Homemade Pepper Relish

I picked all these beautifuls babes from my garden

and these too!

I was trying to decide what I could do with all my peppers besides sticking them in the freezer, and I decided to try making relish.  Since my pickled banana peppers were delicious, I thought the odds were good that I could maybe pull it off.  I searched the internet, got a general idea of what to do and went for it!  I adapted my recipe from this one for Pepper Relish.

Pepper Relish

• 12 cups of diced assorted peppers (red & green bell peppers, banana peppers, and jalapenos)
• 2 medium onions - diced
• 2 T. salt
• 3 cups white vinegar
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 t. mustard seeds
• 1 t. celery seed
• 2 whole jalapeno peppers {additional to 12 cups above}

*I used a food processor to dice peppers and onions.

1. Combine peppers and salt in a large bowl.  Let stand for 2 hours.  Drain.

2. Combine sugar, vinegar, and mustard/celery seed in large saucepot.
3. Cut slits in the two additional whole jalapeno peppers and add to vinegar mixture.
4. Bring to boil.
5. Reduce heat and add peppers and onions, simmering 10 minutes.
6. Remove whole jalapeno peppers.  
7. Pack hot relish into clean jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space.  Adjust caps.

8. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner  I don't have a canner, so let them sit in a boiling water "bath" for 10 minutes.

Notes - next time I'll reduce the sugar even more (original recipe called for 3 cups) and increase the number of jalapenos used. 

This is a yummy sweet and spicy relish.  I would prefer it to be a little less sweet and a little more spicy.  Like me.  haha.  However, for my first time making it - I think it's pretty good!  Let me tell ya - it takes a looong time to seed 12 cups of peppers!!!

But look how pretty they turned out :)

Will my kids eat it?  Absolutely not. 

I'm linking this recipe up with Eat at Home, and Finding Joy in My Kitchen - Ingredient Spotlight - Bell Peppers, and The Gooseberry Patch Blog