Hot Pepper Relish

Gather

Ingredients

• 5 cups ground green or red bell peppers (About 7 to 8 peppers, or 3 to 4 pounds before grinding)
• 5 cups ground jalapeño peppers (About 3 to 4 pounds before grinding)
• 1-½ cups ground onion (3 medium yellow onions, 2.5 to 3 inches diameter, before grinding)
• 2-½ cups distilled white or cider vinegar (5%)
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 teaspoons pickling salt
• 4 teaspoons mustard seed

Preserve

Instructions

1. 01

   Keep half-pint or pint jars hot and prepare the lids. Wear gloves for the jalapeños and keep your hands away from your face.

2. 02

   Wash the bell peppers and remove their stems and seeds. Remove only the jalapeño stem ends, leaving the seeds; peel and wash the onions.

3. 03

   Coarsely grind the vegetables. Measure 5 cups bell pepper, 5 cups jalapeño, and 1 1/2 cups onion, including their juices.

4. 04

   For a different heat level, adjust the sweet-to-hot pepper ratio but keep the measured ground-pepper total at exactly 10 cups.

5. 05

   Combine the measured vegetables with the vinegar, sugar, salt, and mustard seed. Once boiling, lower the heat and keep it gently bubbling for 30 minutes; stir frequently to avoid scorching.

6. 06

   Fill hot jars with 1/2-inch headspace. At 0–1,000 feet, process half-pints or pints for 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner; increase the time for elevation.
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