When it's just too hot to
cook, you can still put up a tomato relish using this recipe.
8 lbs. ripe tomatoes, blanched,
peeled, and chopped (about 25-30 tomatoes)
3 medium onions, chopped
1 small red hot pepper, chopped
6 cups brown sugar
2 tbsp. mustard seed
1/2 tbsp. celery seed
1/2 cup salt
2-1/2 cups vinegar
Combine the chopped vegetables
in a big bowl, sprinkle them with the 1/2 cup salt, and stir.
Let the mixture stand for 2 hours. Then pour it into a jelly
bag and let it drain overnight or until the mixture is entirely
dry. When the vegetables have drained dry, mix the sugar, vinegar,
and spices in a pot and heat them until dissolved, stirring
occasionally. Pour this liquid over the drained vegetables,
stir, and ladle the relish into hot, sterilized pint jars. Cover
and process in a boiling bath for 15 minutes.
*We suggest pressure canning tomato relishes at 10 pounds pressure
for 10 minutes.