Sweet Pickles from Dill Pickles

janmon — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:36:48 +0000

When possible I like using fresh, homemade ingredients whenever I cook. That even includes the lowly pickle relish. But, in order to get the homemade relish to deliver the taste I want - I have to start with the right pickle. The only pickles I use for making my ’homemade relish’ are sweet pickles I have made from dill ones. They are crisp, easy to make and have a clean, spicy flavor.

: Ingredients

The ingredients you will need:

1. Jar of whole dill pickles
2. Sugar
3. Garlic (optional)
4. Louisiana hot sauce

Begin by draining the pickles in a colander. (Retain jar) Thinly slice the whole pickles and allow to drain in the colander for 3-4 hours.

Using a large, clean spoon return about 1/5 of the cut pickles to the jar and cover with approximately 1/3 cup sugar. Continue alternating layers of pickles and sugar until you have returned all the pickles to the jar.

Pour enough sugar in the jar to bring the level of sugar right to or slightly above the jar’s shoulders. (Optional: place 1 clove of garlic on top of the last layer.)

Pour in hot sauce. For quart size jar use approximately 1/8 cup. For spicier pickles increase the hot sauce; for less spicy pickles decrease the hot sauce.

Replace lid and set aside. Rotate the jar twice a day for 3 days making sure all the sugar is dissolved and the hot sauce is evenly distributed.

Refrigerate.

Serve them on sandwiches, as a side dish or chopped up in salads – they go with just about anything and keep really well – although they never seem to last very long around our house. (PS – I like to use a little of the liquid from the pickles in tuna and potato salads for little extra flavor.)

Joy of Country Living » Pickle relish

Sweet Pickles from Dill Pickles