Canned Tomato Relish

Spoon this Canned Tomato Relish onto hamburgers, hotdogs, sausages, and sandwiches too. Prepared with cucumbers, bell peppers, zucchini, onion, and tomatoes, this relish is the best way to preserve all of that homegrown late-summer harvest!

I remember back when Canned Tomato Relish was something that you could easily find in everyone’s refrigerator. Most of them, especially in my case, it was store-bought. At the end of last summer, I still have a garden full of tomatoes and peppers and really needed to put them to good use before the frost came. Of course, I immediately thought about canning them, because, in my head, there is no such thing as too many jars of canned food in my canning pantry.

We love this stuff, but I don’t use it as often as I should. To be honest, whenever we finish up a jar, I forget to place another in the fridge. I’m one of those people who tend to forget about things unless they’re right in front of me. I’ve learned to keep my pantry super organized, otherwise, cans and packages would be pushed to the back and left there to die. I have to get into the habit of doing the same thing with my canning pantry.

Canned Tomato Relish is both sweet and tart. It’s also very savoury and homey. As previously mentioned, it is most commonly used on burgers and dogs. But, don’t limit it to just that! The next time you make a pasta salad, stir in a couple of tablespoons of this relish. Spoon some onto a baked potato with some sour cream. Top your meatloaf with it instead of plain ketchup. And, be sure to set out a small bowl of it with your cheese board or charcuterie too!

WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE THESE

You can find tomato relish in large jars at most grocery stores. But, the taste of homemade Canned Tomato Relish is much better. When you make your own, you can control the sodium. You also eliminate the use of chemicals and preservatives found in the store-bought variety.

I find that most of the tomato relish varieties you buy at the store are okay in a pinch. I do use them from time to time, but there’s one thing particularly that I don’t like about them. Most of the brands leave the skin on the tomatoes. I don’t know about you, but I do not care for cooked tomato skins.

The skin doesn’t break down very well at all. A piece of it will leave you with a weird, chewy bit that’s hard to swallow. Take the time to prepare Canned Tomato Relish now, you’ll save yourself time and energy when preparing meals later!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

Here is a list of the ingredients you will need to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Tomatoes – It’s the main ingredient so you will need a lot of them.
• Vegetables – You will need cucumbers, bell peppers, zucchini, and onion.
• Salt – You must use pickling salt. Regular table salt will not work well here.
• Vinegar – Plain white vinegar seems to work the best. Other light-coloured vinegar, like rice, champagne, or even apple cider, will change the taste and colour of the relish.
• Sugar – It will help to sweeten the relish and take some of the acidic taste away from all of those tomatoes.
• Seasonings – These build up the flavour, making this a relish delicious. Some of them might sound odd, but don’t skip out of them, because it all comes together quite well. You will need mustard seeds, celery seeds, and ground allspice.
• Tomato Paste – In savoury dishes, tomato paste adds a deep, home-style flavour.  It also adds colour to the dish and in some cases, will help to bind or thicken too.

HOW TO MAKE CANNED TOMATO RELISH

It’s important to plan ahead before starting this recipe because some of the veggies need at least 8 hours of soaking time before you get to the cooking or canning stages. I like to prepare those veggies in the evening and start cooking canning the next morning.

Add the cucumbers, zucchini, onions, and bell peppers to a large bowl. Fill the bowl with cold water until it reaches just half an inch above the layer of veggies. Add the pickling salt and toss all of the veggies together very well to mix the salt through. Set aside for a minimum of 8 hours or a maximum of 12 hours. Once done, drain the water away and rinse the veggies with cold water. Squeeze out as much water as possible and transfer the veggies to a stock pot.

Next, chop the tomatoes, removing the core, seeds, and pulp. You do not need to stress over getting all of the seeds and pulp out; just get out what you can. Transfer the chopped tomatoes to the stock pot as well. Lastly, add all of the other ingredients, but do not add the sugar! Over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low. The mixture should be bubbling slightly, but not boiling. Cook for 40 minutes. Add the sugar and stir well. Once the mixture returns back to a slight bubble, it’s time to fill the jars and process using the water bath canning method. Can for 15 minutes.

WATER BATH CANNING METHOD

STEP 1: PREPARING THE JARS

Some canners say that if you need to boil the jars longer than 10 minutes, then you don’t need to sterilize the jars. I say no! Canning is not as simple and cheap as frying an egg. It takes time, and an investment if you don’t already have the equipment. Eliminate any risk whatsoever by always sterilizing your jars. It’s easy to do and your Canned Tomato Relish will thank you! Wash the jars in hot, soapy water. Rinse the jars well under running water to get rid of any soap residue.

Transfer the jars to a large pot of water. Bring to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes. Using a jar wrench/lifter, lift the jars out of the water, tilting to pour out the water. Be careful; it’s hot! Stand the jar up on a baking sheet. Once all of the jars are on the baking sheet, place them into your preheated oven at 200 degrees F. This will keep them hot and away from any contamination.

STEP 2: PREPARING THE SEALS AND RINGS

Mason jars are equipped with three parts. The first is the jar. The second and third parts combine to form the lid. The flat disc with the rubber ring on the bottom is the seal. Finally, the circular part that actually screws onto the jar is called a screw band. Depending on the brand or the recipe you’re reading, the names of these things can vary. But, they all do the same thing.

The screw bands never come in contact with the food, so they do not need to be washed or sterilized. But, because I want to eliminate any risk of contamination, I make sure they’re clean. After all, they have been sitting in a warehouse before they got to the store, and then finally, to me. That’s too many germs for my comfort level! I wash them in hot, soapy water, rinse them well, and transfer them to a bowl until I need them. The sealing disk/sealing ring needs a little more consideration.

If you look at the bottom of the lid, you will see a reddish-brown rubber ring. It’s attached to the lid. This ring has a huge job! It is pretty much in charge of keeping your food safe for long-term storage. Place the lids into a glass bowl. I like to separate them so that they are not all stacked. When I’m ready to ladle the food into the jars, I pour a kettle of boiling water over the lids so that they are sterile and the rubber band softens. That’s it. You have now prepared your jars. Next, we need to get the canner ready!

STEP 3: PREPARING THE CANNER

You can buy a canning pot, but you don’t have to do that. Any stock pot will do just fine. Be sure that the pot is tall enough to hold enough water so that your jars are covered by at least an inch of water. Fill the canning pot accordingly. Also, be sure to insert a canning rack or mat into the bottom of your pot. If you buy a canning pot it will come with one. Otherwise, you can buy them for any pot size. Never let your jars touch the bottom of the pot when boiling. They could easily break and your Canned Tomato Relish will be lost. Once you’ve done this, bring the water to a full boil.

In most cases, if you’re new to canning, you might notice some white residue on the jars after all is said and done. This can easily be cleaned off once the jars are cool. A few tablespoons of white vinegar in the boiling water helps to eliminate most of it. I use it every single time.

Lastly, it’s always a good idea to keep a kettle of boiling water close by. Depending on how many jars you need to process, you might have to boil them in batches. You will be surprised at how quickly rapidly boiling water can evaporate. Having a kettle of boiling water will allow you to easily top up the canning pot without altering the temperature of the water.

STEP 4: FILLING THE JARS

Depending on the recipe, filling the jars is quite easy. Having some inexpensive equipment on hand can make this process much easier. Invest in a canning funnel. It will help you ladle the food into the jars without making a mess. Remember to pay attention to the recipe’s recommended headspace. This is the amount of empty space from the top of the food to the very top of the jar. Also, it’s imperative to keep the rim of the jar clean to ensure a good seal. You will also need a bubble remover. You can buy these, but I’m not a fan of them. A clean wooden chopstick does the same thing. Removing bubbles will prevent mould from growing.

Lastly, you will need a magnetic lid lifter. Remember how I said the flat sealing lids will be submerged in a bowl of boiling water? Well, you can’t just pick them up with your hands. First of all, it’s hot! Secondly, you will want to eliminate the risk of any contamination. Do not touch the underside of the lid. Period! Using a magnetic lid lifter will allow you to pick up the lid and position it right onto the rim of the jar without ever touching it.

Finally, you will need to screw on the metal screw bands. In most cases, the food in the jars is scalding hot, so you can’t touch the jars to tighten the lids. But, that’s a good thing! You should never over-tighten the lids. Place the screw band over the jar and tighten it with one hand. It should be snug, not tight. Now, that’s it! You’re ready to boil these jars!

STEP 5: BOILING THE JARS OF FOOD

Carefully lift the jars of Canned Tomato Relish straight up using a jar wrench/lifter. Lower the jar into the pot of boiling water. Fill the canning pot with jars in this manner. Don’t jam the jars in; leave a little bit of space between the jars. I aim for about a centimetre or a finger’s width. Remember, you can process the jars in batches.

Once the canning pot is loaded, place a lid on the pot, and start your timer according to the recipe you are following. If the water is not at a full boil, do not start timing until it is! When the time is up, use the jar wrench to lift the jars straight up out of the water. Transfer the jars to a flat surface that has been lined with a few layers of kitchen towels. Allow the jars to fully cool – at least 24 hours! Finally, wipe the jars down, label them with contents and date, and store them in a cool, dark cupboard or pantry.

Some people remove the screw bands after the jars have cooled for 24 hours. I remove them just to check if there is a good seal. I put them back on once I’ve checked. It’s up to you if you want to leave them off. If you notice that a jar has not been sealed, you can either discard it or refrigerate it for immediate consumption. Only do so if you are 100% sure the food has not been compromised and that it is safe to eat.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!