Amish Chow Chow is a traditional homemade relish served as a side dish or chunky condiment at potlucks and community suppers, especially alongside hearty mains. It’s an excellent way to preserve surplus garden vegetables at the end of the season.
Amish Chow Chow delivers bright, tangy, and slightly sweet flavor in every bite. This relish combines firm, pickled vegetables—typically green tomatoes, cabbage, peppers, onions, cucumbers, carrots, and green beans—kept crisp by an overnight salt-water soak before being preserved in a vinegar-sugar brine. The result is a versatile condiment that complements rich or fatty dishes and brightens winter meals when fresh produce is scarce.
Types of Chow Chow (or Piccalilli)
Chow chow recipes vary across regions. The chunkier Amish style features cauliflower, carrots, green beans, and other vegetables in a sweet-tangy vinegar brine. Southern chow chow often focuses on cabbage and green tomatoes, New England piccalilli includes brown sugar and a richer spice blend, Canadian versions are simpler, and British piccalilli uses a mustard-forward brine.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
- Recipe Name: Amish Chow Chow
- Recipe Type: Relish / Canning
- Canning Method: Water bath canning
- Prep/Cook Time: Overnight soak, plus about 10 minutes active cooking
- Canning Time: 10 minutes (pints at 0–1,000 ft)
- Yield: 4 pints
- Jar Sizes: Quarter pint, half pint, pint
- Headspace: 1/2 inch
- Ingredients Overview: Mixed vegetables, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pickling spices
- Difficulty: Easy—mostly an overnight soak and simple cooking steps
Ingredients for Amish Chow Chow
To make a canner batch yielding about four pints, use the following basic ingredients. The vegetable mix is flexible—substitute any canning-safe veggies as you like.
- 1 cup green tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup cabbage, chopped
- 1 cup bell peppers, chopped
- 1 cup cucumber, chopped
- 1 cup yellow onions, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1 cup green beans, chopped
- 2 tsp celery seed
- 2 tsp mustard seed
For the salt-water soak:
- 2 quarts water
- ¼ cup salt
For the pickling brine:
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups white vinegar
Making Amish Chow Chow
1. Wash and chop the vegetables into small, bite-sized pieces. Place all vegetables except the carrots and green beans into a large bowl.
2. Dissolve the ¼ cup salt in 2 quarts of water to make the salt-water soak. Cover the chopped vegetables with the brine and refrigerate overnight. This step helps the vegetables stay firm and removes excess moisture.
3. The next day, drain and rinse the soaked vegetables thoroughly.
4. In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and cook the carrots and green beans for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
5. In a large pot, combine the sugar and vinegar and bring to a boil. Add the drained soaked vegetables, the cooked carrots and green beans, and the celery and mustard seeds (or other preferred spices).
6. Heat to a full boil, stirring occasionally, and boil for 2–3 minutes until everything is heated through.
If you prefer a quick refrigerator version, pack the hot relish into clean jars, allow to cool, and refrigerate. It will keep for a few weeks. For shelf-stable storage, proceed with water bath canning.
Canning Amish Chow Chow
1. Pack the hot chow chow into hot pint jars using a ladle, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Ensure vegetables remain submerged in the liquid.
2. Wipe jar rims clean, apply sanitized lids and screw on bands fingertip-tight.
3. Place jars in a water bath canner so jars are covered by at least 1 inch of water. Bring to a rolling boil and process pints according to altitude.
4. Remove jars carefully and let cool undisturbed at room temperature for 24 hours. Check seals—any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly. Properly sealed jars can be stored up to a year.
Altitude Adjustments
Increase processing time at higher elevations because water boils at lower temperatures:
- 0–1,000 ft: Pint jars 10 minutes; quart jars 15 minutes.
- 1,001–6,000 ft: Pint jars 15 minutes; quart jars 20 minutes.
- Above 6,001 ft: Pint jars 20 minutes; quart jars 25 minutes.
Serving Amish Chow Chow
Serve Amish Chow Chow as a tangy condiment alongside grilled meats, burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, or rich, slow-cooked dishes like pot roast and casseroles. Because it’s pickled and flavorful, a small spoonful goes a long way—use it to add brightness and texture to savory plates.
Recipe Summary
- Servings: Makes 4 pints
- Prep: Overnight soak (about 12 hours)
- Cook: 10 minutes active cooking
- Total time: About 12 hours 20 minutes (mostly soaking)
Notes
The vegetable mix is adaptable—swap in any canning-safe vegetables you prefer. Green (unripe) tomatoes are traditional and add essential texture and flavor, but feel free to tailor the recipe to what you have on hand. Nutrition values are approximate and will vary by ingredients.
