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.
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.
Margaret Houston
