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Pear Relish Recipe: Ways to Use Pear Relish in Your Cooking

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Aug 14, 2024 • 3 min read

Ready in under a half-hour, this spicy, fruity, mildly acidic pear relish is the easiest way to add a new dimension of flavor to a variety of savory and sweet dishes.

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What Is Pear Relish?

Pear relish is a sweet condiment for savory dishes made from fresh pears, vinegar, sugar, salt, and seasonings. The word “relish” can refer to various condiments, including chow-chow, hot relish, and chutney. Like chow-chow or chutney, fruit relish is sweet and acidic and can add flavor to bland foods.

6 Ways to Use Pear Relish

Popular uses of pear relish include:

  1. 1. Deviled eggs: Pear relish is an excellent substitute for classic pickle relish in deviled eggs and egg salad. Learn how to make deviled eggs.
  2. 2. Grilled proteins: Add this semi-sweet relish to a variety of grilled meats like pork chops, fish fillets, and burgers for a sweet and tangy note that cuts the rich meatiness of the main course.
  3. 3. Hot dogs: Swap your average pickle relish for pear relish on a hot dog for a unique twist on a cookout classic.
  4. 4. Potato salad: Relish is one of the key ingredients in classic potato salad, along with mayonnaise, mustard, celery, and bell peppers. Incorporating pear relish will introduce a pleasantly unexpected flavor to this classic side dish. Learn how to make potato salad.
  5. 5. Russian dressing: Elevate your classic Russian dressing with this fruit relish.
  6. 6. Sandwiches: Mix pear relish with a little mayonnaise and spread it on roast beef or turkey sandwiches for notes of sweetness.

5 Tips for Making Pear Relish

Once you’ve mastered the pear relish basics, you’ll find yourself crafting homemade condiments time and time again. Follow these tips to make pear relish.

  1. 1. Use fresh, firm produce. Soft, overripe pears don’t hold up well during the relish-making process, leaving you with a mushy condiment. Using firm pears will make the best relish, in terms of both taste and texture.
  2. 2. Experiment with additions. Customize your pear relish with your favorite whole or ground spices, fresh or dried herbs, and additional fruits and vegetables. Incorporate hot peppers (like jalapeños), dried chilis, and mustard seeds for a spicier relish. Add corn kernels for a summery pear and corn relish. Mix in some cranberries to make holiday-friendly cranberry relish. Add additional spices, like turmeric, cumin, and paprika for different variations in flavor.
  3. 3. Sanitize your jars. To keep your pear relish fresh for as long as possible, thoroughly wash and dry your jars before canning. When removing relish from the container, always use a clean spoon to avoid introducing bacteria to the jar.
  4. 4. Use a canner. For long-term storage, preserve your relish by using a classic canning process. Add your relish to airtight canning jars immediately after cooking it, and follow your water bath canning instructions to turn it into a shelf-stable food. Learn how to can food for long-term preservation.
  5. 5. Store properly. Thanks to the acidic vinegar, homemade pear relish will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. If the relish develops a strong odor or mold begins to form in the jar, discard it.

Easy Pear Relish Recipe

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4 Ratings | Rate Now

makes

2 pints

prep time

10 min

total time

25 min

cook time

15 min

Ingredients

  1. 1

    Using a food chopper, finely chop the pears, white onions, bell peppers, and jalapeño peppers. Alternatively, pulse the produce in batches using a food processor, taking care not to purée the ingredients.

  2. 2

    Place the chopped produce in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Set the vegetable mixture aside.

  3. 3

    In a large stockpot over medium heat, stir together the vinegar, sugar, salt, pickling spice, and black peppercorns and bring the liquid to a boil.

  4. 4

    Add the chopped vegetables to the stockpot and continue simmering until the mixture is thick—stirring frequently—which will take 15–20 minutes.

  5. 5

    Remove the large pot from the heat and let the relish cool at room temperature for 15 minutes before ladling it into 2 sterilized pint jars (or 4 half-pint jars). Screw an airtight lid onto each jar. Store the relish in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

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