Chow Chow -- a great way to use green tomatoes
 

Chow Chow

Ingredients

Green Tomatoes - 12 cups/3 litres
Onions, diced - 6 cups/1.5 litres
Green Pepper, finely chopped - ½cup/125ml.
Red Peppers, finely chopped - ½cup/125ml.
Salt - ½cup/125ml.
Vinegar - 4 cups/1 litre
Water - 3 cups/750ml.
Pickling Spice - ½cup/125ml.
Sugar, white - 2 cups/500ml.
Method

Wash, stem and dice tomatoes. Add onion and peppers Sprinkle with salt.
Cover and let stand several hours or over night.
Drain brine from vegetables. Rinse well. Place in large kettle and cover
with vinegar-water mixture.
Put pickling spice in cheese cloth bag. Immerse in vegetable mixture. Cook
over medium heat until vegetables are soft and clear. Add sugar to taste.
Continue cooking for one hour. Remove spice bag. Pour into sterilized jars.
Number of portions: 6-8

Chow Chow -- a great way to use green tomatoes
 

Carla Gilliss wrote:

> Chow Chow
>
> Ingredients
>
> Green Tomatoes - 12 cups/3 litres
> Onions, diced - 6 cups/1.5 litres
> Green Pepper, finely chopped - ½cup/125ml.
> Red Peppers, finely chopped - ½cup/125ml.
> Salt - ½cup/125ml.
> Vinegar - 4 cups/1 litre
> Water - 3 cups/750ml.
> Pickling Spice - ½cup/125ml.
> Sugar, white - 2 cups/500ml.
> Method
>
> Wash, stem and dice tomatoes. Add onion and peppers Sprinkle with salt.
> Cover and let stand several hours or over night.
> Drain brine from vegetables. Rinse well. Place in large kettle and cover
> with vinegar-water mixture.
> Put pickling spice in cheese cloth bag. Immerse in vegetable mixture. Cook
> over medium heat until vegetables are soft and clear. Add sugar to taste.
> Continue cooking for one hour. Remove spice bag. Pour into sterilized jars.
> Number of portions: 6-8

Carla, how long do you boiling water bath this one? I like the look of it.
Might be a good way to use up excess tomatillos. They are a considered a weedy
sort of plant here, but they produce nicely and are tasty.
Edrena

Chow Chow -- a great way to use green tomatoes
 

"The Joneses" > wrote in message
...
> Carla Gilliss wrote:
>
>> Chow Chow
>>
>> Ingredients
>>
>> Green Tomatoes - 12 cups/3 litres
>> Onions, diced - 6 cups/1.5 litres
>> Green Pepper, finely chopped - ½cup/125ml.
>> Red Peppers, finely chopped - ½cup/125ml.
>> Salt - ½cup/125ml.
>> Vinegar - 4 cups/1 litre
>> Water - 3 cups/750ml.
>> Pickling Spice - ½cup/125ml.
>> Sugar, white - 2 cups/500ml.
>> Method
>>
>> Wash, stem and dice tomatoes. Add onion and peppers Sprinkle with salt.
>> Cover and let stand several hours or over night.
>> Drain brine from vegetables. Rinse well. Place in large kettle and cover
>> with vinegar-water mixture.
>> Put pickling spice in cheese cloth bag. Immerse in vegetable mixture.
>> Cook
>> over medium heat until vegetables are soft and clear. Add sugar to taste.
>> Continue cooking for one hour. Remove spice bag. Pour into sterilized
>> jars.
>> Number of portions: 6-8
>
> Carla, how long do you boiling water bath this one? I like the look of it.
> Might be a good way to use up excess tomatillos. They are a considered a
> weedy
> sort of plant here, but they produce nicely and are tasty.
> Edrena

I tend to just follow the recipe and "Cook over medium heat until vegetables
are soft and clear" and "continue cooking for one hour"...I find that my
stove isn't the best and that I have to cook it a little bit longer :(

Chow Chow -- a great way to use green tomatoes
 

Carla Gilliss wrote:

> "The Joneses" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Carla Gilliss wrote:
> >
> >> Chow Chow
> >>
> >> Ingredients
> >>
> >> Green Tomatoes - 12 cups/3 litres
> >> Onions, diced - 6 cups/1.5 litres
> >> Green Pepper, finely chopped - ½cup/125ml.
> >> Red Peppers, finely chopped - ½cup/125ml.
> >> Salt - ½cup/125ml.
> >> Vinegar - 4 cups/1 litre
> >> Water - 3 cups/750ml.
> >> Pickling Spice - ½cup/125ml.
> >> Sugar, white - 2 cups/500ml.
> >> Method
> >>
> >> Wash, stem and dice tomatoes. Add onion and peppers Sprinkle with salt.
> >> Cover and let stand several hours or over night.
> >> Drain brine from vegetables. Rinse well. Place in large kettle and cover
> >> with vinegar-water mixture.
> >> Put pickling spice in cheese cloth bag. Immerse in vegetable mixture.
> >> Cook
> >> over medium heat until vegetables are soft and clear. Add sugar to taste.
> >> Continue cooking for one hour. Remove spice bag. Pour into sterilized
> >> jars.
> >> Number of portions: 6-8
> >
> > Carla, how long do you boiling water bath this one? I like the look of it.
> > Might be a good way to use up excess tomatillos. They are a considered a
> > weedy
> > sort of plant here, but they produce nicely and are tasty.
> > Edrena
>
> I tend to just follow the recipe and "Cook over medium heat until vegetables
> are soft and clear" and "continue cooking for one hour"...I find that my
> stove isn't the best and that I have to cook it a little bit longer :(

I feel your pain, we're 4,000 feet up and cooking takes longer here. It's not
what I meant, tho, dearling. This recipe sounds like it makes a lot of product.
Do you just plop the cooked stuff in the fridge or freezer? or car/jar it? Or do
you plop it in jars and just fix the lids hoping for the best?
Edrena

Chow Chow -- a great way to use green tomatoes
 

I just put it in jars and wait for the lids to pop(seal) close...I find that
this last...if the lids don't seal properly, then I will boil the jar (s)
about 20 minutes. But normally, I just let the lids seal themselves, my
grandmother did and my mother does the same.

Chow Chow -- a great way to use green tomatoes
 

Carla Gilliss wrote:

> I just put it in jars and wait for the lids to pop(seal) close...I find that
> this last...if the lids don't seal properly, then I will boil the jar (s)
> about 20 minutes. But normally, I just let the lids seal themselves, my
> grandmother did and my mother does the same.
>
>
Most of the active folks on this newsgroup would not recommend that
method. The boiling water bath is necessary to ensure a lid seal that
will last. Check out the FAQ for this group for websites that discuss
this method.

George

Chow Chow -- a great way to use green tomatoes
 

George Shirley wrote:
> Carla Gilliss wrote:
>
>> I just put it in jars and wait for the lids to pop(seal) close...I
>> find that this last...if the lids don't seal properly, then I will
>> boil the jar (s) about 20 minutes. But normally, I just let the lids
>> seal themselves, my grandmother did and my mother does the same.
>>
> Most of the active folks on this newsgroup would not recommend that
> method. The boiling water bath is necessary to ensure a lid seal that
> will last. Check out the FAQ for this group for websites that discuss
> this method.

oUR FAMILY FOR 3 GENERATIONS JUST PUT MELTED WAX ON TOP OF THE CHOW-CHOW.

Chow Chow -- a great way to use green tomatoes
 

whiner can't stop complaining@Canada wrote:
>
>
> George Shirley wrote:
>
>> Carla Gilliss wrote:
>>
>>> I just put it in jars and wait for the lids to pop(seal) close...I
>>> find that this last...if the lids don't seal properly, then I will
>>> boil the jar (s) about 20 minutes. But normally, I just let the lids
>>> seal themselves, my grandmother did and my mother does the same.
>>>
>> Most of the active folks on this newsgroup would not recommend that
>> method. The boiling water bath is necessary to ensure a lid seal that
>> will last. Check out the FAQ for this group for websites that discuss
>> this method.
>
>
> oUR FAMILY FOR 3 GENERATIONS JUST PUT MELTED WAX ON TOP OF THE CHOW-CHOW.
>
Why are you shouting this to the roof tops? That method of canning used
to be, 40 or 50 years ago, for jams and jellies and was fairly well
accepted for the time. Today we use BWB for jams and jellies to ensure a
safe product that will last up to two years, often more, when the jars
are properly sealed. I don't want to sound pedantic but there are safer,
approved methods nowadays. You might want to try them.

George

Chow Chow -- a great way to use green tomatoes
 

Carla Gilliss wrote:
> I just put it in jars and wait for the lids to pop(seal) close...I find that
> this last...if the lids don't seal properly, then I will boil the jar (s)
> about 20 minutes. But normally, I just let the lids seal themselves, my
> grandmother did and my mother does the same.


I would process them in a boiling water bath for about 15 minutes. The
stuff is already cooked enough that if can't hurt.

Someone mentioned sealing jelly jars with paraffin. I still remember
that; it's kind of a lost art to do it right, and the results are always
less reliable than using modern canning lids. (and paraffin has gotten
so expensive, I'll bet it costs more to use than metal lids.) I can't
think of any reason to seal jars with wax anymore, except maybe to do it
once just to experience doing it.

I do have *one* canning recipe, also for green tomatoes, that I use
"open kettle" canning method. They get too soggy during boiling water
bath. I should probably try it with 30 minute processing at 180 to 185
degrees water bath and see how they turn out.


PICKLED GREEN TOMATOES

3 Gal. green tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 Qt. onion, cut into eighths
3/4 Qt. chopped jalapeños
5 Lb. sugar
3/4 Cup salt
3 Qt white vinegar
1 Tsp. black pepper

Bring last four ingredients to boil. Add vegetables and simmer 3
minutes or until the color changes. DO NOT BOIL! Pack into sterile jars.

--
Best regards,
Bob

Chow Chow -- a great way to use green tomatoes
 

On Fri, 25 Aug 2006 22:03:19 GMT, "whiner can't stop
complaining@Canada" > wrote:

>
>
>George Shirley wrote:
>> Carla Gilliss wrote:
>>
>>> I just put it in jars and wait for the lids to pop(seal) close...I
>>> find that this last...if the lids don't seal properly, then I will
>>> boil the jar (s) about 20 minutes. But normally, I just let the lids
>>> seal themselves, my grandmother did and my mother does the same.
>>>
>> Most of the active folks on this newsgroup would not recommend that
>> method. The boiling water bath is necessary to ensure a lid seal that
>> will last. Check out the FAQ for this group for websites that discuss
>> this method.
>
>oUR FAMILY FOR 3 GENERATIONS JUST PUT MELTED WAX ON TOP OF THE CHOW-CHOW.


I used paraffin on jams and jellies for several years until the day I
looked in the pantry and saw a line of ants helping themselves to the
jelly.
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974

Chow Chow -- a great way to use green tomatoes
 

The Cook wrote:
>
> I used paraffin on jams and jellies for several years until the day I
> looked in the pantry and saw a line of ants helping themselves to the
> jelly.

Paraffin lids don't do so good in heat waves either.

B/

Chow Chow -- a great way to use green tomatoes
 

In article <HsKHg.17592$Ch.7605@clgrps13>,
"whiner can't stop complaining@Canada" > wrote:

> George Shirley wrote:
> > Carla Gilliss wrote:
> >
> >> I just put it in jars and wait for the lids to pop(seal) close...I
> >> find that this last...if the lids don't seal properly, then I will
> >> boil the jar (s) about 20 minutes. But normally, I just let the lids
> >> seal themselves, my grandmother did and my mother does the same.
> >>
> > Most of the active folks on this newsgroup would not recommend that
> > method. The boiling water bath is necessary to ensure a lid seal that
> > will last. Check out the FAQ for this group for websites that discuss
> > this method.
>
> oUR FAMILY FOR 3 GENERATIONS JUST PUT MELTED WAX ON TOP OF THE CHOW-CHOW.

I like to quote Myra Arrendale of homecanningsupply.com when she said
that "Our grandmothers and our great aunties canned using the most
current methods and equipment available to them at the time and we
should do no less." You've a better chance for a safe and strong seal
with a boiling water bath processing method than with melted wax.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://jamlady.eboard.com
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller