I had a realization yesterday. It dawned on me that I am what you call a volume canner.
I always thought, “I do a fair amount of canning.” and was fine with that. But when I posted a picture of a small portion of what I had taken advantage of the long holiday weekend to preserve, folks’ reactions made me consider it a little more deeply.
“Wow!!” “Woah!!!” “Holy moly!” Er, what?
Oh, I guess not everyone fills five hundred jars in an average summer? (Duh, Rebecca.)
Obsessed? Yeah, quite possibly… but here’s the thing.
I fill jars with items that are delicious, versatile, and NOT PURCHASABLE. Okay, maybe some of the items can be bought in a store, but the majority of them are unattainable unless you make them yourself or are friends with an obsessive canner (like me) who likes to share the proverbial or literal fruits of their labor.
(Like me. Alright. The truth is that if you walk in my house in canning season, you’re likely to find yourself cornered with a spoon full of something pushed toward your face and the phrase, “Try this and tell me what you think!” uttered earnestly.)
And the items that can (pun alert) be bought? I like to think my version tastes a little fresher, is a little better for you, and has a little more romance to it. I’m looking your way concord grape jelly made from grapes I picked with my kids.
I have about five items I make in quantities that give even me pause when I contemplate the numbers. Smoky Roasted Tomato and Tomatillo Salsa (at least 86 pints each summer), Candied Jalapenos (in excess of 100 jars annually between what we eat and what we give for gifts), and Garlic Dill Pickles (anywhere between 76 and 96 quarts).
I also make Homemade Unsweetened Fruit Juice (apple, Concord grape, Niagara grape about 60 quarts of concentrate), and the good stuff you see in that picture above (this year, I have about 50 pints and I’m still planning on another couple of batches!) What you’re looking at is Zesty Corn Relish.
Zesty Corn Relish is the combined adaptation of a recipe from ‘The Joy of Pickling’ by my little sister, Jessamine, and I. Jess and I share the canning madness and when the weather cools, we often swap our goods.
A while back, Jess passed a jar of her version of the corn relish my way. It sat on my shelves among my other canned goods for a while waiting for the right moment.
That moment came one night when we had Pulled Pork Tacos (made with this recipe!) on deck and I realized I had forgotten to make any goodies to serve on top. The jar of Jessie’s corn relish came up from the basement and disappeared instantly amidst indecent noises of approval and joy. We knew that was getting made in abundance at that moment.
Jess shared her alterations to the recipe with me, and I decided to add a little more heat to the party by adding jalapeños. The result is a jar of FRESH corn taste (you know corn never tastes as good as when it’s fresh from the field, right?
This gets pretty darned close and is a heckuva lot closer than any frozen or canned corn you can buy at the store in February!) that has a surprising chameleon quality. It goes with e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.
Tacos, chili, beans and rice, pot roast (this use comes straight from my Grandma and it is glorious, let me tell you!), grilled or broiled chicken, pork, or fish, sausage… Put it on or in just about anything, stir it into jarred salsa for extra texture or serve it alone with tortilla chips as a stand alone salsa.
My sis serves it as a side salad sometimes! Trust me. Once you’ve tried this, you’re going to want shelves lined with crunchy, savoury, sweet, zippy, Zesty Corn Relish.
Zesty Corn Relish | Canning
Ingredients
- 18 ears of fresh sweet corn on the cob
- 2 cups diced red bell pepper
- 1 1/2 cups diced green bell pepper *See Notes
- 1/2 cup minced fresh jalapeno **See Notes
- 1/4 cup minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons coarse Kosher salt
- 4 teaspoons dried mustard powder
- 4 cups cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar
Instructions
- Sterilize at least 10 pint jars (you may only use 6, but it's better to have too many jars ready than to have to sterilize more jars while your relish waits!) If you need help learning how to do this, follow these instructions.
- Shuck the corn and carefully remove the silks. Stand each ear of corn sturdily on its end on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to remove the kernels. Discard the cobs (or use in Corn Stock
- In a large stainless steel or other nonreactive pot, stir together all of the ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. When it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Ladle the hot corn relish into sterile jars, leaving 1/2-inch of headspace in the jar. Remove air bubbles, adjust corn and liquid level if necessary to maintain the 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe and clean the rim of the jars with a paper towel moistened with vinegar. Fix new two piece lids in place and screw the rings to fingertip tightness.
- Put the filled, lidded jars in a canner, ensure they are covered by at least an inch of hot water, bring to a boil, and process for 15 minutes at a full boil, covered. When the 15 minutes are up, turn off the heat, remove the lid and let the jars rest in the water for 5 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack or a clean towel lined counter top.
- Let them cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours. When they are completely cool, carefully remove the rings, wipe the jars clean, label (with sharpie or sticker), and store on a shelf in a place out of direct sunlight for up to a year.
Notes
Nutrition
So tell me… do you can? Are you a hobby canner or an obsessive one or somewhere in between? If you’re new to canning and need the gear, below are links to my favourite canning equipment.
Canning Gear Basics:
(all Amazon.com affiliate links.)
Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles says
I need to get my hands on some more local sweet corn – I love fresh corn relish and want to try your version!!
Rebecca says
Oh, do, Brenda! It’s impossible to have enough of this put up!
Sheila says
I wanna be your neighbor! I don’t really know anyone else that cans, and my mom is no longer nearby to help out with questions etc. I love preserving, but I often feel lost, and afraid that I’m going to do it wrong and give some one botulism! Thanks for sharing this recipe, I may have to give it a try. And I agree what little I do can I give most of it away…it’s so fun to share!
Rebecca says
Sheila, I would so help you out! Please text me or email me if you need an encouraging word!
Tieghan says
Oh yum!! I need to make this so I can have it all year! I think I could live off this stuff!
Patrick Barringer says
Perfect timing on this recipe Rebecca. I was coming online specifically to look for a good corn canning recipe since my in-laws have an abundance of corn this year. I hope we get the chance to make this.
In other news, Emily and I are now officially living in Rushford and will have our own place soon. We should hang out.
Rebecca says
EXCELLENT! Come on over! I just made bacon jam!
Greer says
Just out of curiosity…why do you remove the rings after the water bath? This is the first time I’ve heard of someone doing that.
Rebecca says
I do this because it makes spoilage in the jar patently obvious. If you go to remove the lid (that was stored without the ring) and it pulls off with no resistance or sound you know the contents are likely to be spoiled!
Sharon says
About how many cups do you think comes from the 18 ears? Thanks
Rebecca says
Ish-wise? I get between 6-9 pints depending on the size of the ears. I like to make sure I have enough jars in abundance, though!
Sharon says
Sorry I guess I meant how many cups come off the ears in order to start the recipe so I have the right proportions. We planted corn for the first time this year. I’m super excited to try your recipe. Thanks
Rebecca says
No worries! I hate to be ish-ish again, but between 8-10 cups-ish 🙂 there’s a little bit of play there as you can tell. That’s why you’re so careful with the pepper measurements. I wish I could try yours from home grown corn!!!
Charles wittmer says
I am an avid canner. But I have never tried this receipt. My question is if I can not get corn on the cob but able to get frozen corn how much should I use for 1 batch.
Daina says
I’m fairly new to canning. I have a friend in Colorado who has five children, runs a farm (including livestock and vegetable gardening), holds down a job, and cans like a crazy woman all while her husband travels for work (I totally mean “crazy woman” in the best way!). One taste of her homemade salsa and I was determined to try it myself. I figure if she can put up her tomatoes and peaches and other stuff with everything else on her plate, then I surely can give it a shot seeing as how I don’t run a farm, or have five children plus a job and a travelling husband. So, seeing this Corn Relish recipe is like throwing down a gauntlet – if I see it, I’m going to try it! I love putting up all the jars in my pantry. 🙂
Nutmeg Nanny says
How delicious!! This corn relish looks so yummy 🙂
Natalie Loop says
my questions are Should I use a pressure canner if so what weight and how long for pints? the other question is do I need to blanche the corn before shucking? I did corn in water bath last year the jars sealed but eventually during the course of the year they opened on their own. I was dissapointed in the time and product used only to go to waste.
Rebecca says
Hi Natalie! Let me address these one at a time so I don’t forget anything!
1.) This is a recipe designed to be boiling water bathed because it is essentially a pickled vegetable. I wouldn’t pressure can this, that might be overkill.
2.) No blanching is necessary. You bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes. That’s plenty sufficient. I find the raw corn is easier to remove from the cob anyway!
3.) Unlike the recipe above, boiling water bathing is not recommended for plain sweet corn. (Like I mentioned, the Zesty Corn Relish is okay to water bathe because of the vinegar/acidity content.) I think boiling water bathing plain corn was probably the issue.
The method for this recipe came straight from “The Joy of Pickling”. It is nearly identical to the method used for corn relish in the “Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving” and the Ball book is one of the few cookbooks that can claim it has all tested and approved recipes.
janet says
I am looking for a corn relish recipe with no sugar,more of a salty sour flavor. one of my aunts use to make this when I was a kid.she has passed now,but I remember how I loved that flavor as a kid. can you hook me up with a recipe like that? Janet
Rebecca says
Hi Janet. I wish I knew, but this is the corn relish I grew up with (my grandma used to serve it on Sundays with pot roast.) Now this corn relish IS tart and salty, but I can’t imagine a corn relish completely without sweetness since corn is so darned sweet by itself. Maybe some of the other readers might have a recipe in their boxes? Could anyone weigh in with one?
Jackye says
Can you store bought frozen corn for the corn relish? If so should it be measured frozen or cooked.
Sandy says
I have the same question. I am going to make the relish today using frozen organic corn. I’ll let you know how it turns out! I might also swap out some of the peppers with onions. Happy canning!
Uvon says
So, I’m relatively new to canning, but my battle cry is Fear Not the Botulism, so I’m good there.
The problem I’m looking at is that my boyfriend HATES green bell peppers. The thought of just making this anyway and leaving him to suffer in his foolishness has crossed my mind. However, is there any sort of alternative that would provide proper acidity? The idea of putting 2 cups of jalapeno into this relish makes my teeth sweat.
Jess says
What about the addition of onions? I love onions and feel it’d be perfect in here. Joe could I add them?
Erin says
I was looking for a great recipe for Corn Relish and found you on Pintrest because your photos are so great! I always look at several recipes before I choose one, and choose yours. I love it! My husband was like… huh… what are you canning now? After cooking for 20 mins… he was no longer skeptical. I had lots of corn left over and tried a new recipe today, one without sugar and had onions, and celery in it… not so yummy. Going to have to give it a little time before we rule that one out.
Thanks for posting such a great recipe and sharing with the world. This one got added to my home canning recipe binder. Do you have a good recipe for Hot Pepper Relish or Chow Chow? I will have to keep digging through your post.
Thanks again! Hope you are super busy with a wonderful summer harvest.
Dotty H says
I’m going to can!! I”m sorta feeling like my Grandma (loved her!) And this is going to be my first recipe–loved her corn relish, but I like spicy stuff! Question, I don’t have a canning pot, but I do have a pot big enough to put my jars into and cover while the water boils. Will that work or do I need a canning pot with in inserts?
Rebecca says
That will be FINE! I’d advise putting a dishrag in the bottom of the pot to keep the jars from hopping around too much, but as long as you can cover it with water and put a lid on it, it should work well!
Barb says
Am going to try this tomorrow with some of the excess of our 3 acres of sweet corn. May do a second batch and add onion to the mix since I love onion. sounds awesome.
L.T. Wheeler says
Going to try this recipe tonight… looks great & i am grateful for all the elaborate tips, recipes info. & descriptive entries about this ! I just acquired tons of corn and going for it tonight
Thanks , LT
Justin Shrum says
I read this article today and had to try it. Wow! Talk about making your eyes twinge and your lips do somersaults. This did has just the right balance of sweetness and sourness in one. I love it. I had to make a whole batch. I have 10 half pint jars water bathing as we speak. Thanks for the recipe. – J. Shrum. Mcminnville, Tennessee.
Sara says
Just made a batch of this and it’s delicious! As I was cleaning up I realized I forgot to add the salt! Ugh!! Since I’m newish to canning I’m not sure if that’s a problem or not?
Rebecca says
Hi Sara- You’re in good shape because of the acidity in these jars, but you’ll definitely want to add salt to taste when you open the jars!
Karen Ward says
Do you prefer to use regular vinegar (5% acetic) or pickling vinegar (7% acetic)? Thank you
Paul says
Like Mom used to make. Taste buds change as we get older. Ha. Added 3 cups celery, 1/4 cup chopped celantro, 3 tsp. fresh tumerc. I veined and seeded jalapenos no green peppers. Crew said it was great but most wanted more heat. Cant please them all. THANKS FOR THE RECEIPE.
Jonette Friend says
Hello just wanted to say I love your site you’ve always got amazing recipes. I know we are far away from canning season but I can this corn relish in bulk (and the candied jalapeños omg) and just used it in an amazing recipe. Have you seen the “crack dip” made with Mexicorn? If not google it and use a jar of your zesty corn relish instead of the mexicorn, holy yum !!!
Rebecca says
Ohmygoodness, Jonette! You are so very kind! And I have NOT seen that dip… yet. I’m off to google it and maybe make it for my Super Bowl spread! Thank you.
Janet Spiller says
I have learned to can many things in the last 2 months. Now I can’t wait for something to come around to can. I am at least to 100 different things, which I share with my sister. Tonight corn relish.
samantha gornowicz says
can you omit the sugar?
Rebecca says
It will taste flat if you do that 🙂
Peggy Crump says
Mix corn relish in home canned tuna. You’ll can more relish next year. Lol
Ginger Sovay says
I noticed that you do a boing water bath with this. Is it okay to throw a handful of corn for color into salsa and process in a boiling water bath?
Anja Mansfield says
I made a batch of this last year because I had been gifted tons of fresh corn. I’m down to one sealed jar and one open and realizing I must make more. We made our own version of “Chipoltle bowls” the other night. Lettuce, beef carnita meat, black beans, cilantro lime rice and I top mine with sour cream and some of this corn relish. OMG. The bomb.com.
Rebecca says
That is AWESOME, Anja! I’m so glad you like it!! I realized the other night I was out as well. Sweet corn season cannot come too soon!
Alice Bayles Kelly says
I am a hobby canner. I’m getting ready to try the zesty corn relish. And then corn cob jelly. Wish me luck.
Rebecca says
Good luck, Alice! You can do this!
Billie Glenn says
This is the greatest recipe! My boyfriend dislikes onions and I dislike tomatoes so this is perfect for us. We make it and eat it just like salsa on chips!
Alice Bayles Kelly says
We loved it and will be making another batch. ??
Rebecca says
I’m so glad you loved it! Enjoy!
Mo says
Love this. I make this and the candied jalapenos and the smokey salsa every year.
I just bought your book. Your recipes always work for me, can’t wait for the book.
One note, I live at high altitude and I wonder if a note saying that processing times are different at high altitudes so check with your Extension Agency or the Blue Ball Book or a trusted resource?
Just a thought.
Thanks so much.
Regina says
How many cups corn would that be if I had to use frozen rather than fresh?
Rebecca says
Hi Regina- I’ve never made this with frozen corn, but I’m inclined to recommend you start with fresh rather than frozen.
Melissa androes says
Sounds amazing are you pressure cooking or water water bath canning it. It doesn’t say
Rebecca says
Hey there, Melissa- It doesn’t specify the words water bath or pressure can, but it does give a solid description of water bath canning. This one’s acidic enough to water bath can as described in the instructions.
Donna griffith says
Sounds delicious. Quick question why do you take off the rings? Can I just leave them on?
Rebecca says
Hi Donna- I take the rings off as a form of “granny car alarm” to let me know if anything is going wrong in the jars post processing. If you leave the rings on, they hold the lids in place. If you remove the rings and there is any gas production in the jar (which would indicate an improper seal, fermentation of contents, or growth of botulism), the lid is loosened. If something, God forbid, has gone wrong, leaving the rings off gives you a little heads-up that you wouldn’t get otherwise.
Amanda says
Would it be ok if I added onion and black beans to the recipe?
Rebecca says
Hi Amanda- A little onion will be okay, but you can’t use beans in it and boiling water bathe it, unfortunately.
Karen says
Sounds like a delicious recipe. Will try soon! Thank you
Ben says
I accidentally used regular white vinegar and realized while pouring. So I have about 3 cups white vinegar to 1 cups cider vinegar. But I decided to keep going. Will this be ok?
Rebecca says
It’ll be fine, Ben! Slightly different, but still delicious!
Evan Panagiotopoulos says
I just bookmarked this recipe and as soon as I can go to a local farm, bam!, I’m buying corn.
Dawn says
How much is a serving?
Dave and Deborah DeNoble says
I made a corn relish earlier this year. Didn’t use jalapeños but a little bit more garlic and onion. It has a very good taste. I will try the jalapenos nest time. My wife and I started doing a bit of canning a year ago. We have started doing much more. We purchased a pressure canner to do soups and such. We have several spiced jellies now and our own lemon curd. Everything is better than you can purchase. We love it. The jars are taking over the pantry.
I first came to your site for the gran marnier. We are going to try it. We are making limoncello now. It is so much fun making the different things.
Rebecca says
It sure is fun, Dave and Deborah! I hope you enjoy it!
Rebecca says
Oh. My. This stuff is seriously good. I’m gonna need to make several more batches because truly…I could put it on everything. Thank you for sharing!!!!
Rebecca says
Thanks so much for taking the time to rate the recipe and let me know you love it as much as I do, Rebecca. 🙂 xoxoxo
Rick says
Dumb question, first time making corn relish. Sweet corn already cooked?
Rebecca says
Hi Rick- That’s not a dumb question. 🙂 I use raw sweet corn that I’ve cut from the cobs. I do not recommend using already cooked corn for best results.
Patty says
Help please! I canned in a water bath but didn’t know to put a lid on the pot. The jars were covered with boiling water. Do you think my Food will still be good since I didn’t use a lid?
Rebecca says
Hi Patty- As long as the jars were covered with boiling water the whole time, you should be okay! Just store the jars with the rings off so that if there’s any off-gassing of any bacterial/microbial growth in the jar, it’ll loosen the seal of the lid!
Jennifer says
Any chance that I can make a version of this w.o peppers? I’m allergic to them, but want a good corn relish…..
Rebecca says
You bet! You won’t be harming the acidity of this recipe by omitting the peppers. You can simply leave them out or replace them with an equal quantity of more corn. 🙂
Edna F Skeen says
Is it necessary to do the hot bath at the end
Rebecca says
It sure is if you’d like for it to be shelf stable! If you’re planning on popping it into the refrigerator immediately and consuming within 6 weeks, you should be alright without it.
Linda says
An I s as did more sugar to make this sweeter?
Rebecca says
Hi Linda- I’m not sure what you’re asking me. The first part of the question was a little lost in translation. 🙂
Christine M Woods says
46years growing organic & I can 800+ jars a season. We grow 12 varieties of fruit trees, berries & grapes. I’m growing tired & have health issues but feeding my family good nutritious food is something I can’t give up. After years of competing in county and state fairs I’m now a county & state fair judge in home preservation & gardening. I really enjoy interacting with the young people. I also teach a canning course in off season. I’m always on lookout for new recipes. I’m canning corn today & think I’ll use the corn in an end of summer garden relish. Have a good day.
Rebecca says
Canning really sticks with us, doesn’t it? 🙂 I hope you enjoy the relish, Christine!
Brittany says
How many cups of corn, roughly, does 18 ears yield? I am working with corn that’s already been cut from the cob. Thanks!
Rebecca says
2 ears of corn yield about 1.5 cups of kernels, so are looking at about 13.5 cups of corn, give or take a bit depending on the size of the ears of corn. 🙂
Cate says
No onions?
Rebecca says
Believe it or not, no. Not in this one! But I don’t miss it here and I’m a big onion lover!
Melanie says
Hello, did you use a store bought minced garlic or mince your own? Will using store bought thrown off the PH with its oils? This recipe looks amazing and I can’t wait to make using our fresh grown corn from this season! Thank you.
Rebecca says
Hi Melanie! I definitely mince my own. I wouldn’t use store bought minced oil for the very reasons you mentioned. 🙂 I hope you love this as much as I do!
Katherine Burlison says
This looks soooo yummy. Can I use frozen corn for this realish? And if so, about how many cups would I use? I would love to make this for a Thanksgiving snacker. Lol!
Rebecca says
Hi Katherine! I haven’t tried frozen corn in this relish. Hmmm. I’m just not sure. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!
Christina Marquez says
Hello! Does it matter if it is Raw cider vinegar or not?
Rebecca says
Hi Christina! I prefer to use raw cider vinegar in almost all of my recipes calling for cider vinegar, but it’s a personal preference. If you’d like it as I make it, use the raw acv. If it doesn’t matter to you flavourwise, go for whichever you have or prefer!