Hot Dog Topping Recipe: Old-School Chow Chow

There are a few steps to this old-fashioned topping. First, you make sauerkraut. Then, you toss it in a sweet-and-sour syrup that adds another spike of flavor. Altogether, it's less than half an hour of work for an impressive result.

By: Jed Portman

Related To:

Old-School Chow Chow

Old-School Chow Chow

Kyle McKnight
Fullsteam Brewery
Durham, North Carolina

There are a few steps to this old-fashioned topping. First, you make sauerkraut. Then, you toss it in a sweet-and-sour syrup that adds another spike of flavor. Altogether, it’s less than half an hour of work for an impressive result. Get the recipe.

Photo by: Margaret Houston

Margaret Houston

From Kyle McKnight
Fullsteam Brewery
Durham, North Carolina

Ingredients

Makes enough for 8-10 hot dogs.

  • 1 lb. cabbage, shredded in a grater set over a bowl to catch any liquid
  • 1 carrot, shredded
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 1 serrano chili, diced
  • 2 tbs. sea salt
  • 1 tbs. cane sugar
  • 1 cup distilled water
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 pinch cayenne
  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/3 cup sorghum or cane syrup

Preparation

Combine first 7 ingredients in a nonreactive mixing bowl and weight with a small plate. After cabbage has released its liquid, the mixture should be more or less submerged. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and store it at room temperature out of direct sunlight for at least 3 days.

Next, strain liquid into a medium saucepot over high heat and add the next 5 ingredients. Bring liquid to a boil, then whisk in the sorghum or cane syrup and bring it back to a boil. When it reduces to a light syrup, after 5-10 minutes, pour it over the vegetable mixture. Drain off any excess liquid and chill before serving.

Chow Chow

Old-School Chow Chow

Kyle McKnight
Fullsteam Brewery
Durham, North Carolina

There are a few steps to this old-fashioned topping. First, you make sauerkraut. Then, you toss it in a sweet-and-sour syrup that adds another spike of flavor. Altogether, it’s less than half an hour of work for an impressive result.

Photo by: Margaret Houston

Margaret Houston

Next Up

Hot Dog Topping Recipe: Collard Slaw

You can do more with collard greens than stew them to death. In this recipe, vibrant raw collards add texture and flavor to a classic creamy slaw.

Hot Dog Topping Recipe: Mustard Slaw

Mustard and chopped chiles add some bite to this creamy slaw, but celery seed and sugar keep it firmly in nostalgic territory. It's a mouthwatering balancing act.

Hot Dog Topping Recipe: Pushcart Onions

You can't go wrong with this classic hot dog topping, a natural partner for squiggles of ketchup and mustard.

Hot Dog Topping Recipe: Purgatory Sauce

You'll want to pour this garlicky tomato gravy on everything. Spiked with smoked sausage, it's an idea belly warmer for the cool days of fall.

Hot Dog Topping Recipe: Bacon Jam

A splash of vanilla bridges the gap between salty bacon, sweet brown sugar and hot, grassy dried chiles in this easy but masterfully balanced recipe.

Hot Dog Topping Recipe: Smithtown Beer Cheese

Kentucky invented beer cheese, and today locals jealously guard their secret recipes. If you don't have one of your own, you can't do better than this one from a beloved chef.

Hot Dog Topping Recipe: Smoked Pimento Cheese

This twist on a classic spread gets its subtly smoky flavor from store-bought smoked cheddar–and its creamy texture from another secret ingredient: sour cream.

Hot Dog Topping Recipe: Pork Chile Verde

Let the pit master do the work. Thick with smoked pork and green chiles, this is the rare chili that comes together in just a few minutes – and it still tastes like it's been simmering for hours.

Hot Dog Topping Recipe: Marinated Black-Eyed Pea Salad (a.k.a. Little Rock Caviar)

A staple at the chef's family get-togethers, this flavor-packed relish can marinate in the fridge for a couple of days before you deploy it for hot dogs. You'll have no problem using any leftovers as a dressing for green salads or a straight-up side dish.

Pro Tips: A Guide to Tricky Grilling

It all started as a love for classic Southern food and grew into a catering business, then the Soul House and now the Downtown Dive. Sweet P's Barbeque in Knoxville, Tennessee is a cornerstone of the southern soul food scene. The restaurant's owner, Chris Ford, agreed to share some of the tricks of the trade.

More from:

Tailgating Ideas

Go Shopping

Get product recommendations from HGTV editors, plus can’t-miss sales and deals.

On TV

Follow Us Everywhere

Join the party! Don't miss HGTV in your favorite social media feeds.