Safety classification
Tested
Testing authority: National Center for Home Food Preservation
Safety reviewed: 09/18/2026
Processing details
Altitude adjustment: Use the exact altitude-adjusted schedule in the tested recipe card.
Source & provenance
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Safety classification
Tested recipe. Documented by National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Processing details
- Method: Boiling-water
canning ; hot pack - Jar size: Pints
- Headspace: 1/2 inch
- Processing: 15 minutes at 0–1,000 ft; use the source/card’s altitude adjustments above 1,000 ft.
Tested/documented source
National Center for Home Food Preservation: Tangy Tomatillo Relish — NCHFP. The source and recipe card remain authoritative for quantities and processing.
Preparation timeline
- Prepare jars, canner, produce, and measured ingredients.
- Prepare and salt the vegetables as directed, drain, combine with the tested spice, sugar, and cider-vinegar mixture, cook, and hot-pack.
- Fill jars, adjust headspace, process for elevation, and cool undisturbed 12–24 hours.
Equipment
- Boiling-water canner with rack
- Pints with compatible lids and bands
- Large nonreactive preserving pot
- Jar lifter,
canning funnel, and bubble/headspace tool
Visual method guide
- Prepare ingredients uniformly.
- Cook the full tested mixture as directed.
- Hot-pack evenly and maintain 1/2 inch headspace.
- Process using the documented altitude schedule.
Safety essentials
Use cider vinegar labeled 5% acidity. Do not change the tested tomatillo, jicama, tomato, pepper, sugar, salt, or vinegar proportions.
Do not enlarge jar size or shorten processing time. Refrigerate any unsealed jar.
About this recipe
A tested hot-pack tomatillo, jicama, tomato, and pepper relish for pint jars.
Before you begin
Read the complete recipe card and source, measure every ingredient before cooking, confirm your elevation, and prepare only one tested batch at a time.
Altitude-adjusted processing
15 minutes at 0–1,000 ft; use the source/card’s altitude adjustments above 1,000 ft.
Maintain a full rolling boil throughout processing; restart timing if boiling stops.
Tangy tomatillo relish — NCHFP
Ingredients
- 12 cups chopped tomatillos
- 3 cups finely chopped jicama
- 3 cups chopped onion
- 6 cups chopped plum-type tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper
- 1 1/2 cups chopped red bell pepper
- 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow bell pepper
- 1 cup canning salt
- 2 quarts water
- 6 tablespoons whole mixed pickling spice
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 6 cups sugar
- 6 1/2 cups cider vinegar (5%)
Equipment
- 1 Boiling-water bath canner with rack
- 1 Large stainless or enamel preserving pot
- 1 Canning jars with two-piece lids
- 1 Headspace and bubble tool
Directions
- 1. Wash and rinse 6 to 7 pint canning jars; keep hot until ready to use. Prepare lids. 2. Remove husks from tomatillos; peel jicama and onion. Wash all vegetables well before trimming and chopping.
- Place chopped tomatillos, jicama, onion, tomatoes, and all bell peppers in a 4-quart Dutch oven or saucepot. 3. Dissolve canning salt in water. Pour over prepared vegetables. Heat to boiling; simmer 5 minutes.
- Drain thoroughly through a cheesecloth-lined strainer (until no more water drips through, about 15 to 20 minutes). 4. Place pickling spice and optional red pepper flakes on a clean, double-layer, 6-inch-square piece of 100% cotton cheesecloth.
- Bring corners together and tie with a clean string. (Or use a purchased muslin spice bag.) 5. Mix sugar, vinegar and spices (in cheesecloth bag) in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Add drained vegetables. Return to boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Remove spice bag. 6.
- Fill relish mixture into hot, clean pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids. 7. Process according to the recommendations in
- Processing: Process Hot, Pints, boiling-water canner, 0 - 1,000 ft - 15 minutes.
- Altitude-adjusted processing table: 12 cups chopped tomatillos / 3 cups finely chopped jicama / 3 cups chopped onion / 6 cups chopped plum-type tomatoes / 1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper / 1 1/2 cups chopped red bell pepper / 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow bell pepper - 1 cup canning salt / 2 quarts water / 6 tablespoons whole mixed pickling spice / 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional) / 6 cups sugar / 6 1/2 cups cider vinegar (5%) / / 1. - Wash and rinse 6 to 7 pint canning jars; keep hot until ready to use. Prepare lids. / 2. - Remove husks from tomatillos; peel jicama and onion. Wash all vegetables well before trimming and chopping. Place chopped tomatillos, jicama, onion, tomatoes, and all bell peppers in a 4-quart Dutch oven or saucepot. / 3. - Dissolve canning salt in water. Pour over prepared vegetables. Heat to boiling; simmer 5 minutes. Drain thoroughly through a cheesecloth-lined strainer (until no more water drips through, about 15 to 20 minutes). / 4. - Place pickling spice and optional red pepper flakes on a clean, double-layer, 6-inch-square piece of 100% cotton cheesecloth. Bring corners together and tie with a clean string. (Or use a purchased muslin spice bag.) / 5. - Mix sugar, vinegar and spices (in cheesecloth bag) in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Add drained vegetables. Return to boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Remove spice bag. / 6. - Fill relish mixture into hot, clean pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids. / 7. - Process according to the recommendations in Table 1. Let cool, undisturbed, 12-24 hours and check for seals. / / Table 1. Recommended process time for Tangy Tomatillo Relish in a boiling-water canner. / Process Time at Elevations of / Style of Pack - Jar Size - 0 - 1,000 ft - 1,001 - 6,000 ft - Above 6,000 ft / Hot - Pints - 15 min - 20 - 25
Recipe Notes
Private Notes
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Share your results how it turned out.Serving suggestions
Serve alongside grilled foods, beans, tacos, sandwiches, or cheese.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change the jar size?
No. Use only the jar sizes documented by the tested source.
Can I change the vinegar, fruit, vegetables, or sugar?
Do not alter the tested formulation for shelf-stable
Recipe context
This is a tested acidified relish, not a salsa formula and not a refrigerator-only tomatillo condiment.
Troubleshooting
Seal failure: Refrigerate the jar; do not store it at room temperature.
Liquid loss: Allow jars to cool undisturbed, then inspect the seal and food before storage. Discard spoiled product without tasting.
Source and provenance
Primary source: National Center for Home Food Preservation. Editorial organization changes only; the tested formula and safety requirements remain in the recipe card.