If you know me, you know how excited I get every summer for our fabulous Jersey tomatoes. From the end of July until the end of August, I’m making weekly trips to my favorite farm market, Stella’s. And I’m buying as many baskets as I can. Then the canning starts. Everything from stewed tomatoes to homemade marinara to salsa to just straight up quarts of peeled tomatoes. They all go into my canner and onto my shelf to be enjoyed all year. And of course, you know it wouldn’t be summer without my favorite tomato sandwich… fresh slices of tomato with a generous slather of mayonnaise on toasted bread. HEAVEN. Does it get any better than that? I think not.
So anyway, last summer, I was looking for fun new recipes for canning tomatoes, and I found this recipe for tomato relish on a YouTube channel called Cooking with Lee. It was an immediate favorite!!! Really basic simple ingredients, easy to make, perfect for my summer canning. I gave some to my friend, Jason, and he told me it’s one of his favorite things that I’ve ever made. Like ever. Really? Well OK then! So, you KNOW I’m keeping this in the summer rotation. Actually, come to think of it, I might need to make a second batch. It’s just that good. So, thank you, Lee, for your fabulous recipe. I’ll definitely look forward to making it every year!
10 lbs tomatoes
3 1/2 lbs onions
1/3 cup salt
5 cups vinegar
5 cups sugar
3 tbs mustard powder
2 tbs curry powder
1 tbs cayenne pepper
First, blanch and peel the tomatoes:
So anyway, last summer, I was looking for fun new recipes for canning tomatoes, and I found this recipe for tomato relish on a YouTube channel called Cooking with Lee. It was an immediate favorite!!! Really basic simple ingredients, easy to make, perfect for my summer canning. I gave some to my friend, Jason, and he told me it’s one of his favorite things that I’ve ever made. Like ever. Really? Well OK then! So, you KNOW I’m keeping this in the summer rotation. Actually, come to think of it, I might need to make a second batch. It’s just that good. So, thank you, Lee, for your fabulous recipe. I’ll definitely look forward to making it every year!
10 lbs tomatoes
3 1/2 lbs onions
1/3 cup salt
5 cups vinegar
5 cups sugar
3 tbs mustard powder
2 tbs curry powder
1 tbs cayenne pepper
First, blanch and peel the tomatoes:
Cut an X into the bottoms of all the tomatoes, then plunge each one into rabidly boiling water for about 30 seconds. Remove to an ice bath. The peels will slip right off. Place tomatoes in a big pot.
Slice onions into half rings. Place on top of tomatoes in pot. Don’t stir.
Pour salt over onions. Don’t stir.
Cover and leave at room temperature for several hours or overnight. Drain all liquid.
Add vinegar to pot. Bring to a boil.
Add sugar. Bring back to boil. Stir in spices.
Reduce to simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Skim any foam.
Reduce relish by about 1/3. Add a slurry of water and corn starch (or clear jel, if canning)
Simmer until slightly thickened to desired consistency.
For canning:
Ladle hot relish into hot pint jars. Process in water bath canner for 15 minutes.
Tips:
Pour salt over onions. Don’t stir.
Cover and leave at room temperature for several hours or overnight. Drain all liquid.
Add vinegar to pot. Bring to a boil.
Add sugar. Bring back to boil. Stir in spices.
Reduce to simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Skim any foam.
Reduce relish by about 1/3. Add a slurry of water and corn starch (or clear jel, if canning)
Simmer until slightly thickened to desired consistency.
For canning:
Ladle hot relish into hot pint jars. Process in water bath canner for 15 minutes.
Tips:
Serve this relish anywhere you'd use ketchup. It's great on a burger, hot dog, or meatloaf. It's also fabulous on fries. It's also delicious poured over a block of cream cheese and served with crackers.
Want it to be spicy hot? Add more cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes.
The recipe doesn’t say to chop the tomatoes, but I always cut them into chunks. It’s just easier that way. Same thing with the onions. It says to slice into half rings. I just use my handy dandy chopper to dice them. I think it gives a better final result.
If you’re planning on canning, be sure to use Clear Jel instead of regular corn starch. Clear Jel is a modified corn starch that is specifically made for it, and one should never use regular corn starch when canning.
The recipe doesn’t say to chop the tomatoes, but I always cut them into chunks. It’s just easier that way. Same thing with the onions. It says to slice into half rings. I just use my handy dandy chopper to dice them. I think it gives a better final result.
If you’re planning on canning, be sure to use Clear Jel instead of regular corn starch. Clear Jel is a modified corn starch that is specifically made for it, and one should never use regular corn starch when canning.
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