Dill Pickle Relish
Easy, homemade dill pickle relish tastes way better than store-bought and it’s perfect for hot dogs and burger sauce!
This homemade Dill Pickle Relish is easy to make and tastes way better than store-bought with minimal sugar and no preservatives! Not to be confused with sweet relish, this relish is tangy, fresh, and bright. Enjoy immediately or preserve in a water bath to add to your pantry reserves and enjoy this classic condiment all year long.
What you need to make dill pickle relish
- Cucumber: Mini or pickling cucumbers work best due to their firmness and narrow seed cavity. You can still make this relish with full-sized cucumbers (and I have), just core the cucumbers first to remove the seeds. Finely chop the cucumber by hand or in batches in a food processor.
- Onion + garlic: Fresh minced garlic and finely chopped onion adds freshness and flavour.
- Vinegar: Plain white vinegar (5%) works great here. No need to get fancy!
- Sugar: Granulated sugar balances the acidity from the vinegar.
- Dill seed + mustard seed: Adds depth and delivers that classic dill pickle flavour. Make sure to use seeds, not dill weed or ground mustard.
- Coriander: Ground coriander brings a hint of earthy, citrus flavour. You could also use ground turmeric, or add whole coriander seeds to the brine at the same time as the dill and mustard seeds.
- Coarse salt: Enhances the cucumber flavour by drawing out excess water. I use kosher salt, since I always have it in the pantry. If you want to use pickling salt, reduce the amount to 2 tablespoons.
How to make dill pickle relish
In a large bowl, sprinkle the chopped cucumbers with kosher salt and coriander, and stir well to combine. Pour in the water and allow the mixture to sit for 1 hour. After an hour, use a large sieve to drain the cucumbers of any excess liquid. Then, rinse the cucumbers under cold water and drain again.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring the vinegar, sugar, garlic, dill seed, and mustard seed to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the drained cucumber and chopped onions. Return the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until thickened with a little liquid remaining.
Transfer the hot relish into clean, sterilized jars leaving ¼-inch headspace. Using a knife, stir around the inside of the jar to remove any trapped air. Cover with the lid and screw on the canning ring to fingertip tight.
If not canning, simply set the jars aside to cool before transferring to the refrigerator. Otherwise, process the jars in a water bath for 15 minutes. Then, set aside until cooled completely and sealed.
Ways to use dill pickle relish
Of course this relish is perfect for topping hot dogs and burgers as is, but it also makes a delicious base ingredient for a ton of other sauces and dressings, including:
- Hot dog relish: 2 tablespoons yellow mustard + 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- Burger sauce: ½ cup mayonnaise + 1 tablespoon dijon mustard + 1 teaspoon ketchup + 1 teaspoon dill pickle relish + pinch of cayenne
- Tartar sauce: ½ cup mayonnaise + 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish + 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill + 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Thousand Island dressing: ½ cup mayonnaise + 2 tablespoons ketchup + 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish + 2 teaspoons minced red onion + 1 teaspoon white vinegar + pinch of paprika
It also makes a great addition to tuna salad, chicken salad, egg salad, and classic potato salad; anywhere you’d add chopped pickles you can pretty much use pickle relish!
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Dill Pickle Relish
Ingredients
- 2 lbs mini cucumbers or pickling cucumbers, finely chopped
- 2½ tablespoons kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ teaspoons dill seed
- 1 teaspoon mustard seed
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, sprinkle chopped cucumbers with kosher salt and ground coriander. Stir well to combine. Add water and let sit for 1 hour. In a large sieve, drain cucumbers, rinse under cold water, and drain again.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring to a boil the vinegar, sugar, garlic, dill seeds, and mustard seed. Stir in the cucumber and onions. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until thickened with a little liquid remaining.
- Transfer hot relish into clean, sterilized jars leaving ¼-inch headspace. Using a knife, stir around the inside of the jar to remove any trapped air. Cover with the lid and screw on the canning ring to fingertip tight.
- If not canning, set aside to cool before transferring to the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Otherwise, process in a water bath for 15 minutes. Set aside until cooled completely and sealed.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Seasons & Suppers.
