chow chow
Also known as: Hot Chow Chow
A tangy, chunky Southern relish of pickled chopped vegetables -- commonly cabbage, green tomato, onion, and pepper -- packed sweet and vinegary. It's a condiment spooned on the side rather than cooked in, so it stays crunchy and bright against slow-cooked or rich food.
Buying guidance
Reject any jar with a popped or bulging lid, or a seal that's already broken. Brands vary widely in sweetness, vinegar level, and heat, so check the label if you're picky about balance -- some lean toward sweet relish, others sharply sour.
Substitutions
- Piccalilli -- similar chunky pickled-vegetable base with a slightly different, often mustard-forward, spice mix.
- Sweet pickle relish -- close in sweetness and crunch but without the cabbage and green-tomato character.
Tips & common mistakes
It's a finished condiment meant to be spooned on cold or at room temperature, not simmered into a dish -- cooking it into something hot dulls the crisp texture and bright vinegar tang that are the whole point of it.
Storage
Once opened, it keeps for weeks in the refrigerator, well beyond a typical fresh vegetable side, since the vinegar and sugar it's packed in are themselves preservatives -- just use a clean utensil each time to avoid introducing anything that would shorten that.