Chow-Chow Relish

Chow-chow is the South’s favorite garden-end relish, the recipe Appalachian and Southern home cooks reach for when the late-summer garden is putting out more green tomatoes, cabbage, and cauliflower than anyone knows what to do with. Salt-soaked overnight, then simmered in a sweet-sour vinegar brine spiked with mustard, turmeric, and celery seed, it pairs with everything from pinto beans to barbecue.

The 4 to 6 hour salt cure is the difference between a crisp relish and a soggy one. Salt pulls excess water out of the vegetables and concentrates their flavor, so when they hit the brine they stay snappy instead of going limp. Drain well before they meet the vinegar.

Turmeric is what gives chow-chow its signature mustard-yellow color. A teaspoon goes a long way, and combined with dry mustard and mustard seed, it builds that distinctively pickle-counter flavor everyone recognizes the moment they taste it.

This is a classic water-bath canning recipe and processes in just 10 minutes once the jars are filled. Properly sealed, the relish keeps in a cool, dark pantry for up to a year and gets better as it sits, the flavors melding for the first month before settling.

Pro Tips

• Use canning or pickling salt, not iodized table salt. Iodine can darken the vegetables and turn the brine cloudy.
• Chop the vegetables to roughly the same size, about ¼ inch dice. Uniform pieces pack better into jars and pickle evenly.
• Sterilize jars and lids in boiling water before filling. Skipping this step is how home-canned goods fail seal-checks later.
• Wipe jar rims with a clean damp cloth before sealing. Even one stray seed under the lid can prevent a proper seal.

Variations

• Add 1 fresh red chile or 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a spicier Tennessee-style chow-chow.
• Sub in 2 cups of corn kernels for half the cauliflower for a sweeter, more golden relish.
• Replace half the white vinegar with apple cider vinegar for a deeper, fruitier brine.