One of the best things about summer is the absolutely fabulous fresh sweet corn. But it's not around for long. And frozen corn just doesn't hack it once you've had the good stuff. So it makes me wonder if there's any good way to preserve the days of summer. I found this recipe in my good ol' Ball preserving book and figured I would give it a try. What I got was a delicious sweet-and-sour relish that would be awesome on a hot dog, but just as amazing on some grilled chicken or pork. And come January, I'll still have the sweet ripeness of summer to savor.
Traditional Corn Relish
From Ball's Complete Book of Home Preserving
9 cups corn kernels (from about 18 medium ears corn)
3 cups finely chopped cabbage
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped, seeded red bell pepper
4 cups white vinegar
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon celery seeds
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon ground tumeric
Prepare canner, jars, and lids.
In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine corn, cabbage, onion, red pepper, vinegar, sugar, water, dry mustard, celery seeds, mustard seeds, salt, and turmeric. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes or until liquid is reduced and vegetables are tender-crisp.
Fill jars, one at a time, leaving ½-inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.
Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 15 minutes. At the end of the processing time, turn heat off and remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, without tilting. Cool and store.
Makes about 5 pint jars