I’m honored to share Granny’s Chow Chow with you today! From time to time I send out a call for submissions to email subscribers so that they can share their heritage recipes and stories with us. I sent out one a few weeks back and got so many wonderful submissions! I can’t wait to share them all with you but plan on doing it bit by bit so we have time to enjoy each one. Today’s Guest Kitchen recipe and story is from Joyce Bacon and I know you’ll enjoy it as much as I have. Thank you so much Joyce and all who read this for being such a great part of the Southern Plate Family!
Gratefully,
Christy
My maternal grandmother (Granny) was born in Alabama, moved to Kentucky as a young bride, eventually ending up in Southern West Virginia where she raised her 8 children. My paternal grandmother died when I was only 2 so growing Granny was the only grandmother I had. I loved her dearly and loved to be around her. I liked to stay for days on end at her house. Grandpa was a preacher and I liked going to church with him (especially revivals) and liked hanging out with Granny in the kitchen. I liked her story about how chow-chow came to be.
She was born on a farm and always had a garden. No matter which coal town they moved to, Granny always had a little garden patch. At the end of the growing season as the weather began to turn cold, there were leftovers and stragglers on the vines and plants….usually a few green tomatoes, some under-developed peppers, so they all were gathered up and with the addition of some onions and cabbage, used to make Chow-Chow……nothing ever wasted! Some people called it “end of season relish”.
I would help her by crawling under the porch and pulling out the bushel baskets of jars, all dusty and covered with cobwebs. I would squirt them down with the garden hose before bringing them into the kitchen where they would be thoroughly scrubbed before being boiled and set upside down on clean towels to wait for the finished Chow-Chow. How I loved to eat the Chow-Chow with her delicious pinto beans and corn bread (all crunchy around the edges)
When I became an adult I learned that in some areas it is called piccalili. In the Pennsylvania Dutch areas near where I now live, chow chow is made with large “chunks” of vegetables including carrots, celery, and green beans. It’s okay but it’s not what I grew up with.
I still make Chow-Chow for my family and I use Granny’s old 2 gallon crock churn to salt it down overnight. When the Chow-Chow is finished, I use my paternal grandmother’s glass canning funnel to fill the jars. It always gives me a good feeling that I am continuing family traditions. Neither of my daughter’s have shown an interest in making Chow-Chow but I still have hope for my granddaughters.
Ingredients
- 12 medium onions 4 cups
- 1 medium head of cabbage 4 cups
- 10 green tomatoes 4 cups
- 12 green bell peppers
- 6 sweet red bell peppers
- ½ cup coarse salt
- 6 cups granulated sugar
- 2 T mustard seed
- 1 T celery seed
- 1 ½ tsp. turmeric
- 4 cups white vinegar
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Chop vegetables finely using food processor or grinder. Place chopped vegetables in porcelain or glass container; sprinkle with the salt; cover and let stand overnight.
- Place vegetables in large colander and rinse very well under cold running water. (divide into smaller batches if necessary)
- Drain thoroughly and place in large stockpot. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over chopped vegetables. Heat to boiling and then boil 4 minutes. Ladle into clean pint jars which have been sterilized in boiling water. Seal with sterilized lids according to manufacturers instructions. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
- Makes approx. 8 pints.
Nutrition
Everything that is past is either a learning experience to grow on,
a beautiful memory to reflect on, or a motivating factor to act upon.
– Denis Waitley. Submitted by Jenny. Submit your positive or motivational quote by clicking here.
Can I freeze the chow-Chow? Please!
Hi Jean, to be really honest, I don’t know. We have always canned ours. In theory, it should work but you are going to be flying solo here. I would LOVE to hear how it turns out if you try it though!
No I would not freeze the Chow Chow. The vegetables will break down and become a soppy mess. You can however CAN it. Many people do. It also has a good shelf life in the refrigerator.
Are the tomatoes chopped and soaked with the other veggies that are soaked overnight?
Can I divide this in two. I don’t need this much. Sounds amazing, would love to make it this weekend.
You sure can!
Help I did this but, it says 12. Onions (4 cups) well I only used about 6 onions. Green tomatoes it called for 10 but I only used about 5 to get 4 cups?
I used all 18 peppers but I made 15 pints. What did I do wrong
Thanks
Jack
Jack, I don’t think you did anything wrong. I always end up with more chow-chow than the recipes says because I use more cabbage than called for. It really depends on how big your peppers and onions are. The bigger they are, the more chopped veggies you’re going to be using. I made this recipe yesterday and ended up with about 6 quarts and 4 pints of chow-chow. Lucky me. Your chow-chow will still taste great.
Just made this chow chow. Let me say its amazing!!!!!!!!!We live in North Carolina and alot of the chow chow is hot (spicy) but we had a sweet one from SC and loved it .Thank you so much for sharing your grandmother’s chow chow recipe it will be come a family favorite here
It is a wonderful recipe, I am so glad you liked it too!!!
Made this last year it was a hit with everyone, this year I plan on canning a lot more because I ran out last year. It is also excellent with fish. I’m so glad to have found this recipe!
I am so glad you like it!! Have fun canning!!!
Thank you! Thank you! Just finished making your chow chow, and I was immediately transported back in time to my grandmother’s table! She always had a bowl of this deliciousness on the table – whether it was a humble meal of pinto beans and cornbread or a full-on Thanksgiving spread. Your recipe tastes just like I remember. Thanks you so much!
I am so glad it is as you remember!! I hope you enjoy it for meals to come as well as a walk down memory lane!!
I’m searching for a recipe my grandma made years ago. She layered chunks of cabbage, green tomatoes, onions, and peppers in a stone jar. She weighted a plate down on it and covered it with a pillowcase and let ferment then we ready packed in qt. jars. Anyone heard of this. Our family is Pennsylviana dutch.
I love your recipe and it matches so closely to my own Granny’s recipe here in Alabama! I do throw in a yellow and orange bell pepper just for color. Making the chow chow is like making her fruitcakes at Christmas (only I do NOT like fruitcake), but it connects me with her since she has long ago passed and I miss her so much!
Anyway, my question is…and I know it’s ridiculous, do I NEED to refrigerate the chow chow overnight or will it sit nicely in the 68-69 degree house kitchen? I never seem to have the room for my huge glass bowl in the fridge! LOL
Great chow chow. My aunt use to make it and I loved it. She is long gone along with her recipe but this is really close. So close that I put up 30 pints of it and now my friends and relatives have almost beat the door off the hinges to get to it. My aunt was also out of Kentucky. Love the chow chow and the story.
LOL, have to protect that chow chow. It can be a hot commodity 🙂
I’m confused. You said your granny died when you were only two. How at that age would you have thee wherewithal to haul
Out the jars (as if it were routine) clean them and carry them into the kitchen? Just wondering if I missed something.
This guest blogger’s paternal grandmother (from her dad’s side) died when she was 2 but she was saying her maternal grandmother was the only one that she knew.