Elizabeth's Green Tomato Chow Chow

Transform your harvest’s bounty into a tangy, sweet, and savory masterpiece with Elizabeth’s Green Tomato Chow Chow—a classic Southern relish bursting with flavor. This vibrant condiment combines green tomatoes, crisp bell peppers, and sweet onions, all delicately seasoned with aromatic mustard seeds, celery seeds, turmeric, and a touch of heat from crushed red pepper flakes. The vegetables are brined to perfection, then simmered in a zesty vinegar and sugar pickling liquid, creating a harmonious balance of bold flavors. Perfectly versatile, this chow chow can be canned for year-round enjoyment or served fresh as a flavorful topping for hot dogs, burgers, grilled meats, or even as a tangy accompaniment to beans and cornbread. Ready in just a few simple steps, it’s the ultimate way to preserve and savor the season’s green tomatoes.

Nutriscore Rating: 71/100

Prep Time:40 mins

Cook Time:60 mins

Total Time:100 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 4 pounds Green tomatoes
• 2 medium Yellow onions
• 2 medium Green bell peppers
• 1 medium Red bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons Kosher salt
• 2 cups White vinegar
• 1.5 cups Granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons Mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon Celery seeds
• 1 teaspoon Ground turmeric
• 0.5 teaspoon Crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

Step 1

Wash the green tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers thoroughly. Dice all the vegetables into small, uniform pieces.

Step 2

In a large bowl, combine the diced vegetables with the kosher salt. Toss well, cover, and let sit at room temperature for 4-6 hours, or overnight, to draw out moisture.

Step 3

After the resting period, drain the vegetables thoroughly and rinse them to remove excess salt. Let them sit in a colander to drain completely while preparing the pickling liquid.

Step 4

In a large, non-reactive pot, combine the white vinegar, granulated sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, ground turmeric, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.

Step 5

Add the drained vegetable mixture to the pot and stir to ensure the vegetables are evenly coated with the pickling liquid.

Step 6

Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened slightly and the mixture has thickened.

Step 7

While the chow chow is cooking, sterilize jars and lids if planning to can the relish. Follow proper canning procedures for safety.

Step 8

Once cooked, carefully ladle the hot chow chow into sterilized jars, leaving about 1/2-inch of headspace. Seal the jars tightly and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, if canning for long-term storage.

Step 9

Allow the chow chow to cool completely. If not canning, refrigerate the chow chow in airtight containers and use within 2-3 weeks.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(3204.5g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	1952.2

Total Fat 13.2g	0%
Saturated Fat 1.4g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 3870.2mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 445.3g	0%
Dietary Fiber 36.4g	0%
Total Sugars 391.5g
Protein 34.4g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 548.9mg	0%
Iron 17.6mg	0%
Potassium 5426.9mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 5.8%

Protein: 6.8%

Carbs: 87.4%