Growing up in Virginia, the success of a summer barbecue was almost entirely dependent on how full our refrigerator door was with various hot sauces, homemade dressings, marinades, and pickled curiosities. We’d munch on fresh cucumbers and onions while whipping up a vinegar-based barbecue feast—absolutely ravenous for sourness and tang.
Sure, we’d reach for the classics like ketchup and mustard once the meat was off the grill, but no cookout was truly complete without distinctly Southern combos like mustardy Carolina Gold sauce or Duke’s mayo on a toasted sweet potato roll. Last, but certainly not least, an unlabeled jar of relish to seal the deal—that would be homemade Chow Chow, a magic Southern relish that goes with just about everything.
What Is Chow Chow?
Resplendent in a clear glass jar packed to the brim with an assortment of colorful, chopped, and pickled veggies, Chow Chow is a versatile Southern condiment, but everything from its technique to how it’s served is part of a much bigger story.
“Chow Chow is a blended food shaped by global movement,” says creator Sonja Norwood, who highlights Lost Black American recipes as @wickdconfections. “European settlers brought… pickling. West and Central African food traditions brought knowledge of preserving vegetables and balancing rich foods with acidity. Through British Colonial trade, South Asian chutneys influenced how relishes were seasoned and served, and indigenous American agriculture shaped the crops themselves.”
Often associated with Appalachian cooking, Chow Chow became a fixture in kitchens across the South and beyond, shaped by the techniques and influence of subsistence farming and generations of Black farmers. These recipes, Norwood points out, were often recorded in church cookbooks and women’s auxiliary clubs.
Most recorded Chow Chow recipes contain summer vegetables, preserved and fermented after the first frost. But the buck doesn’t stop there—you can also find Chow Chow made with winter veggies like beets and cabbage.
How To Make Chow Chow
Credit: Allrecipes / Qi Ai
You can often find jarred, shelf-stable Chow Chow on shelves at gas stations, grocery stores, and roadside stands in the South, but you can also make it yourself. Thanks to the beauty of pickling, it lasts a long time in the refrigerator. Here’s how to make it:
Mix veggies and salt. Combine your chopped veggies (our recipe calls for green tomatoes, onions, and peppers) in a large stockpot with salt until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (This draws out water content and begins the process of preserving.) Drain the mixture.
Add vinegar, peppers, and spices. Add hot peppers, distilled white vinegar, and any spices you’d like. (It’s common to use warming spices like allspice, cinnamon, and clove, but you can also use any whole spices, such as peppercorns or whole coriander.)
Boil. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring often.
Pack into sterilized jars. Add the mixture of veggies and liquid to the sterilized jars, leaving about 1/4 inch of headspace. Run a sterile knife around the edges of the jar to remove air bubbles, wipe the rim with a wet paper towel, and fasten the lids tightly.
Sterilize the jars. Fill another large, clean stockpot halfway with water. Bring the water to a boil and carefully lower the jars in, using a holder, covering the jars by at least 1 inch of boiling water (adding more water as needed). Remove the jars from the stockpot and let them rest for 12 to 24 hours. Once cooled, press the center of each lid with a finger to ensure it doesn’t snap or move up and down. Store in a cool, dry place for up to a year, and refrigerate after opening. For more tips on this, see our guide for canning and preserving.
How To Eat Chow Chow
My grandma prefers Chow Chow that has a touch of sweetness, lightly spiced, and packed in a slightly sugary pickling syrup with corn and sweet peppers. She spoons it atop her soup beans and cornbread. I like a subtly spicy Chow Chow made with pickled green tomatoes and plenty of onions, which is more similar to the recipe above.
Swap Chow Chow for store-bought pickled relish on hot dogs, serve it as a topping over crispy chicken thighs, stir it into potato salad for an instant potluck winner, or even use it as a condiment with a buttery grilled cheese as a comfort meal. You’ll be surprised how it makes even the most standard meals unforgettable and mouth-wateringly good.
Praise From the Allrecipes Community
Allrecipes members love this recipe for its versatility. Not only are they making it successfully as written, but they are also swapping in different spices and vegetables. One reviewer, who had never had Chow Chow before, is eager to add it to everything from omelettes to sandwiches. See what else our community has to say:
“If you get your hands on a big batch of green tomatoes I’d definitely recommend to make this recipe, it’s purely delicious. I followed the directions and the chow chow came together beautifully. I tried it with some cornbread and the flavors just went along perfectly. The sweetness of cornbread and the tanginess of the chow chow is a winner. A crowd pleaser for sure.” —LovesCooking
“My family and friends really loved it. I’m going to be making this every year now” —LornaGoodlow
“Due to a really short growing season this year, I was left with a ton of green tomatoes. A friend mentioned they could be used in Chow Chow. So after finding this recipe I thought I would try it out… his is the first time I have made or eaten Chow Chow, and it has been a good experience. Both my husband and I think it is delicious! I can’t wait to start trying it as a relish, in omelettes, or maybe even in a grilled cheese sandwich. Thanks for helping me make use of my green tomatoes, and for the great recipe!” —Jo
“This is a great recipe for using all those green tomatoes and other veggies from your garden. It is similar to pickle relish, so it can be used on hot dogs, burgers, egg salad and anywhere you would use relish.” —Mary Lou
Read the original article on Allrecipes
Dining and Cooking