For this recipe, you will need 8 sterilized pint jars.
For the chow chow:
4 cups onions, ground
4 cups cabbage, ground
4 cups green peppers, ground
4 cups green tomatoes, ground
2 cups red peppers, ground
1/2 cup salt
Hot peppers may be added if you like spicy (optional)
For the syrup:
5 1/2 cups sugar
4 cups cider vinegar
1 tablespoon celery seeds
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
Wash all the vegetables before using.
Put the onions, cabbage, green peppers, green tomatoes and red peppers through a food grinder.
In a large pot, mix ground vegetables; cover with the water, add salt. Let stand in refrigerator 4 to 12 hours.
Drain the vegetables thoroughly.
Add to the drained vegetables the syrup ingredients; sugar, cider vinegar, celery seeds, mustard seeds and turmeric.
Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Ladle hot relish into sterilized jars; leave 1/4-inch head space.
Process for 10 minutes in boiling water bath.
Wait three weeks before using.
At our house, chow chow has been a long-time condiment with a pot of pinto beans and also with just about any meat. You will not be sorry about the time you take to make it; the reward will be delicious!
Tips
Use fresh vegetables.
Sterilize the jars, lids, and rings in the dishwasher.
Homemade chow-chow relish is best when chilled before using.
If any of the jars do not seal after cooling, put them in the refrigerator to use right away.
Be careful when filling jars with the hot mixture; use a pot holder to hold the jar in place. And be cautious when removing them from the water bath.