Ask the Editor: Homemade Amish Chow Chow

This is a stock photo of chow chow, the recipe below is a doozy!

By Kevin Williams

The Amish  - especially of Lancaster County - have become well known for their chow chows. The name is peculiar and there is some speculation that the name has its origins in the French language where the word cabbage is chou.  Yet others speculate the dish has Asian origins. Wherever it came from, chow chow has established itself as a favorite "end of garden" relish for many Amish cooks.  This recipe is from our Original Amish Cook Cookbook published back in 1993.  There are a LOT of unanswered questions in this recipe, but this is how it appears so this is how I am publishing it.  It is a LOT of veggies list so you may want to cut back.  And do you cook them all together?  If so, you need a HUGE pot.  If you don't, then you need MANY pots.  And you really need to know what you are doing when it comes to home canning, and I don't. But for those out there who know their way a canning kitchen, perhaps this recipe is of value!

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Ask the Editor: Chow Chow

 

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Prep time

2 hours

Total time

2 hours

 

Ingredients

• 1 quart of green string beans
• 1 quart of chopped celery
• 1 quart of kidney beans
• 1 quart of yellow corn
• 1 quart of diced carrots
• 10 sliced red peppers
• 1 quart of navy beans
• 4 small onions, diced
• 3 pounds sugar
• 2 quarts white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons mustard seed
• 2 teaspoons celery seed
• 2 tablespoons pickling spice

Instructions

1. Cook all the veggies until nice and tender.
2. Drain through a strainer
3. Mix sugar, vinegar, mustard seed, and celery seed until it forms a syrupy mixture.
4. Put the pickling spice in a cloth bag and immerse in the syrup.
5. Boil the syrup and remove the pickling spice bag.
6. Stir in cooked veggies.
7. Bring to boil again.
8. Pack into jars and seal tightly.
9. Add salt for seasoning.

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