Name: Chowchow
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 2 hours 40 minutes, plus overnight time
Yield: Makes about 2 quarts
Ingredients: 1 small green cabbage (about 2 lb.), chopped into ½" pieces (about 10 cups); 2 large green tomatoes, cut into ½" pieces; 1 large sweet onion, cut into ½" pieces; 1 large green bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, cut into ½" pieces; 1 large red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, cut into ½" pieces; 2 Tbsp. pickling salt or 3 Tbsp. kosher salt; 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard seeds; 1½ cups apple cider vinegar; 1½ cups distilled white vinegar; 2 cups cane sugar (such as Wholesome) or raw sugar; 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard; 1 tsp. ground turmeric; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Photo of chow chow in a jar and a bowl with a spoon.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton

Canning and preserving have long been an essential tactic of survival, and chowchow is a condiment born of both ingenuity and necessity. Here, green tomatoes not yet ripe enough to eat are transformed into a bright pickled expression of the first days of summer. It has been said that chowchow began as a collection of remnant produce that couldn’t be used in other dishes, so it became its own reclaimed relish. As you chop each vegetable, consider that origin: making the most from the least, creating abundance from scarcity. You can use four heatproof glass pint jars for this, though I prefer eight 8-ounce jars instead so I can share it around. Using pickling salt, such as Morton Canning & Pickling Salt, helps the liquid stay clear and keeps the cabbage from turning brown.

Recipe information

Total Time
2 hours 40 minutes, plus overnight time
Yield
Makes about 2 quarts

Ingredients

1 small green cabbage (about 2 lb.), chopped into ½" pieces (about 10 cups)

2 large green tomatoes, cut into ½" pieces

1 large sweet onion, cut into ½" pieces

1 large green bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, cut into ½" pieces

1 large red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, cut into ½" pieces

2 Tbsp. pickling salt or 3 Tbsp. kosher salt

1 Tbsp. yellow mustard seeds

1½ cups apple cider vinegar

1½ cups distilled white vinegar

2 cups cane sugar (such as Wholesome) or raw sugar

1 Tbsp. yellow mustard

1 tsp. ground turmeric

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Preparation

Step 1
Toss cabbage, green tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, and salt in a large bowl until all of the vegetables are coated in salt (this will help them release some water). Cover and chill at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours. Drain vegetables.
Step 2
Toast mustard seeds in a large pot over medium-high heat, shaking pan, until fragrant and slightly darkened in color, about 2 minutes. Add both vinegars, sugar, mustard, and turmeric. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes.
Step 3
Add garlic and drained vegetables to pickling liquid and mix well. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil; cook 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors have melded and liquid is slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. The cabbage and green tomatoes should still have a bit of a crunch. Let cool (this will take about 1 hour).
Step 4
Using a slotted spoon, divide chowchow among sterilized glass jars of choice and spoon pickling liquid over (chowchow should be submerged and there should be about ½" space at the top of each jar. Cover and chill.
Step 5
Do ahead: Chowchow can be made 1 month ahead. Keep chilled. If you’d like to keep it longer, you can use the water bath boiling technique to make the jarred chowchow shelf stable.