought relish (Vlasic, Heinz, etc.) these days seems to be mostly water. I had a plethora of zucchini a couple years ago and, in desperation, made the relish. I ended up making the recipe 3 times because people would take jars of it.

The problem (and I don't know if it really is a problem) is that when somebody posted this recipe, somebody else said that it was way too sweet (and it is) and she reduced the sugar by half, keeping everything else OK. Which is what I did. I also added some ground mustard, some red pepper flakes, and a couple serrano peppers (seeded and veined) to the mix. And I used a combination of apple cider vinegar and white vinegar.

Well, another person started posting about botulism, how it wasn't safe to mess with canning, you shouldn't reduce ingredients, etc. But honestly, six cups of sugar would make the relish way too sweet, even for sweet relish.

Should I go ahead and water-bath can the relish? Or do you think I should just freeze it? I hate to freeze it because of it getting too watery as it thaws and because it takes up room in the freezer. It's a lot better with the three cups of sugar instead of the six cups. But whenever I do any kind of canning, I'm always afraid I'm going to kill somebody.

Thoughts?

SWEET ZUCCHINI RELISH

12 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini
4 cups chopped onion
5 tablespoons canning salt
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
6 cups white sugar
2-1/2 cups white vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1-1/2 teaspoons celery seed
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Place the zucchini and onion in a large, non-metallic bowl, and sprinkle the salt overtop. Use your hands to evenly mix the salt throughout the zucchini. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.

The following day, drain the zucchini in a colander, and rinse well with cool water. Squeeze out excess water and set aside. Place the red and green bell pepper, sugar, vinegar, and cornstarch into a large pot. Add the nutmeg, turmeric, celery seed and pepper. Stir to combine, then add the drained zucchini. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, sterilize 7 one-pint jars and lids to hold relish. Pack relish into sterilized jars, making sure there are no spaces or air pockets. Fill jars all the way to top. Screw on lids.

Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with boiling water. Carefully lower jars into pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary, until tops of jars are covered by 2 inches of water. Bring water to a full boil, then cover and process for 30 minutes.

Remove jars from pot and place on cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press top of each lid with finger, ensuring that seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all).

Makes 7 pints.
 
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Winchester

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Thank you, Lizzie. And it's wonderful to hear from you! I threw you a PM this morning.

I know when I can onions and such, I always pressure can. I reduced the sugar to about 3 cups to the 2-1/2 cups of vinegar and did them in a water canner. And I always use vinegar with 5% acidity.

Thanks!
 
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