Chow Chow Relish: What it is and How to Make it Southern Style

Chow Chow relish is a multi-ingredient relish that makes good use of those end-of-season leftover or orphaned vegetables from the home garden. A home canned jar of chow chow relish is a vegetable staple on a southern dining table whenever pinto beans and cornbread are served. Providing a mixture of sweet, hot and spicy flavor, plus a serving of crunchy vegetables, to an otherwise bland meal.

Near the end of the home garden season, vegetable production slows down and southern gardener's were left with what we call 'orphan vegetables'. One of this and one of that, not enough of any one vegetable to use as a side dish for a meal. However, combining those orphan vegetables and canning them provided, and still provides, a way for the frugal home gardener to utilize every last garden vegetable.

Of course you can make chow chow relish with the first vegetables your garden produces and not wait till the end of the garden season, I was just giving a very brief history of chow chow relish.

To make chow chow relish southern style, you will need:

1 quart of chopped cabbage (1 small head of cabbage)

3 cups of chopped cauliflower (1 medium head)

2 cups chopped green tomatoes

2 cups chopped onions

2 cups chopped sweet green bell peppers

1 cup chopped sweet red bell peppers

3 tablespoons of salt

1 1/2 cups of sugar

2 teaspoons of celery seed

1 teaspoon of mustard seed

2 teaspoons of dry mustard

1 teaspoon of turmeric

1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger

2 1/2 cups of white vinegar

Mix all the chopped vegetables in a large bowl and sprinkle the salt over them. Let stand, uncovered, for 4-6 hours in a cool place. At the end of the standing time, drain the vegetables well.

Mix vinegar, sugar and spices in a large pot and simmer on the stove for 10 minutes.

Add drained vegetables and continue to simmer for 10 more minutes until pot begins to boil.

Pack the chow chow mix while it's boiling into hot, pint canning jars. Leave 1/4 inch head space in each pint jar. Wipe the mouth of the canning jar clean, place canning lids on the jars and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath canner. This chow chow relish recipe makes 4 pints.

You can always adjust the recipe for larger batches and tinker with the vegetable ingredients to suit your own personal taste. Some of my gardening friends add their orphaned red tomatoes to their chow chow relish mix, or a few pods of okra or whatever other orphaned garden vegetables they may have on hand.