Hot Pepper Relish Canning Recipe

• 5 cups minced/ground sweet peppers (such as Green Bell Peppers, Golden Bell Peppers, Purple Bell Peppers, Red Bell Peppers, Mini Bell Peppers, or you can also use other specialty sweet peppers like Corno Di Toro Giallo, Cubanelles, Fushimi, Marconis, Paprika peppers, or even Habanadas to give your relish some Habanero fruity flavor (roughly 3 to 4 pounds before mincing/grinding)
• 5 cups minced/ground jalapeño peppers (any variety) or any hot peppers of your choosing (roughly 3 to 4 pounds before mincing/grinding)
• 1-½ cups minced/ground onion 
• 2-½ cups distilled white or cider vinegar (5%)
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 tsp mustard seed
• 4 tsp pickling salt

Wear gloves when dealing with hot peppers to avoid painful burning later! 

Wash and rinse pint or half-pint canning jars – you can also disinfect them in boiling water in the canner. Keep jars hot until ready to fill. Wash the lids and metal bands according to manufacturer’s directions – usually we wash with soap and water, rinse well, and dip into boiling water before putting lids on filled jars. 

Wash peppers, remove stems and seeds (you can keep the seeds in the hot peppers if desired). Feel free to substitute the sweet peppers with all hot peppers if you want a wicked hot relish! Peel and wash onions. Cut peppers and onions into large pieces. Mince all the peppers, or use a food processor to grind peppers and onions coarsely. Measure the ground peppers and onions including the juice, and combine into stockpot with the rest of the ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil on high heat, reduce the heat and cook at low boil for about 30 minutes, stirring often. 

Use a canning funnel and fill the hot jars with relish, leaving a half inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles and ensure there is a half inch of headspace, then wipe the rims clean with a clean towel and put lids and bands on. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel.  Adjust lids and bands. Gently layer into the boiling water in the canner, and boil for the times listed below. Remove jars, then leave them undisturbed on the counter (we put a towel under them), and let them sit for 12 to 24 hours. Check that they are sealed, refrigerate any jars that did not seal, and then store the sealed jars in a dark, dry cool place. 

Boil Times for Pints or Half Pints:
10 minutes for 0-1000 ft elevation
15 minutes for 1001-6000 ft elevation
20 minutes if above 6,000 ft elevation

Want more pepper recipes?

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No time to can? Check out our refrigerator Sweet and Spicy Pepper Relish Recipe »