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Corn Relish is the sweet, tangy, and spicy condiment that makes everything off the grill taste better, made with charred fresh corn, jalapeno, and a quick pickling brine. I first made a jar of this on a hot July weekend when our corn was at its peak, and now it lands on every burger and hot dog all summer long. If you love our Mexican street corn dip, this bright relish is your next cookout must-have.
It comes together with a handful of ingredients and almost no hands-on time, then just needs a few hours in the fridge to get punchy and delicious.
Corn Relish Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 20 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 4 hours 25 minutes (includes chilling)
- 🍽️ Serving: 2 cups
- ⚡ Calories: 252kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet, tangy, and a little spicy
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our tomato onion relish
Quick Answer
Roast husked corn on a grill until lightly charred, then cut the kernels off the cob and combine with sliced jalapeno and smashed garlic. Simmer apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt until dissolved, stir in ice water to cool, then pour the brine over the corn. Cover and chill at least 4 hours so the flavors meld, then serve on hot dogs, burgers, salads, and more.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Roasting the corn. Charring the corn first adds a smoky-sweet depth that raw corn just cannot match.
- Quick pickling brine. A simple vinegar, sugar, and salt brine balances tangy and sweet in every bite.
- Ice water trick. Adding ice water cools the brine instantly so the corn stays crisp, not mushy.
- Fresh jalapeno heat. Thinly sliced jalapeno brings just the right amount of spice to the sweet corn.
- Better the next day. A few hours in the fridge lets the flavors meld into a bright, punchy relish.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is the perfect sweet, tangy, and spicy topping for summer cookouts.
- It comes together with just a handful of ingredients and almost no hands-on time.
- It is incredible on burgers, like our juicy smash burgers.
Key Ingredients
Just a few simple ingredients make this bright, punchy relish. Full amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Fresh corn: roasted on the grill for a smoky-sweet base. Sweet summer corn is best.
- Jalapeno: thinly sliced for a fresh pop of heat. Leave the seeds in for extra spice.
- Apple cider vinegar: the tangy backbone of the quick pickling brine.
- Granulated sugar: balances the vinegar so the relish is sweet and tangy.
- Garlic and salt: round out the flavor and season the brine.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Make this relish your own.
- Use canned or frozen corn (thawed and patted dry) when fresh is not in season.
- Swap the jalapeno for serrano for more heat, or bell pepper for none.
- Add diced red onion or bell pepper for color and crunch.
- Stir in chopped cilantro or a squeeze of lime for a fresh, Mexican-street-corn vibe.
- Spice it up even more with a drizzle of our spicy sriracha mayo when serving.
How to Make Corn Relish
- Lightly spray the husked corn and roast it on a grill or grill pan until lightly charred, about 15 minutes. Let it cool.
- Cut the corn off the cob and add it to a container with the sliced jalapeno and smashed garlic.
- Make the pickling liquid: simmer the apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt until dissolved and clear, about 5 minutes.
- Take it off the heat and stir in the ice water until the ice melts.
- Pour the liquid over the corn mixture and stir to combine.
- Cover and chill at least 4 hours, or overnight, then serve on everything from hot dogs to salads.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Roast the corn well for those charred kernels that add the best smoky-sweet flavor.
- Use the ice water to cool the brine fast so the corn stays crisp.
- Chill at least 4 hours, or overnight, so the flavors have time to meld.
- Slice the jalapeno thin so the heat spreads evenly through the relish.
- Store it in a jar so it is easy to grab and spoon onto everything.
- Taste and adjust the sugar or vinegar to your liking before chilling.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This Corn Relish is a summer cookout superstar. Spoon it over grilled hot dogs, burgers, brats, or tacos for a sweet, tangy, spicy pop. It is also fantastic on top of pulled pork or grilled chicken.
Set it out as part of a barbecue spread with our BBQ ribs and pulled pork sandwiches. It doubles as a fresh salsa with tortilla chips, too.
Stir it into salads, grain bowls, or scrambled eggs for a bright, zippy upgrade. It keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks, so make a big batch at the peak of corn season.
Corn Relish FAQs
Yes. While roasted fresh corn gives the best smoky-sweet flavor, you can use canned corn (drained) or frozen corn (thawed and patted dry) when fresh is out of season. For extra flavor, char the kernels in a hot, dry skillet before pickling.
This relish is delicious on hot dogs, burgers, brats, tacos, pulled pork, and grilled chicken or fish. It also works as a salsa with tortilla chips, a topping for salads and grain bowls, or stirred into scrambled eggs.
It has a mild to medium heat from one jalapeno. For more spice, leave in the seeds or use a serrano pepper. For a milder relish, remove the seeds or swap in a bit of bell pepper instead.
Let it chill for at least 4 hours so the flavors meld, but overnight is best. The relish gets better the longer it sits, and the quick pickle keeps developing for the first day or two.
Store it in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. The vinegar brine acts as a natural preservative. Always use a clean spoon to keep it fresh longer.
This recipe is written as a quick refrigerator relish, not a canned, shelf-stable one. For canning, you would need a tested water-bath canning recipe with the proper acidity. Enjoy this version fresh from the fridge within two weeks.
Firing up the grill? Toss a few slow cooker beer brats on the menu and top them with this corn relish for the ultimate cookout plate.
Sweet and Spicy Corn Relish
Ingredients
- 4 ears of corn husked
- 1 small thinly sliced jalapeno
- 1 clove garlic smashed
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup ice water
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Lightly spray the corn with cooking spray. Roast the corn over a grill or on a grill pan over medium-high heat until lightly roasted, 15 minutes turning occasionally. Let cool to the touch.4 ears of corn
- Cut the corn off the cob and add it to a large container with the sliced jalapeno and the garlic. Set aside.4 ears of corn
- Make the pickling liquid by adding the vinegar, sugar, and salt to a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar and salt is dissolved, about 5 minutes. You know the sugar and salt is dissolved because the liquid will turn clear.4 ears of corn
- Take off the heat and add the ice water, stir until the ice melts.4 ears of corn
- Pour the liquid into the container with the corn, stir to combine. Place a top on the container and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight is best.4 ears of corn
- Serve on salad, sandwiches, hot dogs, with tortilla chips as a salsa, or eat on its own!4 ears of corn
Notes
- This can be doubled if you know you are going to be using this a lot.
- If you’re in a pinch you can use canned or frozen corn.
- This isn’t overly spicy and has a nice sweet to heat ratio.
- You can put this on any and all of your favorite dishes.
Nutrition
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