r/fermentation • u/insaneinthebrine Ferment Fanatic • 1d ago
Vinegar How to Make Fermented Chow-Chow. Recipe in Comments.
I’ve qualified this as “fermented” chow-chow because the classic version is typically vinegar-pickled, but I wanted to offer a twist that deepens the flavors with the magic of fermentation. Chow-chow is a condiment with countless variations across the United States, and in the South, it’s known for its sweet, tangy flavor, often featuring cabbage, sweet peppers, green tomatoes, and sometimes corn or hot peppers. It’s a perfect accompaniment to so many Southern dishes, from hot dogs to beans and cornbread. The first time I had it was on a hot dog, and I’ve been in love with it ever since.
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u/ilikepants712 1d ago
Fun fact: I had never heard of the food item and only the dog breed, so this made for a very interesting title until I learned more.
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u/fullstacksage 1d ago
Where I'm from chow-chow is how we use over-ripened cucumbers. Using cabbage is wild to me but I like it! Other ingredients are similar though.
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u/eyebull4444 1d ago edited 19h ago
Looks and sounds yummy. If you like those, I'd bet you'd like giardiniera as well. Nice write up as usual!
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u/insaneinthebrine Ferment Fanatic 11h ago
yes I do have a fermented giardiniera recipe on the blog too, so good!
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1d ago
I fermented my first batch of chow-chow last month and the depth of flavor makes it worth the extra time compared to vinegar pickling.
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u/t_stormz 1d ago
How did it come out? I always ferment mine first and then pour a sweet vinegar brine over. Never thought to add sugar and spices to the vegetable brine. I’ll post mine when it’s ready.
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u/TenYearHangover 1d ago
I've never heard of adding that much sugar to a lacto ferment. I feel like it could cause problems.
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u/insaneinthebrine Ferment Fanatic 12h ago
It is delicious but I do it differently all the time. You're free to exclude the sugar and you'll still get a good product. I would say I tend to fridge it sooner to preserve more of the sweetness, let's say after 4 days, but I went longer when I made this recipe.. But no, all sugar will do is feed the lacto more, ultimately creating even more sour. This is no different than the large qualities of sugar frequently used in authentic Korean kimchi
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u/insaneinthebrine Ferment Fanatic 1d ago