Safety classification
Tested
Testing authority: National Center for Home Food Preservation (University of Georgia / USDA-derived guidance)
Safety reviewed: 09/20/2026
Processing details
Altitude adjustment: 5 min at 0–1,000 ft; 10 min at 1,001–6,000 ft; 15 min above 6,000 ft.
Source & provenance
Recipe safety classification
Tested source recipe. Follow the cited formula, jar size, headspace, and complete altitude-adjusted process exactly.
Processing details
Use the hot-pack method in the tested recipe card. Fill hot, sterile half-pint or pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Process in a boiling-water canner for 5 minutes at 0–1,000 feet, 10 minutes at 1,001–6,000 feet, or 15 minutes above 6,000 feet. Follow the complete source-specific directions in the recipe card.
Source & provenance
Piccalilli timeline at a glance
- Day 1: Wash and chop the vegetables, combine them with the
canning salt, cover with hot water, and let stand for 12 hours. - Day 2: Drain and press out the liquid, prepare the vinegar-spice mixture, gently boil the vegetables for 30 minutes or until reduced by half, then fill and process the jars.
- After processing: Let the jars cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours before testing the seals.
Equipment for this recipe
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- Boiling-water canner with a fitted rack
- Half-pint or pint canning jars with new lids and compatible bands
- Large nonreactive bowl and saucepan
- Clean white cloth, colander, and spice bag or clean cheesecloth
- Canning funnel, jar lifter, and bubble-removal and headspace tool
Jar-size limit: Use only half-pint or pint jars for this tested process.
Visual method guide
Prepare, fill, process or refrigerate, and store exactly as classified on this page.
Safety essentials
Do not alter safety-critical values.
About this recipe
Piccalilli
Before you begin
Review the complete source and recipe card.
Altitude-adjusted processing
See the elevation-specific times in Processing details and follow the complete tested method in the recipe card.
Piccalilli Canning Recipe: Tested Green Tomato and Cabbage Relish
Ingredients
- 6 cups chopped green tomatoes
- 1-1/2 cups chopped sweet red peppers
- 1-1/2 cups chopped green peppers
- 2-1/4 cups chopped onions
- 7-1/2 cups chopped cabbage
- 1/2 cup canning or pickling salt
- 3 tbsp whole mixed pickling spice
- 4-1/2 cups vinegar (5 percent)
- 3 cups brown sugar
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
- Wash and chop the vegetables. Combine them with 1/2 cup canning or pickling salt, cover with hot water, and let stand for 12 hours. Drain, then press the vegetables in a clean white cloth to remove as much liquid as possible.
- Tie the mixed pickling spice loosely in a spice bag. Combine the spice bag, vinegar, and brown sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the drained vegetables and boil gently for 30 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced by one-half. Remove the spice bag.
- Fill hot, sterile half-pint or pint canning jars with the hot mixture, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, adjust the headspace if needed, wipe the jar rims, and apply the lids.
- Process hot-packed half-pint or pint jars in a boiling-water canner for 5 minutes at 0–1,000 feet, 10 minutes at 1,001–6,000 feet, or 15 minutes above 6,000 feet.
Recipe Notes
Private Notes
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Tried this recipe?
Share your results how it turned out.Serving and storage
Cool, verify seals, label, and store correctly.
Frequently asked questions
Follow the safety classification and cited source.
Recipe context
Do not combine this record with another preservation formula.
Piccalilli troubleshooting
Why is my piccalilli watery?
Drain and press the vegetables as directed, then boil gently for 30 minutes or until the mixture has reduced by half. Do not change the ingredient proportions to compensate for excess liquid.
How do I judge a one-half reduction?
Before cooking, note the mixture level against the inside of the saucepan. Continue the gentle boil until the occupied volume is approximately half the starting volume; do not rely on thickness alone.
Why did liquid escape from a jar?
Liquid loss can result from overfilling, trapped air, temperature changes, or incorrect processing technique. After cooling, verify the seal. Refrigerate and promptly use any unsealed jar rather than storing it at room temperature.
What if a jar does not seal?
Refrigerate the jar and use it promptly, freeze the product in a suitable freezer container, or follow an authoritative reprocessing procedure within the permitted time. Never store an unsealed jar at room temperature.
Why did the relish darken?
Prolonged cooking, reactive cookware, ingredient maturity, spices, and storage conditions can affect color. Discard any jar that shows spoilage signs or an abnormal seal rather than tasting it.
When should I test the seals?
Let jars cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours, then test the seals and remove the screw bands before labeling and storing.
Verify the source
Compare this page with the original NCHFP Piccalilli recipe. Report a correction or safety concern.
Garden planning for this recipe
Plant, space, variety, zone, and timing estimates live on dedicated ingredient pages: