Green Tomato Chow Chow

Keep away from tossing your inexperienced tomatoes into the compost by making this quick-pickled tomato relish as an alternative

I can’t let you know the very first thing in regards to the origins of chow chow. It’s in all probability finest described because the southern model of giardiniera. I do not know who invented it, nor do I bear in mind after I first tried it. It didn’t frequent the dinner tables of my childhood, and I actually didn’t suppose a lot about it till 5 years in the past after I found an outdated message board publish, dated September eighth, 1997.

The publish lived in an archived thread from the gardening discussion board of a now-defunct message board devoted to Clemson College athletics. It briefly described one poster’s resolution to a typical downside in southern gardens.

The poster described a inexperienced tomato chow chow that his grandmother made. I studied it for a minute, figuring that the feel of an unripe tomato wasn’t that far off from cucumber, okra, or the rest I’d pickled. The chow chow I see in grocery shops close to me is a cabbage and onion combination with sufficient pink bell pepper slices thrown in to provide it some colour on the shelf however not sufficient to make it style like peppers. I knew it wouldn’t be arduous to enhance upon the store-bought model.

I’m in Zone 7b in North Carolina and normally harvest my first cherry tomatoes round Father’s Day. By mid-August, it’s time to flip my beds and get the autumn/winter brassicas in. Most tomato varieties, particularly these within the cherry and grape household, are indeterminate. This implies they’ll continue to grow and producing tomatoes so long as climate circumstances enable. Because of this, each August, I’m left with kilos and kilos of inexperienced cherry tomatoes that gained’t have time to ripen on the vine and would in any other case go within the yard waste bin with the remainder of the tomato vines. So after studying that archived publish, I grabbed some cabbage and candy onions from the shop, harvested the inexperienced tomatoes and peppers from my backyard, and set to work making do-it-yourself inexperienced tomato chow chow.

What began as a last-ditch try and keep away from meals waste grew to become one thing I stay up for yearly. It’s gotten to the purpose the place I plan my backyard round maximizing the variety of inexperienced cherry tomatoes I’ve every August.

I’ll be sincere: it took me just a few tries to get the seasoning combine and the brine resolution proper. Additionally, don’t be shy about using a Slap Chop right here. All dwelling cooks ought to attempt to enhance their knife expertise, however making an attempt to get 5 kilos of cherry tomatoes diced to a uniform dimension isn’t the time or place to make that stand. They’re stiff and the small spherical form makes them wish to roll out from underneath the knife. You’ll make a mistake ultimately. Don’t be a hero.

This recipe will be scaled to suit any amount or number of inexperienced tomatoes that you’ve got available. Moreover, the feel is one thing you may change to your liking. All you need to do is alter the thickness of your cuts. As for makes use of, this could go on or in just about something the place you’d use a relish. In my home, the favourite software is on a sizzling canine with some yellow mustard.

This inexperienced tomato chow chow recipe makes use of the short pickling methodology. The jars will seal and hold within the fridge for at the least one yr, however they don’t seem to be shelf-stable. This recipe will fill one half-gallon Ball jar or eight half-pint Ball jars.

Inexperienced Tomato Chow Chow

Forestall backyard waste by turning inexperienced tomatoes right into a crisp relish

Course Facet Dish

Delicacies American, Southern

Key phrase Condiment, Pickling

Prep Time 20

Cook dinner Time 5

Whole Time 25

Servings

Energy 149kcal

Writer Will Newell

Components

½ head inexperienced cabbage finely chopped5 lbs inexperienced tomatoes2 pink bell peppers finely diced1 yellow onion finely diced1 tbsp celery seed1 tbsp mustard seed½ tbsp black peppercorns2 bay leaves4 cloves garlic smashed2 cups water2 cups cider vinegar1 cup brown sugar½ cup salt

Directions

Boil and sterilize your jar, lid, and ring. Set them apart to dry.

Chop all of the cabbage, inexperienced tomatoes, bell peppers, and onion. Pack them tightly into your jar, sprinkling within the mustard and celery seeds after the veggies are in.

In a medium saucepan, carry the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns to a boil. Boil the brine for two or 3 minutes, stirring sometimes.

Switch the brine from saucepan to one thing with a spout (pitcher, mixing bowl, and many others.).

Slowly pour the brine over the jarred veggies. Pour shortly whereas the brine remains to be virtually boiling.

Utilizing a skewer or different comparable device, poke down into the jar and launch all of the air bubbles.

Place the lid on the jar and tightly screw down the ring.

Place all the jar into your fridge. It would take fairly awhile to chill utterly. I all the time depart mine in a single day and test the subsequent morning to verify the lid has sealed. Retailer in fridge for as much as 12 months and revel in!