Grandma Dora's Chow Chow

This is an OLD green tomato relish recipe my Great Grandma used to make.  When I've talked to my great aunts about this recipe they remember it fondly.  One of them said she liked it so much she would put it on her mashed potatoes.  Of course when I got it right on the first try, I had to mail a jar to her.  She was happy to get it.  I don't ever remember having this when I was little.  I still had my great grandparents when I was born, so I get the privilege of remembering them.  My dad remembers this relish fondly and was happy to have it again after all those years until I tried it.  Another relish that's good on hot dogs or hamburgers.  Get creative with its uses!  ENJOY!!

Grandma Dora's Chow Chow

Ingredients:
green tomatoes, ground up
1/3 cup pickling salt
3/4 head of a cabbage, ground up
6 onions, finely chopped
6 cups vinegar
7 cups sugar
2 tablespoons pickling spices
cheesecloth

Instructions:
Grind up enough green tomatoes, using a meat grinder or food mill with a fine screen, to fill a bread bowl about 3/4 of the way full.  I'm not talking any bread bowl.  I'm talking the old fashioned huge bread bowl that's about 12 quarts.  After you grind up all those green tomatoes combine with the 1/3 cup pickling salt and let sit overnight.  In the morning rinse and drain then add cabbage and onion.  Put in a stock pot and bring to a boil then add vinegar and sugar.  Put your pickling spices in a cheesecloth bag.  I just cut a large square of my cheesecloth making sure there are a couple layers of it and dump the spices in the middle.  Form a little pouch and tie another strip of cheesecloth around it to keep the spices inside the bag.  Simmer the whole mixture for 45mn to an hour.
Pack in jars and process in a hot water bath canner 10 minutes.
Makes about 12 pints.