French Chow Chow

Circa 1906
 

Take 1 quart of cucumbers cut not very fine, 1 quart each of
small cucumbers, onions, green tomatoes and 4 sweet peppers.
Put all together and cover with a brine made of 1 gallon of
water and 1 cup of salt. Soak 4 hours, then scald them in the
same brine and drain.
Dressing: Take 6 tablespoonfuls of ground mustard, 1
tablespoonful of tumeric, 1 cup of flour, 2 quarts of vinegar
and 2 pounds of white sugar. Mix this all together with a little
vinegar and scald until smooth. Now put in the pickles, and it
is ready for use.

DEEP SOUTH CHOW CHOW RELISH

1 large cabbage
1 gallon wine vinegar
1 pint kosher or canning salt
2 gallons cucumbers
1 lb. brown sugar
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. black pepper
2 tbsp. of turmeric
6 onions

Take one cabbage, a large one, and cut up fine. Put in a large jar or
keg, and sprinkle over it thickly 1 pint coarse salt. Let it remain
in salt 12 hours, then scald the cut up cabbage with 1 gal. of
boiling vinegar.
2 gallon of cucumbers, green or pickled, and add to it cut in pieces
the size of the end of little finger. Then chop very fine 2 gallons
more of cucumbers or pickles and add to the above.

Seasonings:

1 lb. brown sugar
1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. black pepper
2 gal. pure wine vinegar
2 tbsp. of turmeric
6 onions, chopped fine or grated

Then put it on to cook in a large porcelain kettle, with a slow fire,
for 12 hours. Stir occasionally to keep it from burning. You can add
more paprika than is given here if you like it hot.
Pour into clean, hot, pint size canning jars and seal according to
manufacturer's directions. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water
bath. Leave at least 3 weeks before using. If any jars have a failed
seal when cooled, store those in the refrigerator to use right away.

This old recipe is a blue ribbon prize winner from an 1880's southern
cookbook, adapted to modern canning standards.