Why not use the Pickled Hot Peppers recipe since that is what you'll be canning? You don't have to peel them if you don't want to, especially since they are small peppers.

It has the garlic already but it has much more vinegar in is than the Bell Pepper recipe does so it would be a much safer recipe for including the onions as a sub for the sweet peppers it calls for.

Generally you can sub peppers for peppers but not onions for peppers or vice-versa so adding the onions is another issue. It wouldn't be an approved recipe - only 100% vinegar would be fully approved - but probably safe to use IMO. So go with the higher vinegar recipe if you want to use the onions.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Pickled Hot Peppers

You can sub jalapenos for bells, but what you want to do with the 50-50 peppers and onions and raw-pack is substantially different and would require a 100% vinegar recipe.

All of the pickled onion and garlic recipes at the link call for undiluted vinegar and could be modified for use with the vegetables you have in mind. You don't have to use sugar or can reduce the sugar but keep in mind 100% vinegar formulations can be quite "zingy." Aging will help somewhat.

I wouldn't try raw-pack with recipes that specify hot-pack as the processing times can be different. But there are some suitable raw-pack pickles; just be sure the method matches what you want to do and the vinegar is undiluted.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Washington State Pickled Garlic and Onion Recipes

Thank you for the help!

Carol

1. How do you find that stuff?

2. Is it possible to chop onions in the onion relish instead of slicing?

3. Since the brine is 100% vinegar can it be any combination of peppers, onions and garlic?

4. Could they all be chopped to make a relish?

Sorry if I am asking to many questions. Tell me if I am and I will try to stop. I know how valuable time is and I appreciate the help.

MJ

I don't know if I can tell you how I find all that stuff, LOL. I have a "horde" of sites I've saved, though the NCHFP is the core one. Also, I sometimes use advanced search in Google and specify only .edu sites. That brings up Extension and food safety sites relevant to the topic.

I'm a little hesitant to say you can do anything with 100% vinegar brines because the minute that's said someone's going to come up with some idea we never imagined. But in your case with the vegetables you have in mind, there's no issue.

Yes, you can chop onions rather than slicing. The main issue is not to have too dry a mixture. Regardless of the size of the pieces, make sure there's plenty of vinegar floating around in the pickle. It's better to have to drain a little when opening or fishing around in the jar than to pack the pickle and end up with areas un-acidified due to lack of exposure to the pickling solution.

Carol

Since the brine is 100% vinegar can it be any combination of peppers, onions and garlic?

Not really. As Carol said there is a density issue as well as a potential pH issue. Relish is more dense than a jar of peppers and onions whole or even sliced so acid isn't as evenly distributed and heat penetrates more slowly in relish. So it is best to follow the proportions and stick with the amounts given in the recipe.

And as Carol said, it is vital to insure that any chopped relish you make is "soupy" for proper heat penetration and acidification. I realize that soupy is a subjective term so think of it as "ample free liquid" in the relish or "sloushy" in the jar. ;)

Dave

PS: Sorry if I am asking to many questions. Tell me if I am and I will try to stop.

Questions are no problem at all. Feel free. Just keep in mind that you are still working through the phase of trying to modify recipes to meet your desires rather than modifying your desires to accept the recipe limitations. It is difficult to accept but is a canning phase we all had to work through at one time. :)