Recipe yields 16 pint jars.

MAKING THE CHOW CHOW RECIPE

• Cut tomatoes and hot peppers in quarters; bell peppers and onions in eighths. Transfer in batches to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until vegetables are chopped into small pieces. Transfer each batch into a very large bowl or stock pot.
  12 pounds green tomatoes, 8 large onions, 6 hot peppers, 10 green bell peppers
• Sprinkle the salt onto the vegetables and mix well with your hands. (If you feel any large pieces, remove those from the mixture and chop smaller.)
  3 tablespoons sea salt
• Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
• Remove from the refrigerator and transfer vegetable mixture to a large colander to drain off liquid.
• Put drained vegetables into a large stock pot.
• Stir in vinegar, mustard, and sugar. Bring to a slow boil; continue boiling -- stirring frequently -- until tender (about 15 minutes). The tomatoes and peppers will lose their bright green tinge, becoming less vibrant.
  1 quart apple cider vinegar, 1 3/4 cups sugar, 3 tablespoons dry mustard

PREPARE FOR CANNING

• Wash the jars you'll use, making sure each is clean and free of nicks in the rim, which could impede sealing.
• Wash the lids and rings in hot soapy water. (If you're using non-Ball brand lids, prepare as suggested by manufacturer.)
• Place empty jars in a canning pot or large stock pot with enough water to cover by an inch or two, cover pot, and set on high heat. It can take awhile for the water to heat, so get it started when you begin cooking the relish.

CANNING THE RELISH:

• Remove empty jars from canner, draining water back into pot.
• Ladle hot relish into pint or half-pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space. A canning funnel makes this easy.
• Wipe jar rims to remove any relish that may have spilled. A clean rim is essential to a good seal.
• Set jar lids in place. Screw bands on finger tight, firmly, but don't crank the rings on.
• Use a jar lifter to gently submerge jars into the canner. Water should cover the top of the jars by two inches. The water will cool somewhat in reaction to the addition of the jars. Return the water to a simmer and set the timer.
• Process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes 0-1,000 feet altitude; 15 minutes over 1,001 to 6,000 feet, 20 minutes over 6,000 feet. (This time remains the same for quarter-pint, half-pint, or pint size jars.)
• Allow jars to cool overnight.
• Check for seal: the lids should feel solid and slightly indented. If they flex, they are not shelf stable and should be refrigerated and used first.
• Wash the outside of the jars, remove rings, and store in a cool, dry place at room temperature for up to a year.