GRANDMA’S HOMEMADE PICKLE RELISH

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GRANDMA’S HOMEMADE PICKLE RELISH

This time of year, cooks everywhere dive deep into canning, curing, drying, freezing, and pickling. Homemade Pickle Relish is always worth the effort. Humidity turns the kitchen into a sauna bath, but the remembered flavor of preserved foods keeps us moving forward.

Homemade pickle relish piled on pork or heaped on hamburgers is our reward. It is also great mixed into salad dressings. Wintertime is just a bit more pleasant when we can indulge in the fruits of our labors.

 

PICCALILLI

This recipe was given to my grandmother at her bridal shower back in 1913. It has been in use by my family ever since. Yes, it’s just that GOOD!

1 peck green tomatoes (This is roughly 13 pounds.)

1 large head cabbage

6 onions

3 red or green peppers

1/2 cup salt

2 quarts vinegar (This is 8 cups of either white or apple cider vinegar. You can dilute it with water if you think it’s too strong. Just be sure you have 8 cups of liquid.)

4 cups sugar

1 tablespoon celery seed

1 tablespoon mustard seed

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Shred tomatoes, cabbage, onions, and peppers. Add salt and let everything stand overnight. Drain and add vinegar and the rest of the ingredients. Boil 30 minutes. Seal in sterilized jars. Process pint jars in a 212 degree water bath for 15 minutes.

MUSTARD PICKLES

This pickle recipe was from my great-grandmother, and was handed down to her daughters, and so on until it got to me.

5 quarts peeled, sliced cucumbers (This is 7 pounds.)

Salt

3 cups vinegar (Either white or apple cider vinegar which can be diluted with water if you think it’s too strong. Just be sure you have 3 cups of liquid.)

3 cups sugar

2 teaspoons powdered mustard

1/2 teaspoon tumeric

1 teaspoon celery seed

1/2 teaspoon red pepper

3 tablespoons flour

Sprinkle the cucumbers with salt. Let stand overnight. Drain and add vinegar and spices. Bring to a boil and cook 15 minutes. Add the flour. Seal in sterilized jars. Process pint jars in a 212 degree water bath for 15 minutes.

 

TIME-TESTED RECIPES

Big families were the norm back 80 to 100 years ago, so recipes were usually done in large quantities. These recipes can be cut in half if necessary. Be sure to save some relish back for supper without sealing it all up. Some families, such as my own, can hardly wait for this to cool off before they try it.

For more information on how to get the most out of antique recipes, check out our article: THE RECIPE TRANSLATOR.

HAPPY COOKING! Susan