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A simple and easy recipe for canning homemade Dill Pickle Relish. This tangy dill relish recipe is perfect for anyone new to canning. Enjoy it on burgers, hot dogs, in potato or chicken salad.
This dill pickle relish is tangy, packed with flavor, and tastes amazing on burgers, hot dogs, and in potato salad.
It’s also an important ingredient in our homemade tartar sauce and sweet potato fries dipping sauce.
Looking for a relish recipe that uses zucchini? Check out our Zucchini Relish recipe and Pickled Zucchini.
Dill Relish Ingredients
How To Make and Can Dill Relish
I’ll walk you through the process here in photos because it really helps, especially if you’re new to canning. At the bottom of the post, you’ll also find a printable and detailed recipe card.
Wash the cucumbers using a vegetable scrub brush. Cut the ends off and slice them into 8 sections. Cut the seeds out of each section. Cut into 1-2 inch chunks.
In a food processor, pulse (use “pulse” instead of “on”, or else you’ll end up with cucumber sauce) the cucumber chunks in batches until the pieces look “relishy”.
Put the cucumber pieces in a large bowl, sprinkle with canning salt and turmeric, and then pour the water over it. Cover, and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
After 2 hours, put the cucumbers in a colander or fine mesh strainer, and rinse thoroughly. Let drain and squeeze the cucumbers to release excess water.
In your food processor, chop the onion and pepper, or dice by hand. Add to a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Add the cucumbers, sugar, and dill seed to the saucepan with the onions and peppers. Pour both kinds of vinegar over everything, and bring to a boil (this will create a liquid called brine).
Reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pro tip: It’s a good idea to start your water in the canner at this point.
Ladle the hot relish into your jars. Top with the hot brine (excess liquid from the pot). Leave 1/4 inch of headspace (the amount of space between the top of the food in the jar and the top of the jar).
Wipe the rim with a clean damp towel, and place your sanitized lid on top. Secure the ring.
Place the jars in the water bath canner, and put the lid on. Processing times will vary based on altitude. See the chart below.
Processing Times for Dill Pickle Relish
| Processing Times for Dill Pickle Relish | ||||
| Processing Times at Altitudes of | ||||
| Style of Pack | Jar Size | 0-1,000 ft | 1,001-6,000 ft | 6,000 ft and above |
| Hot | half-pint or pint | 10 min | 15 min | 20 min |
| *Source: National Center For Home Food Preservation | ||||
Remove the canner from the burner when the processing time is up. Let everything sit for 5 minutes, then use a jar lifter and remove the jars from the canner. Place the jars on a thick towel. Let the jars cool completely (at least 12 hours), check the seal, and store for up to one year in a cool dark location.
Dill Relish Variations
Dill seed can be hard to find in normal grocery stores. I have to buy it online (I use this brand).
But, if you would prefer to use fresh dill for this recipe, substitute the dried dill seed with 8 heads of fresh dill.
You can use zucchini instead of cucumbers to make zucchini relish if you’re knee-deep in zukes right now. Processing time remains the same.
Sweet relish – it depends on how sweet you prefer your relish, but you can add 3-4 cups of sugar per 8, 8 oz jars. I recommend that you start with a minimum amount and add additional sugar in 1/2 cup increments until it has reached your perfect sweetness.
Spiced/hot dog relish – Include 1 cinnamon stick, 1 cup of brown sugar, and 1 tsp of cloves in the saucepan while simmering the base recipe.
Storage for Homemade Relish
Once the jars have sealed, remove the rings. Label and store sealed jars in a cool (best results are 50-70˚F) dark place for up to 12 months.
If you have the space available, do not stack the jars on top of each other more than two jars high.
Dill Pickle Relish Pro Tips/Recipe Notes:
- Leave the bowl of cucumbers, salt, turmeric, and water at room temperature during the brining process. This time is important for drawing out extra moisture from the cucumbers. Cold temps will slow that process.
- It is important to use pickling/canning salt in this recipe as regular salt has anti-caking agents which can impact the appearance of your relish.
- To give the flavors a chance to meld, wait one week after canning before opening.
- Upon opening, store the jar in the fridge for up to four weeks.
- If you don’t have enough jars to fill the canner, consider Canning Water in a few jars to stock your emergency drinking water supplies.
Dill Pickle Relish
Equipment
Ingredients
- 9 pounds pickling cucumbers {to yield ~7-8 cups of chopped cucumber}
- 1/2 cup pickling salt
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 4 cups water
- 3 cups white vinegar
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1.5 cups diced white onion
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp dill seed
- 1/4 cup red pepper, chopped {fresh}
Instructions
Making Dill Relish
- Wash cucumbers using a vegetable scrub brush.9 pounds pickling cucumbers
- Cut the ends of the cucumber off, slice into 8 sections.
- Cut the seeds out of each section, and then cut the sections into 1-2 inch chunks.
- In a food processor, pulse the cucumber chunks in batches. No food processor: grate or finely chop the cucumbers.
- Put the chopped cucumber in a large bowl, sprinkle it with salt and turmeric, and then pour the water over it. Cover, and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.1/2 cup pickling salt, 2 tsp turmeric, 4 cups water
- After 2 hours, put the chopped cucumber in a colander, and rinse thoroughly.
- Let drain and squeeze the cucumbers to release excess water
- In a food processor, dice the onion and pepper (or dice by hand). Add to a heavy-bottomed saucepan.1.5 cups diced white onion, 1/4 cup red pepper, chopped
- Add the chopped cucumber, sugar, and dill seed to the saucepan with the onion/peppers.1 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp dill seed
- Pour both vinegars over everything, and bring to a boil for 1 minute.3 cups white vinegar, 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- Reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Canning Dill Relish
- Prepare water bath canner by filling it with water, so that there will be at least 1 inch of water over the tops of the jars.
- Wash and clean your jars. Fill with hot water or keep them warm in a clean dishwasher or oven.
- Wash your lids and set aside in clean place.
- Place a lid on the canner and set it on the stove with the burner set to high.
- Ladle the hot relish into your jars. Top with the hot brine (excess liquid from the saucepan). Leave 1/4 inch of headspace (the amount of space between the top of the food in the jar and the top of the jar).
- Using a wet clean rag, wipe the rim to make sure there isn't any residue on the jars.
- Place a clean lid on the jar and then a ring. Tighten the ring to fingertip tight.
- Using canning tongs, add jars to the boiling water, and put the canner lid on. Pro tip: you must have at least 1 inch of water over the tops of the jars for safe canning.
- Process pints and half-pints based on the elevation guide below:*0-1,000 ft = 10 minutes*1,001-6,000 ft = 15 minutes*6,000 ft+ = 20 minutes
- Remove the canner from heat, and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Remove the jars using canning tongs and place them on towels on the counter undisturbed for 12-24 hours.
- After everything has cooled, check the seal by pushing down on the middle of the lid. If it doesn't give way, it's sealed. If the lid bows a little bit, put that in the fridge and use it within 3 weeks.
- Wait one week after canning before enjoying the relish. It will give the flavors time to meld.
- Label the sealed jars, and store in a cool dark place for up to a year.
Notes
- Turmeric is mainly used for color and a bit of flavor. It is optional to add.
- Makes about 7 pints or 14 half-pints.
- If you would prefer to use fresh dill for this recipe, substitute the dill seed with 8 heads of fresh dill. Add them to the jars before ladling in the hot relish.
- Upon opening, store the jar in the fridge for up to four weeks.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I am going to try and re word the comment that won’t post. I did NOT have anywhere close to 7-8 cups of chopped cucumbers. There was way more than that. It is interesting you have never had a brine issue all the years you have made this. Things that make you go hmm. Lol It will be interesting to see what your next batch yields knowing the issues we have had. Thanks for looking into it!
I am trying to add another comment and it says it is a duplicate comment (which it is not) & that I already said that. No I haven’t. Never had this issue either. Lol
If you click “submit” too many times in a row it may give you a timeout error and call it duplicate content.
I’m going to retest this next week. Right now, I’m in the middle of coordinating a 3 day soccer tournament and am not sleeping, let alone canning. 😂
Lol Fair enough Sarah! I don’t expect it to be priority! I actually don’t expect anything now I mention it. Lol If you do make some more, it be nice to know your outcome, that’s all. Have fun with soccer and family time!
Hi Sarah Not sure why I couldn’t “reply” to your last comment so I decided to start a new thread. Like Tammy, I had WAY more than 7-8 cups of chopped cucumbers, I just didn’t pay attention to that measurement as I had weighed out the 9 lbs of cucumbers. But thought I should mention that as well. It is interesting you have been making this recipe for years and have never had an issue with not having enough brine. Things that make you go hmm. Lol It will be interesting to see what your next batch yields knowing the issues we have had. Thanks for looking into it!
Hi Sarah,
I just took my jars out of the water bath and I had the same problem as Jennifer Pepler – not enough brine. Along with another conundrum. I weighed my cukes and only had 5.75 pounds, so I could only do half a batch. Not the first time I’ve done a half batch of something canning. I reduced all the other ingredients by 50%. Not very difficult with this recipe. However, my 4# 12 oz of whole cukes delivered 10.5 cups chopped. I suppose I could have cut pieces off of one cuke to get precisely 4# 8oz but it’s relish not a cake and 4 oz of extra veg is a couple spoonfuls after cleaning. First, I had to add another cup of water to the brining bowl. Then with everything in the pot ready to cook for jarring it was highly evident that there was nowhere near enough juice, so i added another half of the called for vinegar and sugar… not once but twice.
Have you ever actually measured the chopped cukes? I’m perplexed how you get 7-8 cups and I have 10.5 cups with half the cukes! I know this is the Ball recipe basically. Like many others I thought the sugar it calls for is excessive. It does cut the vinegar tartness some so a little is def needed… so I chose your version. Never had so many issues with amounts before. It is the first time I’ve made dill relish but haven’t ever had this problem with sweet relish which also has too much sugar in the recipes 🙁 Have to add some vinegar to a new jar and let it steep a week before using it.
Hi Tammy, I need to make another batch soon and I’ll retest the brine and cucumber amount. I’ve used this recipe for years and haven’t had this issue, but I’ll give it another shot and see what might be incorrect.
I am in the middle of making this relish and there is no where near enough “brine” to fill each jar to a quarter inch. I have not altered a thing and followed recipe to a tee. Not sure if I should be making more brine or just finish canning it as is? Any suggestions?
Hi Jennifer,
I have never run into that issue before. I would make more brine and the continue with canning.
Thanks Sarah, I decided to can it as is. I double checked the recipe to make sure I didn’t forget anything or use the wrong measurements. Everything was followed correctly. I only had perhaps an extra 3 or 4 tablespoons, so not enough for another jar. I got 14 half pints, so basically exactly as much as recipe calls for. I can’t see how putting it in smaller jars would affect the amount of brine used. Whether it is 7 pints or 14 half pints shouldn’t make a difference. Anyway, I can’t wait to try this. It looks exactly like what I was wanting as an end product. Thanks again!
You’re correct, it shouldn’t make a difference unless you changed the headspace b/t the size of jars.
I need to make another batch soon and I’ll retest the brine amount. I’ve used this recipe for years and haven’t had this issue, but I’ll give it another shot and see what might be incorrect.
I am going to make this relish either later today or tomorrow. I have canned a lot in my life and I have even made similar recipes but with zucchini. I have never seen instructions to add lots of water when using salt to extract excess water from the cucumbers prior to making the recipe. I am curious to know why the water is added. Do you know? Thanks for sharing and I look forward to making this. It’s exactly what I am looking for! I will come back and rate this once I have made it! I am sure it will be a 5 star recipe though!
Hi Jennifer, I based my recipe off one from Ball Canning. I adjusted it to include less sugar, and a few season adjustments. But they recommend the water and salt, and so I use this method as well. My best guess is that it swells the cucumber to prevent extreme expansion during the actual canning process.
OK thank you for your input! I was curious! I will let you know how it goes!
Can’t wait to hear what you think! Our cucumbers are coming in hot and I need to make another batch soon.
Can I leave out the sugar for this recipe
Hi Linda, yes you can. It’s such a small amount and is not necessary for safe canning.
Please help! I have 7 jars in the waterbath right now and realized I did not rinse the brine off! I squeezed it all out but forgot to rinse it 🤦♀️ will this effect it being canned properly? Or will it just be extra salty relish?
Hi Elaine, your relish will be totally safe from a food preservation standpoint. But yes, it will be extra salty!
Thanks so much! I have to say it’s delicious! It’s salty of course but I can’t wait to try it again (including all the steps next time haha). Thanks so much for the recipe and reply!
So glad to hear that it won’t be a total loss for you! And I tend to like things on the salty side, so I bet I’d love it too. 🙂
Ok I made 4 pints Just cut recipe in half.I omitted the bell pepper because I don’t eat bell peppers but added red pepper flakes the dill flavors come out good not to sweet but might be just a little hot!but I think I can handle it..
I love the addition of the red pepper flakes, Mark! So glad you enjoyed it.