Southern Chow Chow Relish

Step 1

Place the cabbage on a cutting board and slice it straight down into 1/4-inch-thick pieces, like cutting bread, until the entire head is sliced. Discard the core.

Step 2

Cut the bell pepper in half lengthwise from stem to tip, then remove the white ribs and seeds inside. Place each half cut-side down and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips.

Step 3

Cut the onion in half from root to tip, peel away the papery skin, then place cut-side down on the board. Slice lengthwise from root to tip into 1/4-inch-wide strips.

Step 4

Pour the vinegar and sugar into a 3-quart stainless steel pot. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves, about 30 seconds.

Step 5

Add the sliced cabbage, bell pepper, and onion to the pot and stir until everything is coated with the vinegar mixture.

Step 6

Set the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil — you'll see large bubbles breaking the surface and hear a steady sizzle. This takes about 5–6 minutes.

Step 7

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring once every 30 seconds, until the vegetables are just tender but still crunchy when you bite one — about 8–10 minutes total.

Step 8

Pour in the mustard seeds and stir for 1 minute until they smell strongly fragrant and have released their flavor into the liquid.

Step 9

Remove the pot from the heat and let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes, then transfer to clean jars or containers and refrigerate.