Glopping a heap of my Aunt Louise's tangy sweet pepper relish on a helping of steaming hot turnip greens pretty much is thanksgiving dinner for me!~ My Great Aunt Louise, also known as Aunt Weezie or Trick, used to make pepper relish with her sisters, Aunt Anne, who goes by Annie Dumplin, Nannie, or just Dumplin, Aunt Deanie, Aunt Bettty, a.k.a Dog, and their mother Mary Estelle Daisy Carpenter, who was my Great Grandmother known to everyone as MemMaw.
They would sit outside at a picnic table down on the farm cutting, grinding, and talking. The peppers they used were local and fresh and probably sometimes came straight from my Great Grandfather's farm. His name was Pete but everyone knew him as Possum. He was very tall and extremely thin with a head full of snow white hair. He wore long johns even when it was hot out. He talked really soft and low. It was hard to tell what he was saying at times. Possum would always bring us fresh food from his fields. He liked to play a little joke on us called "let me milk your mouse". I don't know how this all started but he would say "give me your finger, let me milk your mouse" and he would bend our ring finger down at the top bend and pinch it just a little til it almost hurt. That was "milking your mouse" ???
I apologize for the trip down memory lane but it's important to know that making pepper relish is special to me because it reminds me of all those loved ones now that most of them have passed away.
So.... Pepper Jelly. Aunt Louise was the one who made this most often with and with out the rest of the crew so that is why we call it Aunt Weezie's Pepper Relish. I called her for these instructions.
Here's the recipe:
12 large red peppers = 3 1/2 lbs
12 green peppers = 3 1/2 lbs
12 med onions = 3 lbs
1 TB spn celery seed
1 cup apple cider vinegar
4 cups sugar
12 mason jars and lids (1/2 pint)
1 old fashioned meat grinder/vegetable chopper (I purchased mine at Sur La Table for $30.00)
Do not use a food processor. It will turn your relish to mush!
1 pair of safety goggles
1 bandanna
This recipe is very messy and is best done with help from a friend or sibling. I know now why they made it outside!~
Screw your grinder to the edge of a table or counter. Make sure you have it set up with the coarse blade. Place a large pot under the hand crank to catch all the pepper and onion juice.
Wash and prepare your peppers by removing the guts and cutting them in to med sized strips.
Put on your safety goggles and tie the bandanna around your face above your nose. Peel the onions. Cut in to med sized strips.
Now you're ready to grind. This is when it comes in especially handy to have a helper.Be sure to wear your goggles and bandanna while grinding the onions.
When you're done grinding leave pepper and onion mixture in a large pot over night with a cup of salt mixed in it.
The next day rinse the mixture really, really well and let it sit draining in a giant colander for a few hours.
Now you're finally ready to make your relish. Bring pepper and onion mix to a boil with 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 TB spoon celery seed, and 4 cups of sugar. Stir and boil on a med heat for about a half an hour. Keep an eye on this it may not take that long. You just want to simmer the liquid down. Taste periodically and add more sugar or vinegar until it's to your liking. If you want to you can add some Cayenne pepper to the mix.
While your relish is simmering bring another large pot of water to a boil and one more smaller pot of water to boil. You will use these to sterilize your jars. Put the glass jars in the big pot. Use tongs to maneuver them on to their sides and around. Place the lids in the other pot. Cut those back to a simmer and when your relish is done start scooping it in to the hot jars up to about 2 inches from the top. Set the filled jars on a tea towel and place the lid with the sealer ring on the jar. Place the screw lid over it but don't screw it down all the way. The jars need to seal themselves which can take up to 24 hours. You should hear them make a sucking or popping sound when they seal. Then you can screw the lid down the rest of the way.
Label and deliver to your friends and family.
I hope you like this recipe.
I had a lot of fun making it.
