Tennessee Chow Chow Relish
What is this?
In the mid-1700s the Acadians began their march from Nova Scotia to Louisiana, where they eventually became known as Cajuns. Fortunately, they made a pit stop in Appalachia and left chow-chow behind. Mountain families embraced the chow-chow and made it their own. Up and down the Appalachian Mountains and throughout the South, it’s not a meal unless chow-chow is on the table.
Why, it’s chow-chow. Have you never heard of chow-chow?
Chow-chow (or chou chou in French) is a happy marriage of the cabbage so prevalent in Southern mountain regions with green tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, vinegar, sugar and spices. There are countless recipes for this delectable relish – some very sweet, some very hot. Traditionally, chow-chow makes its showiest appearance when applied to a bowl of pinto beans or collards.
Chow-chow on flatbread. Feel the love.
Because of its complex sweet and spicy nature, chow-chow is also a great topping for grilled pizzas or flatbreads. Chow-chow has a lot of ingredients so you don’t need much else to flavor the bread – just some bulk country sausage and smoky Cheddar cheese. I can promise you if you serve this at a Super Bowl party, your guests will be asking, “What is this?” and in a good way. And you can answer in a superior fashion, “Why, it’s chow-chow. Have you never heard of chow-chow?”
Ready to enjoy...
If you inhabit those deprived regions of the country not conversant with chow-chow, you can order some over the internet or you can substitute a pepper/onion relish that is commonly found on the supermarket shelves. But it won’t be quite the same. You owe it to yourself to order some real chow-chow and spread the love as well as the flatbread. It’s also delicious on a grilled ham and cheese sandwich or as an accompaniment to a grilled or roasted chicken. ~ Catherine
In the mid-1700s the Acadians began their march from Nova Scotia to Louisiana, where they eventually became known as Cajuns. Fortunately, they made a pit stop in Appalachia and left chow-chow behind. Mountain families embraced the chow-chow and made it their own. Up and down the Appalachian Mountains and throughout the South, it’s not a meal unless chow-chow is on the table.
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce ball pizza dough
- ½ pound country sausage
- 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
- Chow-chow (or onion/pepper relish)
- Cornmeal
Instructions
- Divide pizza dough in half and roll into long rectangles. Don’t fuss if they’re not perfect. That’s called “rustic” nowadays.
- Fry the sausage until it is crumbly and well browned. And that does not mean fry it until it’s no longer pink. Well browned. Don’t make me come after you. Drain on a paper towel.
- Heat your grill to as high as it will go, placing a pizza stone on the grate and letting it get hot for at least 15 minutes.
- Spread a precious plenty of the chow-chow on the flatbreads. Top with cheese and sausage.
- Sprinkle the pizza stone with cornmeal to prevent the flatbreads from sticking. Grill the flatbreads for about five minutes or until the crust is golden.
Notes
This recipe was developed for Char-Broil by Catherine Mayhew
Mail order sources: I am partial to the Tennessee Chow-Chow sold by Sugarplum Foods in White House, Tennessee. You can also order it from the legendary Dillard House in Dillard, Georgia, (which, by the way, is the cabbage capital of the world, but I’m sure you already knew that) or from The Old Mill in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. ~ Catherine
Well, I learned two important things here today.
I can cook a pizza on my grill….great idea!!
I need to get some chow-chow in the house.
Okay, I just learned one more thing. BOTH of my propane tanks are empty. My back-up system has failed. Operator error.
Thank you, Catherine…I was wondering what else I could do with chow chow!
I live in Appleton , Wisconsin.
Where can I buy Chow-Chow?
There are links to three sources for chow-chow at the bottom of the recipe. The one I use is the Tennessee Hot Chow-Chow.
Great idea with the chow chow, I only use it on BBQ, so I cant wait to try this
So how do I get the loaded flatbread onto the grill without making a mess? Because grilling this sounds like piece de la resistance. Do I need one of those giant spatula thingys?
Rofl!!!! Don’t make me come after you! HAHAHA! I haven’t heard that expression in 20 years! Makes me homesick and I just love it!