How do you pickle onions?

[Cligereen]

I know this must seem like a very basic question, but I've never done this before. I've got little onions, spiced vinegar and jars, so what happens next? Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

[evelyn]

I can't seem to lay my hands on my fave book Yorkshire Telivision's Farmhouse Kitchen, you can find it in secondhand shops very cheep, i have used it for years and had excelent results.

I will do my best to find my copy and get back to you. I just hope i havent lent it out.

Eve

[evelyn]

Sorry one thing i do remember is that once pickled you have to set them aside for about 3 months before you can eat them, so you are a little late if you want to use them at Christmas, i will look for other things you can pickle that dont need to sit for so long.

Eve

[Graye]

Here's an easy recipe. If they are small onions you will probably be eating them at Christmas!

Choose even-sized onions or shallots.
Peel them and immerse in salty water (4 oz coarse salt to 2 pints water) for at least 12 hours.
Rinse and drain well.
Pack into jars, cover with cold spiced vinegar. You can buy the vinegar ready spiced or buy a little pack of pickling spice to add.
Seal jars.
Keep for 2-3 months before opening.

[Cligereen]

Thanks Graye,

That looks surprisingly easy. Do you not have to boil the vinegar or anything?...I only ask because a friend of mine was complaining about the smell of boiling vinegar that used to stink the house out when his mother made pickles (this was many years ago, so I can't ask for a recipe).

I'm going to get peeling now and soak the onions overnight, should be ready for bottling tomorrow evening.

Not sure Mrs. Clig will appreciate the 'eau de shallot' aftershave that I'll be smelling of tonight.

[Annpan]

When I pickled my onions a few months ago the few things I remember were...

Do NOT use a metal knife to peel the onions (there must be a reason for this, it was an instruction in many of my books)

You must peel the onion until it is all white - peel, not cut (One book specifies "do not cut the onion in any way") - I found I was loosing at least half of each small onion (I put the trimmings aside and made curry) You can get varieties of 'pickling onion' which I guess forms into a nicer ball - I got reduced onions at the supermarket, nothing fancy about them.

I pickled my own vinegar and therefore it had been boiled and was still hot when I jarred it. I don't like the idea of putting cold things in jars to store for months - the heat gave me a certain reassurance.

It was very time consuming, but luckily you prepare the onions one evening, leave them in brine overnight and jar them the next day, so at least the task was split. I must have spent 2 hours on it, and I only have one jar sitting in the cupboard - I imagine it would be simpler with real pickling onions.

[Graye]

I think the reasoning behind the cold vinegar is to keep the onions crispy. It DOES work cold anyway, but I'm sure hot vinegar wouldn't make that much difference!

[Cligereen]

Thanks for that info. So, the good news is that I peeled 6lb of onions last night, the bad news is that I cut the tops and bottoms off with a metal knife. I can't imagine how you'd get rid of the tops and roots without a knife. Soaked in brine at stated strength(ish) overnight

I bought the vinegar ready spiced so no need to heat it then, just pour it in as it is.

We'll see what happens. Thanks again.

[Annpan]

I wouldn't worry about it too much... let us know how they turn out please

[ina]

Do NOT use a metal knife to peel the onions (there must be a reason for this, it was an instruction in many of my books)

How old were those books? Were they possibly from before stainless steel cutlery was common? I think that a lot of newer books just copy these tips from the old classics without actually understanding why...

[SarahJane]

I pickle onions every year and have to say I use a knife to top and tail. I also used ready spiced vinegar if I can get hold of it. So no boiling for me. About 8 weeks later, perfect crunchy strong pickled onions.

Good luck with your pickling.

[Annpan]

Do NOT use a metal knife to peel the onions (there must be a reason for this, it was an instruction in many of my books)

How old were those books? Were they possibly from before stainless steel cutlery was common? I think that a lot of newer books just copy these tips from the old classics without actually understanding why...

I admit it, my books are old.... well not old books but reprints of old books... Mrs Beeton (1851) is the one that says don't used a steel knife (though she says use a silver one instead) and Maw Broon is the one who says "dinna cut the onions in any way" I admit I can't find a book now that says specifically don't use any metal knife I definitely read it somewhere - maybe on t'internet, or in another book I can't find now - I'll have another look later on.

Starting to realise how mad it is to refer to a 157 year old cookery book

[Green Aura]

You can make sweet pickled onions by adding sugar and a cinnamon stick. Yummy.

Or hot by adding chillies etc .......

[SarahJane]

I put mustard seeds in mine sometimes.