Chow-Chow Recipe – Eats Now

Name: Chow-Chow
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 gallons finely chopped green tomatoes (I threw in some red ones, too); 7 bell peppers (3 green, 2 red, 2 yellow); 1 head cabbage; 1 head cauliflower; 1 bunch celery (use the whole thing, including heart with leaves, just trim off a little of the root end); 6 large yellow onions (maybe 8 or 9 medium ones?); 2 1/2 quarts cider vinegar; 2 cups white sugar; 1 cup brown sugar; 8 fresh hot peppers (serrano, cayenne, jalapeno or Tabasco); 1 1/4 cups canning & pickling salt; 1 (4 ounce) jar prepared horseradish; 8 large heads of garlic, separated & peeled; 4 tablespoons turmeric; 3 tablespoons ground mustard; 3 tablespoons ground allspice; 3 tablespoons ground cloves; 4 teaspoons ground ginger

Servings: persons

2 gallons finely chopped green tomatoes (I threw in some red ones, too)
7 bell peppers (3 green, 2 red, 2 yellow)
1 head cabbage
1 head cauliflower
1 bunch celery (use the whole thing, including heart with leaves, just trim off a little of the root end)
6 large yellow onions (maybe 8 or 9 medium ones?)
2 1/2 quarts cider vinegar
2 cups white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
8 fresh hot peppers (serrano, cayenne, jalapeno or Tabasco)
1 1/4 cups canning & pickling salt
1 (4 ounce) jar prepared horseradish
8 large heads of garlic, separated & peeled
4 tablespoons turmeric
3 tablespoons ground mustard
3 tablespoons ground allspice
3 tablespoons ground cloves
4 teaspoons ground ginger

1
Add 1 cup of the salt to the chopped tomatoes in a very large plastic or glass bowl (must be non-reactive, not metal). Mix well & let stand overnight. This might be a good time to clean the remaining vegetables. Thoroughly wash them, removing cores and seeds from peppers, leaves & core from cauliflower and any other undesirable parts. Then thoroughly drain the water off them and store them covered in the fridge until ready to use.
2
Next day: drain the tomatoes and place in a large, non-reactive stock-pot but don't turn on the heat yet. (The only one I could think of was the kind coated with enamel, so I went out an got a huge one).
3
Either get out your food processor, or a nice big sharp chef's knife because you need to FINELY chop the remaining vegetables (bell peppers, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, onions, hot peppers, garlic). Add all to to the stock pot with the tomatoes.
4
Add vinegar, remaining 1/4 cup salt, horseradish, spices.
5
Slowly bring to a boil, and simmer about 10 minutes or until onions are getting tender.
6
Pack into freshly cleaned & hot canning jars leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch headspace (depending on jar size) place lids on and screw the rings on.
7
Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes by submerging over the tops in a deep pot of hot (almost boiling) water on the stove for 15 minutes. Remove from the pot and let cool and seal.
8
My personal critique:
9
I like more onions, like say, double this amount. I'd also just as soon use 2 heads of cabbage as 1 cabbage & 1 cauliflower but that's just me. The cider vinegar could just as easily be white vinegar, and the sugar could also be all brown or all white. Obviously any changes would make a difference in flavor but not enough for me to care. And the spices, I thought some were overdone, mainly the turmeric, allspice and cloves. If I did it again I'd choose to still add them but reduce their amounts to 1/2. Conversely, I think there could be more ginger & ground mustard -- maybe double them? (Read next year's critique.) And lastly, I think we should have added ground black pepper. Many of the recipes called for it, and frankly I think we just forgot. Seems like the recipes call for about 1 tablespoon per gallon of chopped veggies. See you next year!

1203

kcal

Calories

Fat

280

Carbs

Protein

Fat Carbs Protein

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.

Tips for the best results

Read through all the steps once before you start and measure out your ingredients first — it makes everything go more smoothly.
Taste as you go and adjust the seasoning before serving.
Avoid overcrowding the pan — cook in batches if needed for the best texture.
Let the dish rest for a few minutes before serving so the flavors settle.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within a few days.

Variations & substitutions

Brown sugar instead of white sugar adds a deeper, more caramel-like flavor.

No specific allergen information. Please check the ingredient list for possible allergens.

My Personal Notes

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How did you like this recipe?

This recipe makes 4 servings. You can adjust the portion size directly on this page.

You need 18 ingredients. The key ingredients include: 2 gallons finely chopped green tomatoes (I threw in some red ones, too), 7 bell peppers (3 green, 2 red, 2 yellow), 1 head cabbage, 1 head cauliflower, and more.

Yes, Chow-Chow falls under the General category and is a great choice for this type of meal.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently before serving.

That's it — enjoy your meal!

Chow-Chow

Tips for the best results

Variations & substitutions

My Personal Notes

How did you like this recipe?

Frequently Asked Questions