Chow-chow

Ingredients

Vegetables

• 1 kggreen tomatoes, chopped
• 700 gcabbage, chopped fine
• 500 gonions, chopped
• 300 ggreen peppers, chopped
• 200 gred peppers, chopped
• 2hot peppers, chopped, optional
• 60 gcoarse non-iodised salt

Syrup

• 700 mlcider vinegar
• 350 gsugar
• 2 tbspyellow mustard seed
• 1 tbspcelery seed
• 1 tbspground turmeric
• 1 tspground ginger
• 1 tspblack pepper

To serve

• pinto beans
• collard greens
• cornbread, hot dogs

Directions

1. Chop everything to a rough, even dice. Chow-chow is a relish and it should be chunky enough to spoon, not a purée — a food processor takes it to slush in seconds, so use a knife.
2. Toss the chopped vegetables with the salt in a large bowl or crock, cover, and leave overnight in a cool place.
3. Next morning tip everything into a colander and drain, pressing down firmly. Do not rinse unless it tastes genuinely too salty — most of the seasoning is in that liquid.
4. The overnight salt draw is what makes chow-chow keep. Undrained vegetables release their water into the jars over the following weeks and leave you with thin, watery relish.
5. Bring the vinegar, sugar and spices to a boil in a large pot.
6. Add the drained vegetables, bring back to a boil, then simmer gently for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the vegetables are tender and the liquid has thickened enough to just coat them.
7. Pack boiling hot into hot sterilised jars, leaving 1 cm of headspace, and seal.
8. Process the sealed jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes for shelf storage.
9. Leave two weeks before opening so the spices settle in. It keeps a year sealed.
10. Spoon it over pinto beans and greens, which is its home in Appalachia, or onto hot dogs and cornbread.

Technique

• Chop by hand, salt overnight, drain hard.
• Simmer only until the liquid coats. Overcooked chow-chow is mush.
• Two weeks before opening.

Substitutions

• Whatever the garden gives up at the end of the season — that is the whole point of the dish.
• Cauliflower and green beans, which are common in the Pennsylvania version.
• More hot peppers for a fiery jar.

Variations

• The sweet Pennsylvania Dutch chow-chow, which is closer to a pickle than a relish.
• Green tomato relish and piccalilli are its close relations.

History

A Southern and Appalachian end-of-garden preserve that turns the last unripe vegetables of autumn into winter condiment.

Frequently asked questions

What is Chow-chow?

Chow-chow is a fermented & pickled from United States: chopped green tomato, cabbage and pepper relish spooned over beans and greens. A Southern and Appalachian end-of-garden preserve that turns the last unripe vegetables of autumn into winter condiment.

How long does Chow-chow take to make?

Chow-chow takes 45 min plus 12 hours salting of preparation and 45 min of cooking. The recipe makes fills 5 × 500 ml jars. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Chow-chow?

Yes, within limits. Whatever the garden gives up at the end of the season — that is the whole point of the dish. Cauliflower and green beans, which are common in the Pennsylvania version. More hot peppers for a fiery jar.

What is the most important thing to get right in Chow-chow?

Next morning tip everything into a colander and drain, pressing down firmly. Do not rinse unless it tastes genuinely too salty — most of the seasoning is in that liquid.