Chow-Chow, the Relish in Jars
A sweet-sour and spicy relish of chopped vegetables (cabbage, onion, bell pepper, green tomato) steeped in spiced vinegar, then jarred. A spoonful is served on greens, peas, or fish.
A sweet-sour and spicy relish of chopped vegetables (cabbage, onion, bell pepper, green tomato) steeped in spiced vinegar, then jarred. A spoonful is served on greens, peas, or fish.
Learn this wisdom of the jars passed down to me by the women of my family. When the garden yielded its last vegetables before winter, nothing was left to waste: they chopped them fine, packed them in vinegar spiced with seasonings, and lined the pots on the shelf like a store of flavor for lean days. A spoonful of this chow-chow was enough to brighten the humblest plate. Frugality, you see, was never a privation to me, but a form of uprightness.
- •Cabbage — half a head (crunchy base)
- •Green tomatoes (unripe) — a few (acidity)
- •Onions — two (base)
- •Bell peppers — two (color and sweetness)
- •Vinegar, salt, mustard seeds, spices — by feel (spiced brine)
Chow-Chow, the Relish in Jars
A sweet-sour and spicy relish of chopped vegetables (cabbage, onion, bell pepper, green tomato) steeped in spiced vinegar, then jarred. A spoonful is served on greens, peas, or fish.
Why this dish? The file emphasizes Randolph's sobriety and his rejection of excess. Chow-chow embodies this frugal ethic of Black Southern households: the last garden vegetables are jarred to last the winter, and a spoonful of this vinegary relish enlivens the humble plates of greens and beans he loved.
Learn this wisdom of the jars passed down to me by the women of my family. When the garden yielded its last vegetables before winter, nothing was left to waste: they chopped them fine, packed them in vinegar spiced with seasonings, and lined the pots on the shelf like a store of flavor for lean days. A spoonful of this chow-chow was enough to brighten the humblest plate. Frugality, you see, was never a privation to me, but a form of uprightness.
Ingredients (period version)
- Cabbage — half a head (crunchy base)
- Green tomatoes (unripe) — a few (acidity)
- Onions — two (base)
- Bell peppers — two (color and sweetness)
- Vinegar, salt, mustard seeds, spices — by feel (spiced brine)
Ingredients
- Finely shredded white cabbage — 400 g (crunchy base)
- Diced green tomatoes — 200 g (vegetable acidity)
- Chopped onion — 2 (aromatic base)
- Diced green and red bell pepper — 2 (color)
- Apple cider vinegar — 400 ml (preservation)
- Brown sugar — 100 g (sweet-sour balance)
- Mustard seeds, turmeric, celery seeds, salt — 1 tbsp total (spices)
Method
- Finely chop all vegetables, salt generously, and let sit 2–3 hours to draw out moisture; then rinse and drain well.
- Bring vinegar, sugar, and spices to a simmer.
- Add drained vegetables and simmer 10–15 minutes: they should remain slightly crunchy.
- Fill sterilized hot jars, seal immediately, and invert to create a vacuum.
- Let mature at least one week in a cool place before eating; keeps several months refrigerated once opened.
How it was made : Chow-chow is a typical Southern relish, present in both Black and white kitchens, born from the need to preserve end-of-season vegetables. Every family had its own recipe; it was served on black-eyed peas, greens, and fried fish.
The contemporary twist : Presented in a small gift jar with a handwritten label, artisanal grocery style, to offer alongside a plate of greens.
Sources : Adrian Miller, Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine (2013) · Toni Tipton-Martin, The Jemima Code: Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks (2015)
A. Philip Randolph · Charactorium