Southern Chow Chow Relish

5 from 6 votes

Southern chow chow is an old-fashioned green tomato relish, chopped fine and packed in a sweet mustard brine. It's the classic topping for hot dogs, burgers, and a bowl of beans with cornbread.

Prep Time2

Cook Time10

Additional Time10

Total Time2 20

Course: Relish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chow Chow, chow chow recipe for canning, chow chow relish, Green Tomato, green tomato relish, southern chow chow

Servings: Servings, Three Pint Jars

Author: Ashley Adamant

Equipment

Ingredients

Vegetables (Day 1)

4 cups green tomatoes chopped fine
4 cups green cabbage chopped fine
2 cups bell peppers green and red, chopped fine
1 cup onion chopped fine
1/4 cup pickling salt
Water enough to cover the vegetables

Brine (Day 2)

2 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar 5% acidity
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp dry mustard
2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp ground allspice

Instructions

Day 1

Chop the green tomatoes, cabbage, bell peppers and onion into fine, even pieces, about 1/4 inch. A food processor works well, but pulse it rather than letting it run.
Mix the salt through the chopped vegetables in a large non-reactive bowl and add cold water to cover them by 1 inch. Set a plate on top to weigh the vegetables down, cover, and let stand somewhere cool for 8 to 18 hours.

Day 2

Prepare a water bath canner, jars and lids.
Working in batches, drain the vegetables and rinse them well. Drain again and squeeze out the excess liquid, then set aside in the colander to keep draining.
Combine the sugar and spices in a large pot and gradually whisk in the vinegar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves.
Increase the heat, add the drained vegetables and return to a boil, then reduce the heat and boil gently, stirring often, for about 45 minutes, until the vegetables are translucent and the mixture is slightly thickened.
Pack the hot relish into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, adjust the headspace, wipe the rims and cap with two-part canning lids.
Process half pints and pints in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude (see notes).
Turn off the heat and let the jars stand 5 minutes, then cool them undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours before checking seals.

Notes

Yield: Makes about 3 pints, or 6 half pints. The 45 minute simmer cooks the vegetables down by more than half, which is where that yield comes from, so don't cut it short. Quarter pints process for the same time as half pints.

Jar sizes: Quarter pints, half pints and pints only. There's no tested process time for chow chow in quart jars.

Recipe source: Adapted from The Complete Book of Pickling, a close cousin to the Ball Blue Book chow chow relish. Acid ratio and process time fall within NCHFP guidelines for relishes.

Vinegar: The vinegar is the safety control, so don't reduce it and don't use anything under 5 percent acidity. Sugar and spices are flavor and can be adjusted to taste.

Vegetable swaps: Swap within the same vegetable type, hot peppers for sweet or red cabbage for green, keeping that vegetable's total volume the same. Don't trade across types, don't add vegetables on top of the recipe, and don't cut the vinegar to make room for extras.

Salt soak: The overnight soak pulls water out so the relish isn't soggy. It isn't there to season, and the salt rinses back off in the morning.

Green tomatoes: Use firm, fully unripe tomatoes, and don't peel them. Green tomatoes are almost never peeled in canning.

Wait to open: Give the jars two weeks before opening so the flavors come together.

Altitude adjustments: Processing times for half pints and pints in a water bath canner.

0 to 1,000 feet: 10 minutes
1,001 to 6,000 feet: 15 minutes
Above 6,000 feet: 20 minutes

Storage: Sealed jars keep their quality about a year in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate after opening. Any jar that doesn't seal keeps a couple of months in the refrigerator.

Nutrition