Green Tomato Chow Chow (Canadian Style)

Two jars of green tomato chow chow against a white background with a few green tomatoes sitting by.

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Green Tomato Chow Chow (Canadian Style)

Canadian Green Tomato Chow Chow is a sweet, long-cooked relish made almost entirely of green tomatoes and onions. This old-fashioned preserve is sometimes called Canadian ketchup and is perfect with meats, sandwiches, or cheese.

Prep Time1

Cook Time2

Canning Time15

Total Time1 2 15

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: Canadian

Keyword: Chow Chow, green tomato canning, Green Tomato Ketchup

Servings: servings, makes 6 to 7 pints

Equipment

Water Bath Canner

Ingredients

10 lbs green tomatoes unripe, chopped
3 lbs onions chopped
¼ cup pickling salt for pre-soak
1 quart vinegar white or cider, 5% acidity
3 cups sugar
3 Tbsp pickling spice tied in a spice bag or sachet

Instructions

Prepare the vegetables: Start by washing your green tomatoes thoroughly to remove any dirt or debris. Core them, then chop into small pieces. You can go for a fine dice if you prefer a smoother, more spreadable relish, or leave the pieces a bit chunkier for a rustic texture. Next, peel your onions and chop them to match the size of your tomatoes. Combine the chopped tomatoes and onions in a large mixing bowl.
Salt and soak overnight: Sprinkle the vegetables with ¼ cup of pickling salt, mixing thoroughly to ensure all the pieces are evenly coated. This salt soak helps draw out excess liquid and firms up the texture of the tomatoes and onions so they don’t turn to mush during cooking. Transfer the mixture to a colander placed over a bowl or in the sink, cover loosely, and let it sit at room temperature overnight (about 12 hours).
Rinse and drain: The next day, rinse the salted vegetables under cool running water to remove the excess salt. You want them to taste lightly seasoned—not overly salty. After rinsing, drain them thoroughly, and if needed, press gently to remove extra moisture. Set aside.
Make the pickling base: In a large heavy-bottomed pot, combine 1 quart (4 cups) of 5% acidity vinegar with 3 cups of sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Tie 3 tablespoons of pickling spice into a square of cheesecloth and secure it with kitchen twine to make a spice bag. Add this to the pot as well. Bring the vinegar mixture to a boil over high heat.
Add the vegetables and cook: Once the vinegar mixture is boiling, stir in the drained tomatoes and onions. Return the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let it cook gently, uncovered, for 1½ to 2½ hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. You’re looking for the mixture to reduce and thicken into a spoonable consistency—similar to a loose jam. It should no longer look like vegetables floating in brine, but rather a unified condiment that mounds slightly on a spoon.
Prepare your jars and canner: While the chow chow simmers, prepare a boiling water bath canner. Wash your jars, lids, and rings in hot, soapy water. Rinse well. Keep jars warm until ready to fill by submerging them in simmering water or using your canner's hot water. Lay out a clean towel and a jar funnel, ladle, and bubble remover.
Fill the jars: Once the relish has thickened to your liking, remove the spice bag and discard it. Ladle the hot chow chow into prepared jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe jar rims with a clean, damp cloth, place on two-piece canning lids, and tighten to fingertip-tight.
Process the jars: Load the filled jars into the hot water bath canner, making sure they’re covered by at least 1 to 2 inches of water. Bring the canner to a full rolling boil, then process for 15 minutes (adjusting for altitude as needed—see below).
Cool and store: When the time is up, turn off the heat and allow the jars to sit in the canner for 5 minutes before removing. Use a jar lifter to transfer the jars to a towel-lined counter. Let them cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Check that the lids have sealed, then remove bands for storage, label, and store in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate any unsealed jars and use within a few weeks.

Notes

Spice options: Most recipes use a pickling spice mix tied in cheesecloth to infuse flavor without leaving whole spices in the finished condiment. You can substitute 1–2 tsp mustard seed or celery seed directly into the pot if you prefer a more textured relish.
Sugar and vinegar: I’ve seen recipes that use as little as 1 cup sugar or cut the vinegar with water. I don’t recommend reducing the vinegar for canning safety, but feel free to adjust sugar to taste once you've made the base recipe.
Texture tip: The salt soak is essential—not just for flavor, but for keeping the tomatoes from turning to mush during the long cook time. Don’t skip it.
Small batch option: A quarter batch (2.5 lbs tomatoes, ¾ lb onion) works beautifully and yields about 3 cups—great for testing the recipe or using up what’s left at the end of the season.

Altitude Adjustments

Water Bath Canning Times are as follows:

0 to 1,000 feet – 15 minutes
1,001 to 6,000 feet – 20 minutes
Above 6,000 feet – 25 minutes

Nutrition