Old-Fashioned Lumbee Chow-Chow Relish: With a Modern Twist

Anastasia Oxendine
Jun 10
3 min read

Author: Anastasia N. Oxendine

If you peek into the pantry of any traditional southeastern North Carolina homestead, past the pressure-canned green beans and the rows of sweet jams, you are almost guaranteed to find a few jars filled with a bright, beautiful golden-flecked mixture.

I’m talking about Old-Fashioned Lumbee Chow-Chow Relish.

Chow-chow is the absolute king of Southern condiments. It’s sweet, it’s tangy, it has a tiny bit of a vinegar bite, and it packs an incredible crunch. If you grew up around here, you know it is the ultimate companion spooned generously right on top of.a plate of collards and fat back with a fresh cake of fried cornbread.

The Science of a Good Crunch: The "Soil to Shelf" Secret

As a science educator, I love chow-chow because it is a masterclass in food preservation and texture chemistry.

Historically, chow-chow was born out of pure resourcefulness. At the end of the summer gardening season, families would find themselves with a handful of remaining green tomatoes, a couple of late-season cabbage heads, a few sweet onions, and some stray bell peppers. None of it was enough to preserve as a massive single batch of one vegetable—but chopped up together? It became a legendary heritage relish.

But how do we keep all those diverse vegetables perfectly crisp after they’ve been sitting in a warm water bath canner? It all comes down to osmosis.

The Overnight Salt Bath: The absolute most critical step in making chow-chow is tossing your chopped vegetables in canning salt and letting them sit overnight. This is the modern twist I was referring to. Most traditional recipes brine in a saltwater bath for an hour or two. Overnight brining gives the salt time to draw out the excess moisture more efficiently.
Drawing Out the Excess Moisture: Chemically, salt draws the excess water out of the plant cells. If you skip this step, all that water will leak out into your vinegar brine during canning, making your relish watery and your vegetables mushy. By pulling the water out first and rinsing them well, the vegetable cells stay firm, dense, and beautifully crunchy even months down the road!

The Recipe: Traditional Southern Chow-Chow

This is a classic water bath canning recipe. It makes about 6 to 7 pint jars, perfect for stocking your own "soil to shelf" pantry or gifting to family.

Prep time: 45 mins (plus overnight sitting) | Cook time: 20 mins | Canning Process: 15 mins

Chow Chow Relish

Yield: approximately 5 pints

Ingredients

1lb of chopped cabbage (about 4-5 cups)
1 quart (4 cups) chopped bell peppers (use a mix of colors)
1 large onion chopped (can use 2 small ones if needed)
5 medium-large size green tomatoes chopped (optional)
3 chopped jalapenos (optional)
1 quart 5% acidity vinegar
¼ cup canning salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoon mustard seed
2 tablespoon celery seed

Note: substituting the spices for pickling spice will give your chow chow a pickled flavor.

Step-by-Step Directions:

Chop the vegetables: Chop all the vegetables and combine in a bowl or pan.
Sprinkle the salt: Sprinkle the canning salt over the vegetables. Allow the canning salt to sit on the vegetables overnight. Drain any excess moisture the next day.
Make the brine: In a pot, combine the vinegar, sugar, and spices. Add in the chopped vegetables and bring it to a boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Prep jars: While the vegetables are simmering, prep your jars. Use clean, washed pint size jars. Note: Jars should be hot to avoid cracking from hot food. Heat them in a water bath canner.
Pack jars: Pack hot food into hot jars. Leave ½” headspace in the jars. Debubble jars and wipe the rims. Place the lids and rings on the jars.
Process the jars: In a water bath canner, process the jars for 15 minutes for altitudes under 1,000 feet. Adjust canning time for altitude.

Get the FREE printable version of the Chow Chow recipe here!

© 2026 Anastasia Nichelle Oxendine | That Homesteading Mama. All rights reserved.