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Green Tomato Relish – aka country ketchup

Every couple of years, at the end of the vegetable growing season, the ladies in our family have a tradition of banding together over a weekend to laugh, talk, listen to music & dance a little, even share a few adult beverages and – oh yeah, MAKE & CAN our family-favorite, Green Tomato Relish. The entire process takes 2-days to complete. It is a multi-generational experience and canning ritual that many southern cooks, like my granmama, employed through the years to make good use of the end-of-the-season vegetables. Waste not- want not!

Over the decades, technology and advances in kitchen equipment and accessories have made it a lot easier to make the Green Tomato Relish. Instead of using a small, manual, hand-cranked grinder mounted to a tabletop, we now use several electric food processors to chop up all the different vegetables used in the recipe. The last time we made the relish together, we took an iPhone video of 4 of our ladies pulsing their 4 separate food processors together in a rhythmic sort of symphony to try and achieve the same gauge thickness on all of the chopped vegetable ingredients.

Unfortunately, there is just no short-cut on the number of days it takes to make the Green Tomato Relish. You simply can not rush the process and here is why….

Day 1: Is used to chop up all the vegetables including; 90% green & 10% red tomatoes, cabbage, apples, celery, onions, green & red peppers etc.. Then the chopped vegetables are all mixed together well in large containers before being scooped into several large cloth sacks. The sacks are then securely tied-up to hang and drain-off all the excess liquids overnight for 12-18 hours.

Day 2: The actual process of making the pickling brine and boiling it together with the chopped vegetables occurs. Then the Green Tomato Relish is packed firmly into sterilized glass jars and completely sealed. After the canning process is completed, we invite the rest of the family members to join us for a small traditional meal celebration serving the fresh Green Tomato Relish typically with homemade navy bean soup and/or sausage and biscuits; both excellent southern comfort foods.

Our Green Tomato Relish is the essential southern condiment that can be used in a variety of different ways to add country flavor to many favorite dishes including; deviled eggs, potato salads, macaroni salads, tuna or ham salads, as hotdog or hamburger toppings, and slathered on grilled cheese or other popular sandwiches. The possibilities for using Green Tomato Relish are only limited by your imagination. As my granmama would say…

WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED?

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Green Tomato Relish (aka Country Ketchup)

A Perkins Family Canning Tradition (Takes a Team to Make/Yields 4 Large Batches/68 pints)
Prep Time18 hours
Cook Time6 hours
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: green tomatoes, relish, green tomato relish, country relish, country ketchup
Servings: 68 pints

Equipment

  • Food processor/s
  • Knives
  • Cutting Board/s
  • Large Stockpot
  • 4 Dozen Canning Jars, and Lids with Seals
  • Tongs, Spatulas, Spoons, Scoops
  • Measuring Cups, Measuring Spoons
  • Kitchen Funnel
  • Large Cloth Sacks and Rope
  • Reusable Cloth Drawstring Bouquet Garni Bags
  • 4 (5-Gallon) Buckets

Ingredients

Fresh Vegetable Ingredients/for 4 Large Batches

  • 70 Pounds Green Tomatoes (End-of-the-Season Harvest)
  • 6 pounds Granny Smith Apples (or other Variety of Tart Apple)
  • 2 bunches Celery
  • 4 whole Red Peppers
  • 4 whole Green Peppers
  • 3 pounds Yellow Onions
  • 2.5 Heads Cabbages (large)
  • 1 cup salt

Seasoned Brine Ingredients for Each Batch of Green Tomato Relish:

  • 10.5 cups White Vinegar
  • 4 cups White Granualated Sugar
  • 1 cup Brown Sugar
  • 3-5 tablespoons Pickling Spices (in the Spices Aisle at your Supermarket)
  • 1 teaspoon Tumeric (Adds Rich Coloring)

Instructions

First Day – Fresh Vegetable Preparation

  • Wash and sort all the vegetables, discarding any bad or marginal vegetables.
  • Quarter or cut all the vegetables just small enough to fit into the chute of the food processors
  • Using the Food Processor/s, coarsely chop all the mixed vegetables to the desired consistency of the final canned relish product. If using multiple processors; try pulsing them in unison for 4-6 second intervals. It sounds odd, but it strangely works well and is a lot of fun. (for proof, watch our family video)
  • Mix all the ingredients together very well in 3 large food tubs. Make sure to have an equal representation of all the fresh vegetable ingredients in each of the tubs.
  • Using a large scoop or measuring cup, place the coarsely chopped vegetables into 4 large cheesecloth bags or clean pillowcases work just as well.
  • Tie each cloth bag with rope and hang the bags to drain off the excess vegetable liquids out overnight. We have always used sawhorses in the garage or basement to do this. Be sure to place buckets underneath each bag to catch the excess liquid. You will be surprised how much liquid is actually released. You may even have to empty the drainage buckets one or two times.
  • Allow the bags to hang for 12-18 hours.

Second Day – Cooking & Canning Process (Must be repeated 4 times to yield 4 Batches)

    Cooking Procedure

    • In a large covered stockpot, bring the seasoned brine ingredients for 1 batch to a rolling boil. Remove the lid and allow the brine to continue cooking for 10 more minutes (watch the clock closely).
    • Carefully add 32 measured cups of the chopped mixed vegetables to the tall stockpot and bring to a boil again.
    • Add the one teaspoon of tumeric for color now.
    • Continue to cook on high for 30 more minutes, stirring frequently

    Canning Procedure (Prepare 17 Jars, Sealed Lids, and Rims for Each Batch)

    • Clean Ball Jars and Rims in the Dishwasher. This will bring them up to the proper temperature for canning. Tip: Place rims together in a mesh laundry bag for easy gathering.
    • Keep all the jars and rims warm in the dishwasher with the door closed until needed.
    • Simultaneously boil water in a saucepan and remove from heat. Add the lids to indirectly warm them.
    • Spoon the relish packing it tightly into jars using a funnel. Leave a little head space at the top of each jar. Place the lid with seal and rim on top. Then screw the jar closed. Obviously the jars will be very hot, so best to handle them with tongs or a clean dishtowel while doing this.
    • Place the finished jars of Green Tomato Relish in a cool spot (usually on the floor lined with old newspapers or towels) and listen for the distinctive "ping" sound. This indicates that the lids have sealed properly.

    Blog Articles / Family Traditions / Photos / Recipes

    It’s Not a Holiday Gathering, Without the Raspberry-Pineapple Ribbon Jello Salad

    My mom, Ann Kathryn (aka Aunt Kitty), is famous for her Raspberry-Pineapple Ribbon Jello Salad. Everyone loves it! It is her claim to “Foodie” fame in our family. If you don’t believe me, just ask Matt Perkins or anyone else in the family. It is so delicious, that family members have been known to request it for their Birthday dessert instead of a traditional cake. That said, it is not a difficult Jello salad to make, however, it does require a lot of patience to create the sparkling “ribbon” layered effect. But once you taste it, you will truly appreciate the extra effort and love it took to make.

    My earliest memory of Mom making this delicious recipe for our family gatherings was back in the 1970s. It was such a deliciously different, dessert-type salad from anything else we had ever tasted. It is the perfect pairing of sweet and tart tastes. Even today, over 40 years later, it is still completely devoured at every family holiday/event. Its reputation is legendary…

    WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED?

    Print Recipe

    Raspberry-Pineapple Ribbon Jello Salad

    A Perkins Family-Favorite
    Prep Time1 hour
    Servings: 12

    Equipment

    • Tupperware Jel-Ring Mold – 6 Cup
    • Measuring Cup
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Plastic Spatula, Mixing Spoon
    • Can Opener
    • Large Mixing Bowl

    Ingredients

    • 6 oz Raspberry Jello Mix
    • 1 ½ cups Boiling Water
    • 20 oz Frozen Raspberries (do not drain) = 2½ cups
    • 13.5 oz Can of Crushed Pineapple (do not drain – add juice too)
    • ¼ teaspoon Salt
    • 1 pint Sour Cream

    Instructions

    • In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the raspberry Jello in the boiling water and stir until thoroughly mixed.
    • To the bowl, add the thawed raspberries, undrained crushed pineapple, and salt.
    • Measure 1 ½ cups of the Jello salad mixture and pour into a 6-cup Tupperware ring mold. Chill in the refrigerator until firm. Time may vary (about 20 minutes)…be patient. Make sure this layer is completely firm before proceeding.
    • Allow the remaining bowl of Jello salad mixture to stand at room-temperature.
    • Once the first layer in the 6-cup ring mold has firmed up in the refrigerator, remove and carefully spread 1 cup of the sour cream evenly over it.
    • Next spoon half of the remaining room-temperature Jello salad mixture over the sour cream layer. Again chill this second layer in the refrigerator (about 20 more minutes)- be patient again. The second layer must also be firm before proceeding.
    • Remove from the refrigerator again and carefully spread the second Jello salad layer with the remaining cup of sour cream.
    • Then pour the remaining room-temperature Jello salad mixture over the 2nd sour cream layer. Cover with a lid and chill overnight in the refrigerator.
    • Before serving, gently remove the Raspberry-Pineapple Ribbon Jello-Salad from the ring mold and place it on a beautiful serving plate. Don't blink…it might be gone!

    Blog Articles / Family Traditions / Photos / Recipes

    Recreating and Modernizing the 1992 Perkins Family Cookbook

    Aerial View of the original Perkins Family Farm in Owenton, Kentucky showing the main farmhouse and barns.

    Back in 1992, before the mainstream use of computers and the World Wide Web (www), I set out to create a very special Perkins Family Cookbook to preserve our family’s southern, country recipes and honor the memory of our beloved granmama, Anna Margaret Perkins.

    Using a typewriter and a copier, I enlisted the help of everyone in the family that wanted to participate in its creation. I asked the young children to make drawings and artwork to use on the designated, chapter-title pages, and the adults to supply their favorite family recipes and/or stories about special times spent on the farm. I wanted the Cookbook to pay tribute to our granmama who was born in 1918 and passed away at age 63 in 1981. Our grandaddy, Stanley Perkins, survived her and was able to also contribute his thoughts to the Cookbook about the family and farm history. In March 1995, at age 81, he tragically passed away in a fire clearing brush off the beloved family farmland. We truly miss his unique wit and personality.  

    I titled the Cookbook, WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED? because granmama often said those 5 sweet, simple words each mealtime to anyone gathered at her table, which was always filled with food, friendship, humor, and love. That year (1992) the cookbook project was a labor of love.  In December, I gave the family cookbooks out as Christmas presents to everyone, including grandaddy. To this day, the memory of that Christmas and the Perkins Family Cookbook is a beautiful reminder of our strong family history, ties, and values.

    For years, I have wanted to update the Cookbook, not just because my working copy is completely falling apart from its frequent usage, but because I wanted a way to easily continue sharing our family heritage, memories, recipes, and traditions with all the newer additions to our family; the Millennials and Gen Zers.

    I finally decided the best way for me to update and modernize the Cookbook was to ultimately recreate it in a digital form as a new food and travel blog. This would enable me to preserve and pass-on our family recipes (new/old) and provide easy access to share them with everyone (family/friends) on an internet platform; both cutting costs and eliminating paper waste. Additionally, I wanted an opportunity to share my passionate “foodie” side and knowledge with others; including market and restaurant recommendations, global food trends, food merchandising ideas, and personal travel tips and adventures.

    2019’s Annual, Fall Perkins Family and Friends Reunion hosted by Aunt Lynn and Uncle Gary Bishop

    So…for my first blog article and recipe, I wanted to share with you one of my all-time favorite, comfort meals that Granmama would make…her delicious Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup. I hope you make the recipe and share the soup with your family and friends. When they gather around the table to enjoy the meal, please do me a very special favor and genuinely ask them…

    WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED?

    Print Recipe

    Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

    This is a generation-tested recipe handed down from my Granmama Perkins
    Prep Time2 days
    Cook Time5 hours
    Total Time2 days 5 hours
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 10

    Equipment

    • 8 – 10 Qt Stock Pot and Lid
    • Cutting Board
    • Knife
    • Can Opener
    • Strainer
    • Vegetable Peeler

    Ingredients

    • 2-3 pounds Beef Short Ribs
    • 14.5 oz can of Swanson Beef Broth
    • 28 oz can of Red Gold Whole Peeled Tomatoes
    • 2 stalks Celery diced into small chunks
    • 3-4 Potatoes peeled and diced into small chunks
    • 3-4 Carrots peeled and diced into small chunks
    • 1 medium Sweet Yellow Onion peeled and diced finely
    • 14.5 oz can of Del Monte Whole Kernel Corn, Peas, or Green Beans (optional-choose one/drain off liquid)

    Instructions

    Day One:

    • In a large stock pot, cover the short ribs with water. Bring to a boil. Then simmer over low heat for 3 hours. Add water, if necessary, while cooking, to keep the ribs covered.
    • While still warm, remove the short rib meat from the bones and cut into bite-size pieces. Place the meat in a separate bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
    • Put a lid on the stockpot liquid/broth and refrigerate overnight as well.

    Day Two:

    • Pull the stock pot from the refrigerator and take off the lid. Remove the exposed top, white, fatty layer from the broth with a large spoon and discard.
    • Bring the broth in the stock pot to a boil again and add one can of beef broth for additional flavor.
    • Dice the fresh celery, potatoes, carrots, and onions. Cut-up the canned whole tomatoes, reserving all the liquid.
    • Next add the diced fresh vegetables, cut-up tomatoes with liquid, and, bite-sized short ribs to the soup broth and continue to simmer for 1 more hour. Add additional water (if needed) to keep the vegetables and beef covered.
    • Drain the optional canned vegetable (of your choice) and add to the soup to warm. Soup will be ready to serve in 15 minutes.

    Special Notes:

    • I do not add salt or pepper to the soup while cooking. I prefer to allow each person the ability to season for themselves. Personally, I prefer to add the Mrs. Dash (salt-free) Table Blend seasoning.
    • I also recommend serving the soup with hearty Oyster Crackers (they tend to hold up longer in the soup).
    • This soup reheats well and even tastes better on the second day.
    • Additionally, the soup freezes well in air-tight containers.