Turkey Free Chow Chow Relish
This tangy, golden relish is a Southern classic made entirely from fresh vegetables and pantry spices — no meat, no poultry, nothing but pure garden flavor. Cabbage, carrot, zucchini, and onion get salted and squeezed until perfectly dry, then simmered low and slow in a honey-sweetened apple cider vinegar brine with warm notes of turmeric, ginger, and Ceylon cinnamon. The result is a glossy, syrupy condiment that clings to everything it touches — hot dogs, grilled sausages, sandwiches, grain bowls, you name it. Because the whole recipe is built around vegetables and spices, there's zero concern about hidden poultry ingredients that sometimes sneak into store-bought relishes and condiment blends. The salt-and-squeeze technique is the real secret here, drawing out excess moisture so the brine reduces into a rich, lacquered glaze rather than a watery pool. A short rest in the fridge lets the flavors deepen and meld, and the relish keeps for up to two weeks — meaning you can make a batch on Sunday and reach for it all week long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
16 servings
- 3 cups green cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 cup carrot, finely grated
- 1 cup zucchini, finely diced
- ½ cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp honey
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
For finishing
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
Combine the shredded cabbage, grated carrot, diced zucchini, and diced onion in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon fine sea salt and toss well to coat. Let the vegetables sit for 1 hour at room temperature until they have released a significant amount of liquid and softened noticeably.
- 2
Transfer the salted vegetables to a clean kitchen towel or several layers of cheesecloth and squeeze firmly over the sink until as much liquid as possible has been expelled — the vegetables should feel dry and compact.
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