Chow Chow relish – water bath canning


Chow Chow Relish



Washing the days harvest

While it may be the end of summer for some, I am not going down without a fight. My garden is still giving me lots of veggies; it even has finally snapped out of it and we have fresh garden tomatoes. I have made a ridiculous amount of kosher dill pickles. My zucchini plants did not do well this year, maybe a dozen in total and only two of the were the HUGE ones.  I gave my Dad one so he could make his lasagna he loves. My daughter used up the other one and made something new to us but a keeper.


sterilizing the jars in my dishwasher


cut off the ends and toss, then slice as you want them, I do way more chunks then spears



Heating up the water while I prepare the cucumbers and the pickling spices

Last week I mentioned that I was going to share a recipe that my daughter made a couple of weeks ago with the super large zucchini and some other garden goodies. While I don’t have any pictures of her ingredients and process but I did teach her how to can some of her chow chow relish.
I did take pictures of the last canning I did with the cucumbers so I will share those photos with you. Canning using the water bath method is actually pretty easy and you can use this method with quite a few ingredients though not everything you grow or make with the veggies.


about to go into the boiling water

Here is how the recipe described what chow chow is. It is finely minced pickled-vegetable relish that walks the line between tangy and sweet in each zippy bite. For gardeners faced with the daunting task of tackling a late-summer squash surplus, chow chow can quickly become a lifesaver. Looks like I will be buying more mason jars for next years harvest.


covered with boiling water for 15 minutes


Chow Chow Relish
great on hot dogs and burgers
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  1. 2/3 pound tomatillos, minced (about 2 cups)
  2. 11/2 pounds squash, minced (about 4 cups)
  3. 1 pound red onions, minced (about 3 cups)
  4. 1/2 head cauliflower, minced (about 1 cup)
  5. 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
  6. 1/4 cup kosher salt
  7. 1/4 cup spice blend (recipe to follow)
  8. 11/2 cups apple cider vinegar
  9. 11/2 cups raw sugar
  1. Placed minced vegetables in a colander over the sink or a large bowl and toss with the salt. Mixing until well combined. Let the vegetables rest overnight, allowing excess water to drain off. Rinse the vegetables thoroughly and gently removing the excess salt. Pat dry.
  2. Place the spice blend in a square of cheesecloth and secure with a piece of string to make a small pouch. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, combine the vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil. Add the vegetables and spice bag.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the vegetables become tender and start to form a slurry, about 40 minutes.
  4. Remove the spicebag and ladle the chow chow into airtight glass jars. Filling each jar about three-quarters full. Chow chow will keep refrigerated for up to a week. To keep longer using the water bath method and store up to 18 months or longer if kept in a cool, dry place.
  1. Spice Blend
  2. 1 cinnamon stick, halved
  3. 3 bay leaves, torn
  4. 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
  5. 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
  6. 1 teaspoon whole juniper berries
  7. 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
  8. 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  9. 1 teaspoon dill seeds
  10. Place all the ingredients in a lidded jar and shake to combine
Adapted from Summer Squash by Sarah Baird short stack vol 15
Adapted from Summer Squash by Sarah Baird short stack vol 15
Cooking at Clark Towers

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