Pineapple Jalapeño Relish

Sweet and a little spicy, this pineapple jalapeño relish canning recipe is packed with flavor and perfect on fish, tacos, pork, or chicken all year long. Use up your extra jalapeños and spice up the barbecue at the same time!

Let’s get started!

You will need these ingredients

Pineapple
Red onion
Jalapeño peppers
Apple cider vinegar
Water
Sugar
Salt
Ground coriander seed
4 (16 ounce) Ball® Pint Jars (I used the Ball® Nesting Jars)
Saucepan or stockpot for cooking the relish
Water Bath Canner or a large, deep stockpot with a lid and rack
Jar lifter and headspace checker
Clean kitchen towels

How to make pineapple relish

This easy relish takes just a few steps. Follow along closely. If it’s your first time canning a savory relish, take your time. It gets easier. The more often you can at home, it builds confidence. So you might start with this relish then move on to something more traditional like a berry jam.

To make this relish, we’re using the water canning method. You’ll need a water bath canner or an oversized stock pot large enough for the water to cover the jars during processing.

Before starting, chop your pineapple, wash and chop your red onion, and slice and deseed the jalapenos. Gather all of the necessary supplies including your food processor or other chopper, jars and lids, jar lifter, headspace tool, and towels.

The first step is to chop the pineapple, onion and peppers in the food processor. It’s important to get this to a fine dice but not a puree. Now, if you’re like me, you might want to stop right there. It’s gorgeous and perfectly fresh, sweet and spicy.

But taking it a step further through the canning process adds more flavor and makes it possible to enjoy this relish for months to come!

To do that, we’ll combine that fresh mixture above with a warm mixture of apple cider vinegar, salt, sugar and coriander.

(Scroll down for the step by step recipe).

REMINDER: Once you’re done processing, remember to set the hot jars onto a towel. Space the hot jars at least one inch apart to allow plenty of room for the jars to cool properly. Let them stand 12-24 hours.

Using frozen pineapple for relish

You can use fresh or frozen pineapple for this relish. The key is to start with the sweetest pineapple you can find.

In fact, using frozen, super sweet pineapple worked well for me. The key is to allow the pineapple to thaw slightly (where there are still some ice crystals present) before adding to the food processor.

You’ll also want to drain off any excess liquid from the pineapple or else you might find that it takes longer to reduce the relish to half during the cooking process. That longer cooking time will cause the fruit to break down and the relish to be too soft.

So, remember to drain any excess water from the thawing process.

Is it spicy?

No. Not in my opinion. But of course everyone has a different tolerance for heat.

Jalapeños are a milder pepper compared to serrano or habanero peppers, for example. You can further control the heat by removing the jalapeño seeds and ribs.

And this recipe has some flexibility. You can use 4-6 jalapeños for this recipe depending on how spicy you want your relish to be. And what you have on hand.

I kept mine mild with 4 jalapeños.

This is a great recipe to use up garden fresh jalapeños that grow so quickly in the summer.

IMPORTANT: Use gloves when handling any spicy peppers. This is a key tip since the oils from the peppers tend to stick to your fingers – even after washing with soap and water.

Fun ways to serve relish

This pineapple jalapeño relish pairs well with lots of different dishes. It pairs particularly well with fish, chicken, and pork dishes. Use this relish to

• Add a sweet, spicy topping to veggie or fish tacos.
• Top baked salmon, cod or other white fish.
• As a topping for turkey burgers or grilled chicken.
• Add dimension to baked chicken or pork dishes.

Got leftover relish? Take it to the cookout this summer. Your friends will love the sweet spicy alternative to your standard relish for hot dogs and turkey burgers!

How will you use this recipe? Please let me know in the comments or on Instagram. I’m always looking for new ideas!

Looking to fill your snack board? Try this canned tomato recipe, Bruschetta in a Jar, from last year.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post that is part of an ongoing partnership with the Fresh Preserving Division of Newell Brands. They have provided jars, equipment and monetary compensation. All thoughts and opinions expressed remain my own.