Old Fashioned Chow Chow Recipe: A Classic Southern Relish
A tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy Southern relish made with green tomatoes, cabbage, onions, and bell peppers. Perfect for topping hot dogs, beans, or sandwiches, this canned condiment preserves summer’s bounty for year-round enjoyment.
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped green cabbage about 1 small head
- 4 cups chopped green tomatoes about 4-5 medium
- 2 cups chopped onions about 2 medium
- 2 cups chopped green bell peppers about 2 medium
- 1 cup chopped red bell peppers about 1 medium
- ¼ cup pickling salt or kosher salt, non-iodized
- 3 cups white vinegar
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp celery seeds
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes optional, for heat
Instructions
- Chop vegetables: Pulse cabbage, green tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers in a food processor until finely chopped.
- Salt vegetables: Mix chopped vegetables with pickling salt in a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
- Drain and rinse: Drain vegetables in a colander and rinse well under cold water to remove excess salt.
- Prepare pickling liquid: Combine vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, turmeric, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a large pot.
- Simmer spices: Bring pickling liquid to a boil over medium heat, then simmer for 5 minutes, stirring to dissolve sugar.
- Add vegetables: Stir in drained vegetables and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender and well-seasoned.
- Sterilize jars: Boil 6 pint jars and lids in water for 10 minutes, keeping warm until ready to fill.
- Fill jars: Ladle hot chow chow into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace, and wipe rims clean.
- Seal jars: Place lids on jars, screw on bands fingertip-tight, and process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes.
- Cool and store: Remove jars, cool for 12-24 hours, check seals, and store in a cool, dark place.
Notes
- Storage: Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year; refrigerate after opening for up to 4 months. Unprocessed relish keeps in the fridge for up to 6 months.
- Substitutions: Use apple cider vinegar for a slightly fruitier flavor. Swap jalapeños for poblano peppers for milder heat or omit red pepper flakes for a non-spicy version.
- Texture Tip: Pulse vegetables in small batches to avoid over-processing into a puree; aim for a coarse, relish-like texture.
- Canning Safety: Ensure jars are properly sealed (lids should not flex when pressed). Discard any with signs of spoilage (mold, off odors). Follow USDA or Ball Blue.