Fermented Sweet Pickle Relish Recipe

By Hayley Barisa Ryczek
Published on July 9, 2019
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Photo by Hayley Barisa Ryczek 

Sweet pickle relish is also a favorite, and it’s so easy to make — just toss together the ingredients, cover, and allow the good bacteria to work their magic.

Equipment You’ll Need:

  • Mixing bowl
  • Mixing spoon
  • 1 glass quart (946 ml) jar with lid
  • Weight or smaller glass jar
  • Cheesecloth or cotton fabric square
  • Rubber band or string

Photo by Hayley Barisa Ryczek

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups (405 g) finely chopped cucumber
  • 1/2 cup (75 g) finely chopped red bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup (80 g) finely chopped onion
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1/2 cup (170 g) raw honey
  • 1/2 cup (60 ml) raw apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) whey or brine from a vegetable ferment
  • 1 tablespoon (11 g) mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Photo by Hayley Barisa Ryczek

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, mix together the cucumber, red bell pepper, onion, and salt. Place the mixture in a quart (950 ml) jar and press to remove any air bubbles.
  2. In the same bowl, combine the honey, vinegar, Whey, mustard seeds, and turmeric and pour the liquid into the jar. Place a weight (such as a smaller glass jar) inside the jar to ensure the relish is fully submerged under the liquid.
  3. Cover the top of the jar with cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band or string. Ferment at room temperature (roughly 70 degrees Fahrenheit, or 21 degrees Celsius) for 3 days. Cover with an airtight lid and store in the refrigerator overnight for the flavors to combine. The relish will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

NOTE: If your ambient home temperature is colder than 68 degrees F (20 degrees C), create a warm fermentation station.

YIELD: About 3 cups (735 g)

Now it’s so easy to make fermented foods part of your diet! We live in a fermentation nation. Fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, and kombucha are popular blog and diet staples, and rightfully so! They are loaded with nourishing probiotics, and they’re downright delicious. While most people know they should be incorporating fermented foods into their diet, they’re not sure how to consume them on a daily basis. Fermented Foods at Every Meal changes all that. Author Hayley Ryczek teaches the ins and outs of weaving fermented foods into breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including this Fermented Sweet Pickle Relish recipe.


Reprinted with permission from Fermented Foods at Every Meal by Hayley Barisa Ryczek and published by Fair Winds Press, 2016.

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Mother Earth News Real Food & Preserving
Mother Earth News Real Food & Preserving
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