In Southern and Appalachian speech, "chow-chow" is a tangy-sweet pickled relish made from cabbage, peppers, onions, and other garden odds and ends. More than food, it’s a tradition of stretching the harvest and adding zing to country meals.
Lots of folks put 'chow chow' on their soup beans. Super common. We always used onions - Vidalias if you could get 'em.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
Lots of folks put 'chow chow' on their soup beans. Super common. We always used onions - Vidalias if you could get 'em.
Pronunciation
[CHOW-chow]
Meaning & Usage
- A Southern pickled relish (noun)
At Sunday dinner
Mae:
Want somethin’ on them pintos?
Earl:
Yep - pass the chow-chow.
- A way to preserve late garden vegetables (noun, figurative)
At canning time
Mae:
What we gonna do with these scraps?
Earl:
Make us some chow-chow - nothin’ goes to waste.
variations: relish, pickled relish, garden pickle, chow-chow on beans, jar of homemade chow-chow, pass the chow-chow
★ Chow-chow varies from family to family - some make it sweeter, some hotter. But it’s always a way to stretch the garden and add flavor to beans or greens. ★
Origin and Etymology
Likely from Pennsylvania Dutch or German immigrants who made mixed pickled relishes, the word "chow-chow" took root in the South by the 1800s. In Appalachia, it became a standard way to use up end-of-season vegetables.
Usage Notes
Still widely known in the South and Appalachia, but outside the region, most people think "Chow Chow" means the fluffy dog breed. In Southern kitchens, though, it means a jar of relish waiting on the shelf.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "chow-chow." Quick, doubled, with both words the same.
Created by The Hillbilly Dude, this site is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more...
Lots of folks put 'chow chow' on their soup beans. Super common. We always used onions - Vidalias if you could get 'em. 
