I dont know, sorry but how do you make hot dog relish? is that like the bright green chicago style hot dog relish?

You can use green tomatoes of any variety. Type makes no difference.

am I understanding this correct that I can sub. one veg. for another like leave out the onions but add the same amount of green beans etc, as long as I have 13 1/2 cups of vegetables total doesn't matter what they are?

No, IMO that is too broad an interpretation to make as the exact recipe makes a big difference in what you can change. The pH and density differs greatly from vegetable to vegetable.

What you can do is substitute like for like - red onions for yellow, hot peppers for sweet peppers, etc. but not green beans for onions.

You can also choose to leave out a particular vegetable, say onions if you don't want them. But the recipe is pH tuned to the vegetables listed in it, not whatever vegetables we may want to add or substitute. See the difference?

Dave

Thanks Dave, I just wondered if I could leave out some of the Veg. that was in the recipe and replace with others that we may like better, In the Joy of pickling book the recipe is 13 1/2 cups chopped vegetables, Note: she used 5 1/2 cups green tomatoes, 5 cups cabbage 2 cups peppers and 1 cup onions. It said you can very the vegetables, you might include snap beans for instance and their relative proportions at your convenience just be sure they add up to about 13 1/2 cups vegetables, So I took it to mean that if I didn't want 1 cup of onions I could use 1 cup of green beans instead, if I only wanted 3 1/2 cups of cabbage I could use that plus 2 cups of carrots I do understand what you are saying about substituting like for like, I just wanted to make sure I was understanding about sub. one thing for another. My husband has always told me I make things harder then they really are, so sorry.

Since I don't use that particular book I don't know the recipe and what it calls for. It is brine ratio that is important then if the author is saying that other vegetables "of choice" can be substituted.

Is it straight vinegar like called for in the NCHFP recipe? If so then that might allow for subbing other vegetables with no safety problems but I can't say for sure. Those familiar with the book could comment on that particular recipe.

But if it is diluted vinegar brine - vinegar diluted with water - then I'd be concerned about using "vegetables of choice" given the wide range of vegetable pH.

I also have to admit that I can't imagine green beans in Piccalilli, or any other relish for that matter. Pic is tomatoes, onions, peppers, and cabbage and hot dog relish is sweet relish with mustard added after opening. What can I say - old and set in my ways. :)

Dave

PS: Have you checked out the various relish recipes available from the Ball books and NCHFP?

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP - Relish Recipes

Kerryv Below is the Green Tomato Hot Dog Relish I plan to use it was posted in a different thread by lyndapaz, Maybe Dave can tell us if it's okay to use.

Green Tomato Hot Dog Relish
1 quart chopped green tomatoes
1 large sweet white onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper (the red ones look great in the jars)
2 TBS. canning salt
1 C. Sugar
1 TBS. prepared mustard
1 tsp. celery salt
4 whole cloves
1 C. Vinegar (5% acidity)

Combine tomatoes, onion and pepper in a large bowl. Sprinkle salt over vegetables, mix in and let stand 1 hour. Drain vegetables. Combine drained vegetables, sugar mustard, and celery salt in a large pot. Tie cloves in cheesecloth and add to mixture. Stir in vinegar, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Take out spice bag. Pack hot relish into hot, sterilized jars. Leave 1/4 inch headspace. Process half pints for 10 minutes in hot water bath. Makes 5 half pints.

Just going to give this one more try. I have been making this recipe for hot dog relish for years without concern, but in revisiting this forum and learning a lot more, I would love to get some opinions on the safety of this recipe.

I assume you are referring to the recipe posted by oletimer above, the one for Green Tomato Hot Dog Relish?

Since you apparently posted it first do you recall the original source of it?

I don't see anything obviously wrong with this one unless it is very dry, very dense.

The approved recipe from NCHFP
http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_06/green_tomato_relish.html

is proportionally similar just a much larger batch.

Dave

"Since I don't use that particular book I don't know the recipe and what it calls for. It is brine ratio that is important then if the author is saying that other vegetables "of choice" can be substituted.

I'm surprised, Dave, that you don't use Linda Z's The Joy Of Pickling?

The copy I have (it's the 1998 version) clearly states "Vary the vegetables---you might include snap beans, for instance---and their relative proportions at your convenience; just be sure they add up to about 13-1/2 cups."

Yes, it also includes 2-1/4 cups vinegar. No water.

As far as I'm concerned, oletimer, green tomatoes are green tomatoes - doesn't matter what variety they are. Use your Romas.

This post was edited by malna on Fri, Oct 18, 13 at 19:13

I found this recipe on Recipezar. As you said earlier, they no longer exist. It doesn't seem very dense to me. There is usually some liquid in the bottom of the jar after processing and the veggies move around freely. I don't know what the difference is, but I have tried quite a few relish recipes including the NCHFP one and none are as tasty as this. So you think it is okay as long as it's not too thick? Maybe I should up the vinegar, sugar and spice amounts to insure that it is not too dense. I don't think that would effect the flavor very much, would it?

I have Joy of Pickling. She specifically says you can substitute and it's a 100% vinegar solution, so as long as the mixture doesn't get too dry (requiring more vinegar/sugar syrup) there's no problem.

Ziedrich is a reliable source. You can trust what she says.

Carol

Roma make the BEST picallili (using my recipe). They have lots less liquid than e.g. beefsteak. Sigh, can't get any green ones during this drought year.

Yes, I made green tomato relish last year with all of the little green tomatoes left on the vines late in the season which were not going to ripen anyway. It is delicious!