I need a good recipe for chow-chow

[Sickmont]

Anybody here from the Carolinas have a recipe for a good southern chow-chow? I used to eat it all the time when i lived in NC, but i can't find it anywhere here in Florida, so i'd like to make my own but don't have a clue as to how or where to start. Thanks all!

[LUCKYDOG]

A quick search brought me this one:
Best Ever Chow Chow
8 quarts green tomatoes
Salt to taste
2 quarts sweet green and red peppers
2 quarts onions, chopped
2 large cabbages
1/4 cup white mustard seed
2 Tablespoons allspice
2 Tablespoons celery seed
2 Tablespoons ground cloves
1 small box dry mustard
1 pound brown sugar
3 to 4 cups sugar
1 jar pimentos, chopped
1 small hot pepper, chopped
1/2 gallon vinegar
jars, lids, and rings

1. Cut tomatoes in halves. Sprinkle with salt. Place salted tomatoes in layers; let stand overnight.
2. Drain well. Grind tomatoes, sweet peppers, onions and cabbages coarsely (can do in food processer). Place in large kettle with remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and boil for 4 minutes.
4. Meanwhile prepare the Jars by cleaning and covering with boiling water. Bring to a boil, then keep hot until ready to fill.
5. Put in sterile jars and seal while still hot. Hand tighten lid.
6 . Process in hot water bath for 10 minutes to complete seal.


But what do I know Im a Northerner

[Sickmont]

Thanks, i'll give it a shot. I was hoping one of the southerners here might have a good home style recipe for this relish....you know, like one somebody's grandma passed down or something, as opposed to just googling it.

And just so you know, i'm from New Jersey, so i'm no expert either:lol:

[LUCKYDOG]

I kinda figured thats what you were after... Honestly without googling it I would not have known what it was.... there are a lot of them out there as well some with green tomatoes some without.. I threw that up if you were interested and to actually see if it may be what you have had before. What does one use it on?

[Sickmont]

When i lived in NC, we put it on just about everything....literally. But the only difference i can see with this one is the stuff my girlfriend's mother made was extremely hot....she put alot of habs and serranos in hers. I was jonesing for some to use on some brats the other day, so i figured i'd try here first

[chilehunter]

chow chow is damn good, I never tried it until last year, I was sold on the taste!
this year I made a couple batches :lol: kinda messed with the original recipe for what we wanted for the veggies. its different from what luckydog posted.
if you want I could post the recipes w/ finished product pics - cure time ya know so now they can be eaten :cool: I like to treat it like a pickle relish (burgers/hot dogs/etc..) because of the sweet taste.

[chilehunter]

actually I went off the Ball recipe (Ball canning) but didnt add tomatoes or cauliflowerets. the batches were about twice the size of what they give so kind of just going with the flow of things for the amount of stuff.
I added way more onions & alot of habs, plus shreaded carrots for color, 1 batch has corn in it.
its all a learning curve, I should of added even more habs to the 1st batch, havent tried the 2nd batch yet which has more habs in it.

canning cure time is of at least 6 weeks before opening.

pic of 1st batch

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w227/confusionfusion8/DSCF0007.jpg

[Sickmont]

Man...that stuff sure looks good...making me hungry again

[bubbaschili]

Thanks, i'll give it a shot. I was hoping one of the southerners here might have a good home style recipe for this relish....you know, like one somebody's grandma passed down or something, as opposed to just googling it.

And just so you know, i'm from New Jersey, so i'm no expert either:lol:


man this brings back bad memories on her death bed my grandma said "i want to tell you my secret ingredient to make the worlds best chow chow"
cough cough cough
grandma??
GRANDMA??
NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[staffing]

Can't eat soup beans without chow chow....truly an Appalachian delicacy.

[chilehunter]

awww shit I'll have to type the recipe out for ya. I looked to see if Ball had a simple website address but no! you'd think its ball.com or ballcanning.com - its homecanning.com :rolleyes: & they dont have the chow chow recipe online so I'll type it for ya.


- 1 quart chopped cabbage
- 3 cups cauliflowerets
- 2 cups chopped green tomatoes
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 2 cups chopped sweet green peppers
- 1 cup chopped sweet red peppers
- 3 tbsp salt (I used canning salt)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 tsp celery seed
- 2 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp mustard seed
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 2 1/2 cups vinegar


combine veggies
sprinkle w/salt & let stand for 4-6 hrs
drain/rinse/drain
combine sugar,spices,vinegar in large sauce pot
simmer 10 mins.
add veggies simmer 10 mins.
bring to a boil
the rest is about canning process


like I said this was the starting point for me & I changed some ingredients & total amount - which I dont even remember the amounts for what, just going with the flow of things when I made the stuff.

[Sickmont]

man this brings back bad memories on her death bed my grandma said "i want to tell you my secret ingredient to make the worlds best chow chow"
cough cough cough
grandma??
GRANDMA??
NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Good one:lol:

[LUCKYDOG]

I dont get it? Do you put it in a food processor/blender? How would you use it as a relish? Help this po' North'ner figure it out

[chilehunter]

most of the ingredients I cut up to get the consistent size but you could use a food processor. how would you use it as a relish ? mmmm well just throw it on the burger or braut & thats it ;) :lol:
what you see is the final product its not small chunks of relish like pickle relish.

[pharmerphil]

There are so many different types of chow chow, I'll check the old recipe book from the Illinois womens farm bureau...I know they have two or three