Hot Chow Chow

Because I can never find Mrs. Renfro's when I want it...I found this recipe on line.


...................Hot & Spicy Fermented Chow Chow...................
- Fresh ingredients -
12 Jalapeno-diced
4 Manzano-diced
2 peach Habanero-diced
3 green bell-diced
3 red bell-diced
2 Green Anaheim Chile’s-diced
3 green tomatoes (or 6 tomatillo’s) -diced
1 large Vidalia onion-diced (more/less to taste)
1 small head of cabbage (1 Lb or so)-shredded

- Dry ingredients -
2 tsp mustard seed
2 tsp celery seed
2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp cayenne flakes
1TBS pickling salt
1 Cup sugar

- Liquid ingredients -
2 TBS whey (harvest from yogurt)
Distilled water (as needed)
Vinegar (see note)

Glass container with air tight lid (gallon pickle jar works well)
If your glass container has a metal lid, I suggest a couple layers of plastic wrap between the lid and the jar, otherwise the lid might begin to rust on the inside during processing and/or storage.


- Instructions -
Wash all fresh ingredients thoroughly, drain and mix together.
Combine the dry ingredients,
Pack tightly into the glass container 1/3 at a time, adding the dry ingredients at each layer, Fill to within 3 inches at the top.
Add the whey, then slowly pour in the water, until it completely covers the contents.
Make sure to leave at least 2 inches of air space at the top.
Secure the lid, and sit aside to ferment for 2 or 3 days at room temperature.
Soon after sealing the container, you will begin to see small bubbles forming and becoming active.
Occasionally you might need to release some of the natural gasses that form during the process, by quickly opening and re-sealing the lid.

After a few days of fermenting, move the jar to the fridge, where your chow-chow will keep for several months, if it happens to last that long.

Note:
If a tart vinegar flavor is desired, pour off some of the liquid, add cider vinegar to taste and then refrigerate.

The whey (optional)serves as a starter, to get the fermentation underway more quickly.
If you choose not to use a starter, add one additional TBS of salt and allow to ferment 3 full days before refrigeration.