Safety classification
Tested
Testing authority: National Center for Home Food Preservation
Safety reviewed: 09/21/2026
Processing details
Safety classification
Tested
Testing authority: National Center for Home Food Preservation
Safety reviewed: 09/21/2026
Processing details
Tested source
This page follows the National Center for Home Food Preservation recipe for Dill Pickle Relish. Keep the tested ingredient proportions, jar sizes, headspace, preparation steps, and altitude-adjusted processing schedule.
Preparation timeline
- Prepare: Set up the boiling-water canner and keep the permitted jars hot.
- Measure: Trim both cucumber ends and chop the vegetables to the specified measured size.
- Cook: Follow the tested heating and simmering sequence without shortening it.
- Fill: Hot pack after the required 10-minute simmer; leave 1/2 inch headspace.
- Process: Process for the altitude-adjusted time below.
- Cool: Leave jars undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours, then check seals.
Equipment
- Boiling-water canner with rack
- Pint jars only, lids, and bands
- Large nonreactive saucepan
- Knife, cutting board, and food chopper as needed
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Canning funnel and jar lifter
- Bubble remover or headspace tool
- Clean damp cloth and timer
Visual method guide
- Prepare jars and canner.
- Prepare and measure ingredients exactly.
- Complete the tested cooking sequence.
- Hot-pack and leave 1/2 inch headspace.
- Process for your elevation.
- Cool and verify seals.
Safety essentials
- Use cider vinegar labeled 5% acidity and keep the tested ingredient proportions.
- Do not reduce or dilute the vinegar, alter the vegetable proportions, omit the 10-minute simmer, or use jars larger than pints.
- Use only the tested jar sizes and leave 1/2 inch headspace.
- Apply the full altitude adjustment.
- Refrigerate any jar that does not seal.
About this recipe
This tested NCHFP recipe preserves dill pickle relish using an acidified hot-pack method and boiling-water processing. The expected yield is about 7 pint jars.
Before you begin
Trim both cucumber ends and chop the vegetables to the specified measured size. Use cider vinegar labeled 5% acidity and keep the tested ingredient proportions. Prepare the entire
Safety classification
Tested
Testing authority: National Center for Home Food Preservation
Safety reviewed: 09/21/2026
Processing details
Dill Pickle Relish — NCHFP
Ingredients
- 14 cups pickling cucumbers chopped; about 5 lb purchased
- 2 cups red bell pepper chopped
- 5 1/2 cups cider vinegar 5% acidity
- 3 tsp dill seed
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 5 tbsp pickling or canning salt
Equipment
- Boiling-water canner
- Canning jars Seven pint jars
Directions
- Prepare hot jars and lids. Wash cucumbers; trim stem and blossom ends. Cut into chunks, then pulse to pieces 1/4 inch or smaller. Measure 14 cups.
- Prepare peppers the same way and measure 2 cups. Combine cucumbers and peppers.
- Combine vinegar, dill seed, garlic, and salt in a large pot. Add vegetables, bring to a boil, and simmer 10 minutes.
- Pack hot relish into hot pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove bubbles, adjust headspace, wipe rims, and apply lids.
- Process pints for 15 minutes at 0–1,000 ft, 20 minutes at 1,001–6,000 ft, or 25 minutes above 6,000 ft. Cool 12 to 24 hours and check seals.
Recipe Notes
Private Notes
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Tried this recipe?
Share your results how it turned out.Serving suggestions
Use as a condiment for sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, potato salad, or deviled eggs.
Frequently asked questions
Can I reduce the vinegar or acid?
No. Keep the tested acid type, strength, and proportions.
Can I use larger jars?
No. Use only the jar sizes listed in the tested recipe.
What if a jar does not seal?
Refrigerate it promptly or reprocess within 24 hours with a new lid and the full tested process.
Recipe context
Do not combine this record with another preservation formula.
Troubleshooting
Trim both cucumber ends and measure the chopped vegetables before combining them. Refrigerate any unsealed jar promptly or reprocess within 24 hours with a new lid and the full tested process.
Source & provenance
Garden planning for this recipe
Plant, space, variety, zone, and timing estimates live on dedicated ingredient pages:
Typical canning season
Season: Summer, Fall
Months: July, August, September
How much of the main ingredient should I grow?
12–25 lb of Pickling cucumbers per person per year
This is an annual planning range that includes preserving and typical fresh use. Plant, row-foot, and square-foot estimates are shown only when compatible cited yield or spacing data is available.
Garden yields vary by cultivar, climate, soil, pests, and care. Always measure the exact prepared ingredient amount required by the tested canning recipe.