1950s Sweet Corn Relish

When you think about corn relish, you probably think “that’s so 1950s summertime picnic.” Well, at least that’s what I think. But retro food is making a big comeback. After all, canning and preserving is quite an old school trait in and of itself—and one that I’ve grown to love dearly.

This sweet and tangy corn relish takes you right back to the cool 1950s. The combination of red peppers and yellow corn make it both pleasing to eat and to look at. My larder shelves finally have some color besides deep reds and browns!

The recipe is from one of my favorite homesteading women, Karen Solomon, who is coming out with the new book, Can It, Bottle It, Smoke It. This is one of the few preview recipes she has featured on her website, and it is absolutely fabulous. The book is available for preorder on Amazon, so go check it out.

There are a few really awesome things about this recipe: 1) It can be doubled easily 2) It can be made year round 3) It is extremely versatile and absolutely yummy.

I can picture it with some chips in place of salsa (or even in salsa), atop some hummus, mixed into a salad, or as an additional condiment for your summer grilled burgers.

1950s Sweet Corn Relish

Makes 6 half pint jars

What You’ll Need:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 3/4 cups diced red bell pepper (3 or 4 peppers)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
1 3/4 cups diced red onion (1 very large onion)
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

If you are canning this recipe, begin by sterilizing your jars in a hot water bath canner.

Heat the oil in a larger preserving pot, over medium heat. Add the peppers and salt and sauté for about 12 minutes or until caramelized. You will begin to see the peppers get soft and take on a brownish coloring. Add the corn, and cook for about 3-4 minutes longer until the corn is heated throughout. Turn the heat off and add the onion to the pan. Stir well and keep covered.

For the preserving liquid, combine the vinegar, sugar, and turmeric over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until all the sugar has dissolved.

Pack your corn mixture into your jars until it reaches about ¾ inch of headspace. Cover with preserving liquid until it reaches ¼ inch headspace, making sure your corn is covered completely. Process in a hot water bath canner for 15 minutes, remove and let cool undisturbed for 12 hours before storing.

If you decide not to can this recipe, you can fridge it for up to 6 months!

Happy relishing!

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