ISO: Antones Chow Chow?

Does anyone have a recipe for Antones spread I think it is called "Antones famous Chow Chow"??? Would love to make close to the same if I can find a recipe!! Thanks in advance :)

Thomas

Are you talking about Antone's as in Antone's of Houston?

yes! I love it and wish we had one in Missouri! I even have my brother bring about 6 Super Po-Boys when he comes to see me a couple times a year!!!

Try the "recipe swap" on the Texas Monthly website. Somebody is bound to have it, sorry to say I don't. The original store has recently closed, but some are still in operation. I bought a super po-boy earlier this week at Kroger's, but it did not have enough of that fabulous chow-chow for me!

I don't think this one's ever been published. Once again, I'd try the recipe quest at the Chronicle.

I do remember reading many, many years ago, perhaps as long ago as 1974 when the founder died, of the origin of the sandwich. The founder had passed thru New Orleans before settling in Houston and wanted to recreate the po'boys he experienced there for his Houston grocery/deli. I guess that might make it a distant relative of the famous olive salad of NO's Central Grocery; of course, it's a bit on the sweet side, which the olive salad isn't.

But you might at least find a starting point by looking for chow chows on Louisiana or New Orleans food websites, such as cajungrocer.com, where you might find prepared products and recipes to try.

Have you made any attempts at re-creating it? What ingredients have you come up with to start with? I wonder where it gets that distinctive color?

Thanks for the info! I haven't tried re-creating it yet. Just became a member of this site about a week ago and after reading the other thread on Antones, thought someone might have a recipe. The next time my brother comes to town, I'll have to take a close look before I eat and see what I can come up with.

I've checked many sites, done numerous searches and afraid it has never been published. It would be nice to have one right now even at 10:00 AM!!

If I come up with anything, I'll definately post here! Texas monthly recipe swap did help me find the old Sakowitz Shrimp Salad.

Do you guys know Neilsons Deli on Richmond? They also have a sandwich spread that is out of this world! No luck on finding that recipe either :( Nielsons has gone downhill since Mrs Anderson hasn't spent much time there and her son is running things. Heard they might close the doors in a year? They had a pretty good chicken salad but the last time I got some, found a hair mixed in it YUK!!!

Thanks again for your help!!
Thomas

Thomas - your brother has been holding out on you !

I went by the only remaining location of the Original Antone's Import Co. on Dunstan and Kelvin in the Village and they sell pints of the stuff! Okay, they may not sell it this way at the franchise locations, which are called 'Antone's Famous Po'Boy and Deli,' I've never looked for it before you asked and I started getting hungry for a Super and stopped by there today. This location is actually reminiscent of the original location which closed recently; shelves of imported goodies, not just the sandwiches and sides like at the franchise places. I didn't even know this location existed until a couple of months ago.

It's labeled Hot Chow Chow; I never thought of it as 'hot,' but the clerk said it's what used on the sandwiches.

Just for the record, the ingredients listed are cabbage, vinegar, sugar, dehydrated onions, green sweet peppers, salt, spices, paprika, modified food starch, natural and artificial flavoring, tumeric and FD&C red dye No. 40.

Probably would have taken several weekends of experimenting in the kitchen to have matched that!

thanks hermitt4d!! Brother has been getting at the deli in Katy and probably has never been to any other location, he didn't know about that location until our sister told us! He passes it every day to and from work! I'll get him to bring some and in the meantime will experiment with the ingredients you listed.....thanks for checking for me :) If there's every anything in Joplin, mo let me know!

Thomas

Thomas,
Have you come up with a recipe for the Antone's chow chow?
Also, have you made a list of what meats/cheeses are in the sandwich? I know I've heard salami, ham
and provolone - anything else?
We used to eat these sandwiches in the old import store when I was a child and hadn't had a po boy for 35 years until this year when I visited someone in Houston and stumbled on the sandwich shop. I wish I had bought the chow chow (didn't realize they sold it) and analyzed the sandwich. We live out of state.
Feel free to pm me.
Thanks!
Monette

The ingredients list looks similar to my MIL's Chow Chow except she also adds apples to hers and no heat. I've been searching out recipes and the ingredients here look suspiciously similar to what's called "Dixie Relish". Search out that term and you'll find several very similar recipes. I had a PM on another board that pointed out that the Cracker Barrel chain sells two very similar Chow Chows with and without heat. Looks like they add a red colorant to theirs.

They have a store on Harry Hines Blvd. in Dallas. I think they sell their (incredible) chow chow relish there.

Had a Super yesterday from TC Jester at 610 North.  All the meats cheese are very very thinly sliced, ham, hard salami, pepperoni, provalone, dill pickle, mayo, lots of chow chow, on very crusty fresh french bread.... bought two pints of chow chow to take home as I live 90 miles from the closest store.  really fond memories of family trips with my parents, mom would pick up po-boys from Antone's and we would eat them on the road to save travel time... seemed like no matter how many she bought, we always ran short, (three brothers and a dad who all loved to eat) ;).... 

Chow chow is very popular in NOLA and for years was sold  by the Zatarain's company which doesn't make it anymore.  
I believe you can order chow chow through www.rexfoods.com
 

I lived in Houston for 30 years and I love Antone's Po-Boys with ham, salami, provolone, chow chow , mayo and dill pcikles.
 
I bought a few jars and deconstructed the recipe and this one is very close:

****************

Green Cabbage - 1/2 cabbage shredded with Cuisinart shredding disk
Sweet Green peppers - 1/4 cup chopped (I shred along with cabbage)
Onions - 1/2 medium onion chopped (I shred along with cabbage)
Vinegar - 1/3 cup - any kind of vinegar - red or white
White or Brown sugar - 1/4 cup
Celery seeds - 1 tsp
Dry Mustard - 1/2 tsp - like Coleman's 
Tumeric - 1/2 tsp - this gives a yellowish color
Tomato paste - 3 tsp
Ketchup - 8 tsp
Smoked Paprika - 1/2 tsp
Arrowroot or Cornstarch - 3/4 tsp stirred into cool water
Cayenne papper - 1/8 tsp
Salt  - pinch

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Put all this in a covered pot and simmer on low heat for a few hours. It'll get soft and turn into a reddish translucent relish.  Don't add any water. As it simmers, it'll get liquidy.

Let cool and pack into a jar and refrigerate. I found it'll last almost forever - especially if you stir it once in a while.

*********************

A trick: This can be a messy sandwich to eat as the chow chow can run out the bottom and onto your chin, shirt, etc.   I noticed at Antonios watching them make the Po-Boys, they mix the mayo and the chow chow in a bowl. When they make a sandwich they'll put that on the bread and it won't run. The mayo binds it.

HAPPY EATING!!!!!

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