How to Make Corn Relish in Canada (Bernardin Method)

Corn relish is the August-September preserve that uses sweet corn at its peak. It’s a sweet-tangy chunky condiment — corn kernels, diced bell peppers, onion, mustard-celery-turmeric spice — that pairs with grilled meats, charcuterie boards, and burgers. A 500 mL jar lasts through dozens of meals.

This guide covers the Bernardin water-bath method. The vinegar ratio is non-negotiable for food safety since corn is naturally low-acid.

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Pick your corn

Use the best Canadian sweet corn you can find, ideally picked the same day you make the relish. Sweet corn converts sugars to starch within hours of picking, so day-old corn is dramatically less sweet than fresh.

• Peaches and Cream / Honey and Cream — bi-colour Canadian standards. Sweet, tender kernels.
• Kandy Korn — super-sweet variety; longer shelf life off the cob
• White-cob heritage (Country Gentleman) — older variety, less sweet but more corn-flavour
• Mirai — premium super-sweet, common in Ontario farm stands

You need 8-10 ears of corn for a 6-jar batch, yielding about 4 cups of kernels.

Farm-stand tip: buy corn the morning of canning if at all possible. Bring it home and process within 6 hours of picking for peak sweetness.

What you need

• 8-10 ears fresh sweet corn (about 4 cups kernels)
• 1 medium red bell pepper — diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper — diced
• 1 medium yellow onion — diced
• 2 cups white or apple cider vinegar (5% acidity)
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar — or up to 2 cups for sweeter relish
• 2 tbsp pickling salt (non-iodized)
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
• 1 tsp celery seeds
• 1 tsp ground turmeric — for the iconic golden colour
• Optional: 1 small jalapeño, finely diced, for warm heat
• Optional: 2 tbsp flour mixed with 2 tbsp water for a thicker relish (some recipes do this)
• Bernardin 250 mL or 500 mL regular-mouth jars — yields ~6 × 500 mL or ~12 × 250 mL
• Standard canning kit — jar lifter, headspace tool, funnel, water-bath canner, ladle, large pot for the cooking

Method

Step 1: Cut corn off cobs

1. Husk the corn, remove silk threads.
2. Stand each cob in a wide bowl (the bowl catches kernels and the liquid that spurts out).
3. Run a sharp knife down the cob, removing kernels in long strips.
4. After cutting all kernels, scrape the cob with the back of the knife to release the milk and starchy pulp. This is what makes relish creamy.
5. Measure — should be about 4 cups kernels.

Step 2: Prep the vegetables

1. Bell peppers — remove stems, seeds, and white pith. Dice into ¼-inch pieces.
2. Onion — peel and dice into ¼-inch pieces.
3. Optional jalapeño — remove stem and seeds (or leave seeds for more heat), dice fine.

Step 3: Combine and cook

1. In a large heavy pot combine:
   • 4 cups corn kernels (plus the scrapings from the cobs)
   • 1 diced red pepper
   • 1 diced green pepper
   • 1 diced onion
   • Optional diced jalapeño
   • 2 cups vinegar
   • 1.5 cups sugar
   • 2 tbsp pickling salt
   • 1 tbsp mustard seeds
   • 1 tsp celery seeds
   • 1 tsp turmeric
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.
3. Reduce to a simmer.
4. Cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The corn softens, the vegetables become translucent, the brine reduces slightly.
5. For thicker relish (optional): mix 2 tbsp flour with 2 tbsp cold water, stir into the relish in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Brings it from soupy to thick-chunky.

Step 4: Pack the jars

1. Have your water-bath canner simmering with enough water to cover jars by 2.5 cm.
2. Have hot jars ready, fresh SNAP lids on the counter.
3. Ladle hot relish into hot jars. Leave 1.25 cm (½ inch) headspace.
4. Run the headspace tool down inside each jar to release air bubbles.
5. Wipe rims clean. Apply lids fingertip-tight.

Step 5: Process

1. Lower jars into the canner. Water should cover by 2.5 cm.
2. Bring water back to a rolling boil.
3. Process 250 mL jars for 15 minutes; 500 mL jars for 15 minutes at sea level (verify with your Bernardin edition).
4. Adjust for altitude per our altitude-adjustments guide.
5. Cool 12-24 hours undisturbed on a towel.
6. Check seals.

If a jar doesn’t seal: the 24-hour rule applies.

Wait 2 weeks before eating

Like all relishes and pickles, corn relish improves with 2 weeks of jar-aging. Flavours meld; turmeric darkens slightly; the vinegar mellows.

Storage

• Cool, dark, dry place at room temperature
• Best quality 12 months
• After opening: refrigerate, use within 1-2 months
• Inspect before opening — bulging lids, off smell, mould = discard

Variations

Spicy corn relish

Add 2-3 finely diced jalapeños or 1 diced habanero. The sugar-vinegar base mellows heat well.

Mexican-style street-corn relish

Add 1 tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp smoked paprika at step 3. Squeeze a fresh lime into each jar before processing (the bottled lemon juice rule doesn’t apply here — the vinegar already does the acid lift).

Curried corn relish

Replace turmeric with 2 tsp curry powder. Pakistani-Canadian style; great on naan with grilled chicken.

Corn-and-bean relish

Replace 1 cup of corn with 1 cup of cooked black beans. Drained, rinsed. Adds protein and visual interest.

Tomato corn relish

Replace bell peppers with 1 cup diced fresh tomatoes (deseeded). Brighter, summery. Bernardin has tested versions of this.

Refrigerator corn relish (no canning)

Skip the water-bath. Cook the relish in step 3, jar it, fridge it. Lasts 4-6 weeks. Same flavour progression. The easiest entry point if you don’t yet own canning equipment.

How to use corn relish

• On grilled hot dogs and brats — the canonical use
• On burgers — adds sweet-tangy crunch
• Alongside grilled chicken or pork
• On a charcuterie board with sharp cheese
• In tuna or chicken salad — replaces relish entirely
• On a pulled-pork sandwich with coleslaw
• As a topping for nachos with sour cream
• In cornbread batter — stir 2 tbsp in for a sweet-tangy bite
• Straight from the jar as a snack with crackers

Common problems

• Corn turned tough. Overcooked or used over-mature corn (sugar already converted to starch). Use fresh sweet corn and stop cooking at 20 minutes.
• Brine separated from solids. Some separation is normal. The optional flour-thickener step prevents most of it.
• Relish is too sweet/tart. Adjust sugar within ½ cup either way next batch. Don’t change vinegar — it’s the food-safety component.
• Turmeric stained my hands and counter. Welcome to turmeric. Lemon juice with salt removes most stains; persistent stains fade in days.
• Jars didn’t seal. 24-hour rule.
• Bulging lid after weeks. Discard immediately. Possible spoilage / gas production. Low-acid corn in inadequate vinegar can support botulinum growth — don’t take chances.

Yield expectations

• 8-10 ears corn + peppers + onion → 6 × 500 mL jars OR 12 × 250 mL jars
• 250 mL is the ideal portion — small enough to finish in 2-3 weeks after opening
• A double batch (yields 12 × 500 mL or 24 × 250 mL) is a year’s supply for an average household

Why corn relish is worth making

• Best August preserve — sweet corn is at peak; you literally can’t buy this quality of corn relish commercially
• Gift-friendly — 250 mL jars with handwritten labels make great hostess gifts
• Versatile — works as a condiment with almost any savoury food
• Forgiving recipe — within the Bernardin-tested vinegar ratio, the spices and vegetable proportions can flex significantly without compromising safety
• Heritage Canadian recipe — Mennonite, Ontario rural, and Maritime cookbooks all carry versions

Next steps

• How to dehydrate corn in Canada — the non-canning corn preservation
• How to make pickled beets — September preserve, similar method
• How to make dilly beans — August preserve, similar method
• How to make bread-and-butter pickles — same mustard-celery spice family
• Canning altitude adjustments — required reading
• Best water-bath canner — equipment
• Water-bath canning pillar — broader method