Bob’s Big Boy Red Relish Clone

By Mark Perkins
@TheBurgerDude

Bob's Big Boy restaurants on the West coast / Southern California area were the only ones that had the red relish.

The stuff was OK the first few times, then before you know it, it had you hooked like crack!

It has been more than twenty years now.

I have been trying for years to come up with a homemade red-relish recipe that tasted the way I remember Bob's. I think I have finally succeeded, and I wanted to share it here with you good people out of the burgerness of my heart. As of this posting, this recipe is not posted ANYWHERE else on the net!

Rating:

★★★★★ 1 vote

Comments:

4 Comments

Serves:

About 7 pints

Prep:

24 Hr

Cook:

2 Hr

Method:

Canning/Preserving

Ingredients

2 c: cucumbers, roughly chopped
1: onion, roughly chopped
1: green pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1: red pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1: stalk celery, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp: kosher salt (or 1 tbsp pickling salt)
1/2 tsp: ground turmeric
3 c: water
1 Tbsp: whole allspice
1 Tbsp: whole cloves
1 Tbsp: mace
1 Tbsp: celery seed
1 Tbsp: whole peppercorns
1 stick: cinnamon (about two inches total)
1/2 tsp: dry mustard
1/2 clove: garlic
1 1/2: bay leaves
2 c: cider vinegar
4: ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, & chopped
1 c: sugar
2 tsp: mustard seeds

How to Make Bob’s Big Boy Red Relish Clone

Step-by-Step

1Using a food grinder with the coarse plate (I use my KitchenAid attachment), grind the cucumbers, onion, peppers and celery together into a large non-reactive bowl. Add salt, turmeric, and water and mix well. Continue with the remaining steps while letting this mixture stand overnight.
2In a square of cheesecloth, tie up the allspice, cloves, mace, celery seed, peppercorns and cinnamon. Bring this spice packet and the vinegar up to a boil in a large non-reactive pot. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
3Increase heat to medium, and add the tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered until the tomatoes resemble a puree – about 30 minutes. Add sugar and mustard seeds, cover, and let stand overnight at room temperature.
4Now drain the vegetable mixture that has been sitting overnight in a strainer, pressing out any excess liquid.
5Add the drained vegetables to the tomato mixture and bring to a boil over medium high hear. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Remove spice bag.
6Ladle into sterilized jars and process for 15 minutes in a water bath canner. Let relish mellow for at least a month before using, and refrigerate after opening.
7To make the burger, use a sesame seed bun cut into three pieces; a top, middle, and bottom. Toast each cut side. On the bottom, add a spoonful of mayo, some lettuce, a slice of American cheese, the patty, the middle part of the bun, the next patty, relish, and finally the top bun.