Preparing pickled onions is incredibly quick and easy. If you want to keep a bunch of onions for a later date, or if you just want to spice up an otherwise normal dish, pickled onions are incredibly versatile. With a little vinegar, sugar and spices, a humble onion can become a delicacy.
Ingrediants
- Water for blanching
- Ice bath
- 1 red onion (any onion is fine), halved and sliced
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
- 1 dry chilli
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (wine vinegar is fine too)
- 1/4 cup of lime juice
- 1 / 8-1 / 4 cup of sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt
Steps
Step 1. Halve, peel and slice the onion
Red onions are ideal for this recipe, with their distinctive flavor and deep red color, which actually turns pink after a couple of days in the refrigerator.
You can slice the onions as thick as you like; whatever it is, they will still absorb the bittersweet solution. Some people prefer to cut the onions into circles, which makes them easy to grab with a fork; others prefer smaller ones, cut into crescents
Step 2. Heat some water on the stove or in a kettle
Heat enough to completely submerge the sliced onion.
Step 3. As the water begins to boil, brown the spices in a saucepan
Place the cloves, cinnamon, chilli, and thyme in a saucepan and toast them over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes, until fragrant.
Step 4. When the water is about to boil, remove it from the heat and pour in the onion
Count to 10, then filter the water and onions through a sieve.
Why blanch onions? This process slightly reduces the acidity of raw onions. You don't have to blanch them if you like their strong raw flavor, but a slightly sweeter onion really makes the pickle juice stand out
Step 5. Move the onions from the sieve to the ice bath to prevent them from cooking
You can let them sit there or remove them after 10 seconds. If left in the ice bath, they will continue to ripen as the sulfur compounds (onion's natural defense) diffuse into the water. When the onions are ready, drain them completely and place them in a container.
Step 6. Add the vinegar, lime juice and a quarter cup of sugar to the toasted spices
Turn on the stove over medium-high heat and bring the vinegar juice to a simmer, letting the sugar dissolve completely. Boil for another minute.
Step 7. Remove the liquid from the heat and pour it into the container with the onions
Seal the container and place it in the refrigerator. Pickled onions will be ready to try in under an hour, but will be better after at least a day.
Store pickled onions in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Red onions will turn slightly pink over time
Step 8. Enjoy it
Try your pickles on homemade tacos, in a sandwich with some tasty meat (like pork), or with a hearty stew.
Method 1 of 1: Additional Considerations
Step 1. Choose different spices for your pickle
The spices mentioned above are just a combination that goes well together. There are a lot of spices that are good for preserving pickled onions. Here are some of them:
- Whole fresh garlic. It only takes a little, but who doesn't love the combination of garlic and onion? Simply divine.
- Fresh ginger. It stands out in its acidity with its unmistakable taste.
- Laurel. A dry bay leaf gives a fragrance that is both smoky and fresh.
- Fresh herbs. Experiment with rosemary, oregano, marjoram or tarragon, just to name a few.
- Juniper berries. Fruity, spicy, complex flavor. These berries give their unmistakable taste.
- Star anise. Great substitute or addition to cloves.
- Mustard seeds. This seed adds a bit of a smoky flavor to pickled onions.
Step 2. Prepare the pickled beets along with the onions to give them a distinctive pink color
If you only have white or golden onions, but still want the distinctive pink color, beets will come in handy. They have a natural red dye that is almost tasteless. And did I mention that they also taste excellent?
Step 3. Prepare whole pickled onions for a traditional English variety
The traditional English approach to pickled onions is to use smaller golden onions, or scallions, and keep them whole. Malt vinegar is generally used in place of apple or wine vinegar - try them for a different dining experience.
Advice
-
If you'd rather prepare pickled onions for long-term storage, pour the vinegar over the onions, while the liquid is still hot, up to an inch from the rim of the container. Add seasonings as usual, then process the jars in a double boiler for 10 minutes, or according to the altitude instructions for your area.
Note that canning onions will change their texture
- If you pour the hot vinegar over the onions before it cools, they will wrinkle.
