Tomato Relish

My daughter and I love pickle relish on our hot dogs and hamburgers. We also love ketchup. This tomato relish is like having your pickle relish and your ketchup all in one. Yum! So, as part of my continuing tomato saga, I thought I’d share this colorful, flavorful recipe.

Tomato Relish

8 pounds of tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped

3 cups diced onions

3 cups diced green and/or red bell peppers

3 cups cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon ground cloves

1 ½ tablespoons alt

¾ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

1 cup apple cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a large stainless steel pot. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for about 3 hours or until relish is bright red and very thick. Stir frequently.

Prepare canner, jars and seals.

Ladle hot relish into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if necessary. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar, and screw ring down until finger tight.

Place jars in canner. Be sure jars are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 15 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes. Remove jars, cool, and store.

Make 6 to 8 pints

Tips:

Tomatoes scorch easily! Make sure you are frequently stirring the relish to keep it from burning on the bottom.

To peel tomatoes, place them in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds. Then transfer them to an ice bath for another 30 to 60 seconds. The peels will fall right off. Core the tomatoes while peeling, not before.

When dicing the tomatoes, try to separate out as many of the seeds as possible. The seeds can add a bitter flavor and cause indigestion or heartburn. Don’t obsess; just get as many as you can.

Always prepare one more jar than the recipe calls for. There’s always a little bit left over that can be put in the refrigerator to be enjoyed right away.

Always can with Christmas in mind! Properly canned food stays safe and flavorful for at least a year. Start thinking now about what to put in those gift baskets at Christmas time!

Label the jars with what’s inside and the date it was prepared.