It is a 100% vinegar brine so yes you can substitute without any pH concerns. My issue with the recipe is it sounds awfully dry, very dense - 14 cups of solids and only 2 cups of liquid. I don't see how there can be full heat penetration in something that dense with only 10 mins of processing.

Can I ask what the source of the recipe is? Most of the approved relish recipes call for 3-4 times as much liquid as this one does and they stress how relish should be jarred loosely with free movement within the jars to avoid cold pockets.

Dave

Not wanting to hijack, but having just read what Dave said now I'm worried about my relish. I followed the Ball (2012 edition) recipe for Zesty Zucchini--it has at least as many solids & not much liquid either. Here's the recipe:

12 c finely chopped zucchini

4 c chopped onions

2 red bell peppers chopped

1 green bell pepper chopped

1/c pickling salt

2 1/2 c sugar

2 1/2 c vinegar

1 T nutmeg

1 T turmeric

4 T prepared horseradish

1 chili pepper, chopped

Soaked overnight in salt, then drained, cooked for about 45 min, then processed for 15 min.

Does this sound safe?

(Apologies if I shouldn't have piggybacked on OP's question--which I'm not qualified to answer!)

Sherm, no problem. I'm glad to have someone join in. I also like your recipe, except for the horseradish, wonder if I could make it too and leave that out!!!

Dave, If my memory serves me, I got this recipe from a Kerr canning book, that is probably quite old. I am pretty particular where I get canning recipes from. I have made this for years and the one thing that does help with the density is the water that comes from the cucumbers. probably will be even more from a zucchini, but understand what you are saying.

It really isn't a safety issue since it is straight vinegar undiluted but more of a shelf quality issue - getting all the air out of the jar and getting all the food particles well exposed to the brine.

If you don't want to thin out the recipe by just adding more vinegar - which is easy to do and what I'd do - then I'd at least increase the processing time to 15 mins rather than 10 like Sherm's recipe calls for.

I know we all make a concerted effort to get all the ingredients well mixed and get all the air bubbles out when we fill the jars but when it is really thick that can be impossible to do. Using a bit longer processing time will help force more of that trapped air out, create a better seal, and so add a margin of quality to shelf life without discoloring.

Dave