Nanas Chow Chow Recipe - Kelli's Kitchen (2024)

By Kelli and Holli 11 Comments

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This is my Nana’s Chow Chow Recipe. How long has it been since you have had Chow Chow? Do you know what it is? For those of you who do not, chow chow is a preparation added to food in order to enhance its flavor, like whatever you may put on your fries although I wouldn’t put chow chow on fries. Last week, as I was unpacking another box from the move I found some cookbooks and in one of those cookbooks I found an index card in my Nana’s handwriting with her beloved and until-now-lost chow chow recipe. Yay! It is sweet and spicy and perfect for the top of pinto beans or the bottom of a hot dog. Since Nana made it last, many things have changed and I use as many shortcuts as I can.

If you have a full garden, you go ahead and chop up all those garden-fresh items – you’ll need to chop and chop. You may do the same if you have access to a farmer’s market. But, if you are like me, only green bell peppers, onions and tomatoes are ripe in the farmer’s market right now. So, I took what I could get and bought the rest at the store. I purchased 2 bags of angel hair cabbage as well as all my red, orange and yellow bell peppers already cut up. It will save you tons of time! Check around your produce area – they are generally on a top shelf.

Nana’s Chow Chow

Here’s what you are going to need to get:

1 small cabbage, chopped
6 to 8 green or red tomatoes, chopped
6 medium bell peppers, chopped
6 large onions, chopped
2 hot peppers, chopped
3 cups sugar
5 cups white vinegar
1/4 cup salt or pickling salt.

1 teaspoon mustard seeds.

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
Ladle into pint jars and screw lids tightly on top. Place in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool on a towel that is in a place in your home that is draft free. Makes 8 to 9 pints.

Now you can give some to your friends and keep some to add to dishes where you want that little extra kick! Before you know it – people will be begging you for more!

Nana's Chow Chow

Ingredients

  • 1small cabbagechopped
  • 6 to 8green or red tomatoeschopped
  • 6medium bell pepperschopped
  • 6large onionschopped
  • 2hot pepperschopped
  • 3cupssugar
  • 5cupswhite vinegar
  • 1/4cupsalt or pickling salt.
  • 1teaspoonmustard seeds.

Instructions

  1. Put all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

  2. Ladle into pint jars and screw lids tightly on top. Place in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool on a towel that is in a place in your home that is draft free. Makes 8 to 9 pints.

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Comments

  1. Nanas Chow Chow Recipe - Kelli's Kitchen (4)Terri C

    I’ve made my grandma’s chow chow too. Thanks for the great memories! Yours looks delicious!

    Reply

    • Nanas Chow Chow Recipe - Kelli's Kitchen (5)Kelli

      Thank you Terri!!

      Reply

    • Nanas Chow Chow Recipe - Kelli's Kitchen (6)Karen

      I love chow chow on a pulled pork sandwich! Can’t wait to make my own!!!

      Reply

  2. Nanas Chow Chow Recipe - Kelli's Kitchen (7)Sarah

    Looks and smells good. I’ve never been brave enough to try chow chow. I added extra jalapeños to give it more kick. I just have one thing “bad” to say about your recipe. You don’t tell how much headspace.

    Reply

    • Nanas Chow Chow Recipe - Kelli's Kitchen (8)Kelli and Holli

      Sorry about that! 1/4 inch headspace is the correct amount. Too much or too little headspace can cause problems with the seal. Thanks for asking — Kelli

      Reply

  3. Nanas Chow Chow Recipe - Kelli's Kitchen (9)Patsy

    I’d like to make childcare for my son but he’s allergic to the green tomatoes so can I just do cabbage instead of the green tomatoes

    Reply

    • Nanas Chow Chow Recipe - Kelli's Kitchen (10)Kelli and Holli

      That’s a great idea! Yes!

      Reply

    • Nanas Chow Chow Recipe - Kelli's Kitchen (11)Granny Jean

      Nanas Chow Chow Recipe - Kelli's Kitchen (12)
      I have made chow chow with ripe tomatoes. Just cut off the top of the tomato and then squeeze out as much liquid and seeds you can. Will keep the chow chow from being too runny.

      Reply

  4. Nanas Chow Chow Recipe - Kelli's Kitchen (13)Derick

    Nanas Chow Chow Recipe - Kelli's Kitchen (14)
    My Aunt made Chow Chow often I remember loving it so much. I was a foodie before that was even a thing. She always had a stockpile of ingredients for any eventuality. I and my Cousin often made cheese dips and the like.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. […] Add Nana’s Chow Chow for a real zing! […]

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  2. […] are you doing this fine Sunday? I am making more of the Chow Chow I made a few weeks ago and my daughter asked me to make a salsa recipe for canning. Something I […]

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Nanas Chow Chow Recipe - Kelli's Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

What is Amish chow chow made of? ›

Amish Wedding's 32 oz Southern Mild Chow-Chow is a delicious combination of cabbage, onions, water, vinegar, a variety of peppers, cayenne pepper, and spices.

What is North Carolina chow chow? ›

Chowchow is as Southern as buttermilk, and one of the South's most important relishes. Chowchow is a pickled relish dish that was used to preserve summer vegetables for later in the year.

What is house made chow chow? ›

Some chow chow recipes consist primarily of chopped green tomatoes, cabbage, onion, and peppers while others can contain carrots, beans, cauliflower, or peas. Regardless of which ones you choose, the ingredients are all pickled in a canning jar and served cold as a condiment.

What is in Tennessee Chow Chow? ›

SugarPlum Foods' Tennessee Chow-Chow is produced in Nashville, Tennessee with tomatoes, onions, cabbage, bell peppers, vinegar, sugar, spices, salt, and turmeric.

What is the difference between Chow Chow and piccalilli? ›

Chow chow and piccalilli are often mistaken for each other, yet although similar, they are slightly different. Picalilli relish simply has more vegetables in it than chow chow relish—that's the main difference between these two relishes.

What is Southern chow chow made of? ›

Chow Chow is big in the South. many folks think of it as using up the last of the season's vegetables before the harvest goes bad. Peppers, green tomatoes, onions, peppers, and spices make the base of Chow Chow.

What is chow chow from cracker barrel? ›

Chow chow relish

Traditionally, this sweet, pickled relish was made at the end of the harvest, to preserve the vegetables that wouldn't be eaten fresh.

What is special about chow chow? ›

The Chow Chow is an extremely loyal, very independent and highly intelligent breed. They have a low-maintenance personality that means they can often demand little in the way of attention or affection. In fact, they can be quite aloof at times.

What is unique about chow chow? ›

Chows are powerful, compactly built dogs standing as high as 20 inches at the shoulder. Their distinctive traits include a lion's-mane ruff around the head and shoulders; a blue-black tongue; deep-set almond eyes that add to a scowling, snobbish expression; and a stiff-legged gait.

What is chow chow in southern cooking? ›

Simply put, chow chow is a relish made using late summer produce. Green tomatoes were the inspiration for this chow chow, so they are the centerpiece of the recipe. The flavor definitely skews on the side of tangy versus sweet in order to keep that fresh garden taste.

How was chow chow made? ›

An early 20th-century American recipe for chow chow was made with cucumbers, onions, cauliflower and green peppers left overnight in brine, boiled in (cider) vinegar with whole mustard seed and celery seeds, then mashed into a paste with mustard, flour and turmeric.

Is Chow Chow a Southern thing? ›

Chow chow is a pickled relish condiment made from a variety of vegetables. Its origins are traced back to the South as a way to use up ingredients in the pantry. There's no traditional chow chow recipe and it can vary from region to region, but the main ingredient is typically green cabbage.

Why is Chow Chow expensive? ›

Chow Chows are special dogs that a lot of people want, both in the UK and the US. They have a big fluffy mane, almond-shaped eyes, and a proud way of acting that people love. When lots of people want something that there isn't a lot of, the price goes up.

What is Southern mild chow chow? ›

Renfro's Mild Chow Chow, at a mild heat level, is a southern-style cabbage relish. Made in Fort Worth, Texas. Cabbage, Water, Distilled Vinegar, Sugar, Onions, Sweet Red Peppers, Salt, Spices, Guar Gum, Dextrose, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Turmeric, Alum, & Artificial Colors FD&C Yellow No. 5, Blue No. 1 & Red No.

What does Chow Chow taste like? ›

Simply put, chow chow is a relish made using late summer produce. Green tomatoes were the inspiration for this chow chow, so they are the centerpiece of the recipe. The flavor definitely skews on the side of tangy versus sweet in order to keep that fresh garden taste.

How do you know if Chow Chow is purebred? ›

  • A purebred Chow Chow's tongue will always be bluish-black.
  • ts hind legs are almost straight, making its walk look a bit stiff.
  • Their coat emits a light smell which does not mean they smell bad; they just have a slightly distinct smell.

Is A Chow Chow A Purebred? ›

Chow Chows are bred to be strong, loyal and they are often described as independent. Sadly, as with many purebred dogs, Chow Chows are prone to certain health conditions due to how they've been bred to look.

How is Chow Chow dog made? ›

A research study has concluded that the Chow Chow dog breed originated from other indigenous dogs in central China about 8,300 years ago. The ancient breed evolved and manifests both morphological and physiological features for example; the black / purple tongue, coat of fur, and a stronger build.

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