Apple Onion Relish with Ale
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It is almost the end of 'comfort food' season. That's what I like to call winter. The time of year when it is cold outside and all I want to eat are cheesy carbohydrate-y, packed with meat style meals. Whether that is a big bowl of spaghetti, my Aunt's fabulous meatloaf, or my personal favourite - a grilled cheese sandwich.
Now that the weather is warming up, my taste buds are already starting to transition to lighter fare but before that transition is complete I wanted to make one more batch of Apple Onion Relish and send this season off with a bang!
Apple Onion Relish with Ale
Ingredients
6 cups chopped onions
4 tbsp kosher salt
2.5 cups dark brown sugar
2 tbsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cinnamon (ground)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1.5 cups cider vinegar
1.5 cups ale
5 cups peeled and chopped apples (your choice)
5 cups peeled and chopped tart apples (your choice)
Instructions
In a medium sized non-reactive bowl, place your chopped onions and sprinkle the 4 tbsp of salt. Mix thoroughly and let sit for at least an hour. Drain the onions through a fine mesh sieve pushing down to drain as much liquid from them as possible.
Place the sugar, mustard seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg and vinegar into a medium sized pot over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium high and then add the onions and the first 5 cups of apples as well as the 1.5 cups of beer. Bring this to a boil, stirring regularly. Then reduce the heat and simmer until the apples soften and break down. The mixture will have thickened by this point (10-20 minutes).
Stir in the last 5 cups of apples and simmer until the apples soften slightly and the mixture thickens. You may want to stop cooking this before you can drag a spoon across the bottom of the pot and leave a trail that does not fill in immediately, as the apples will continue to absorb moisture in the jar after water bath canning.
Ladle into previously sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe the rims with a damp cloth and place the lid and threads on the jars. Process for 10 minutes.
Yields 10-12, 250ml jars.
