Simple Sweetcorn Relish Recipe

Sweetcorn Relish is my absolute favourite burger topping, making it at home means none of the gloopy nonsense this is bright & zingy.

The Ultimate Burger Topping!

Sweet corn Relish really is my favourite thing to have on a beef burger. 

Because our sweetcorn crop has done particularly well this year we have plenty to make up a batch of this zingy and bright little relish.

I have to confess to being a bit prudish about the stuff you buy in jars. It seems to have a gloopy horrible texture that reminds me of frog spawn.

As a result, I have reverted to my pickling roots and make it with a vibrant cider vinegar pickle. I add loads of mustard seeds, black pepper and of course chilli which you could leave out.

In many ways, this relish is similar to my pickled chilli recipe!

Growing Sweetcorn.

For some strange reason, we had struggled with growing sweetcorn for years. Disappointing as we are surrounded by thousands of hectares of land filled with the stuff.

I have always put it down to the fact that we garden “organically” and don’t spray with whatever the local commercial growers do. However, it would seem that we were planting out too early.

This year we delayed planting for a few weeks and they have done wonderfully well.  

So much so that there will be more recipes heading your way before the season ends. Naturally, a much larger batch of this Sweetcorn relish making sure it lasts through to next season.

Usually, my cooking instructions for sweetcorn are very simple:

• Take a slow stroll up the garden.
• Harvest corn.
• Run back a quick dunk in boiling water.
• Liberally apply butter and black pepper.

However, having so much of it means I can make all of the things I miss out on most years. I guess I am bit strange but I hate buying vegetables.

When you have spent months cultivating produce then it feels very wrong to pop out and buy something off the shelf no matter how much you like it!

As a result, I am overjoyed this year to have enough to make sweetcorn chutney and a host of different chowders and soups.

How To Preserve This Relish?

I will not go too much into the canning process as there is so much information out there. Some of which verges on the ‘if you don’t do this you will die’ approach.

However, we have been canning produce since we moved to Hungary in 2008 and have never had a bad batch of anything.

I initially thoroughly wash jars and new lids. Then I scorch in boiling hot water and transfer into a very low oven at 100°C. Leave them there for at least 30 minutes although it is typically and hour.

Finally, I ensure the pickle or chutney I place in them is at a rolling boil before transferring into the jars and sealing immediately.

The sound of the lids popping is a joyous wonder that I never tire of.