Rich rarely passes up an opportunity to mention his gherkins. “Look at how magnificent they have grown” he squeaks all summer long. “Behold my giant jar of crisp, pickled gherkins” he boasts whenever I pop round his house for another tedious team meeting.
While it’s true that his gherkins are firm, knobbly and sour enough to make a chef blush, I much prefer to grow and pickle onions, believing that no vegetable tastes as good after a prolonged bath in vinegar than the princely edible allium.
Cracking open a jar of my pickled onions has become a Christmas day tradition, as ritualistic as the pulling of crackers, the flambéing of Christmas pudding and the opening of a bottle of strong, dark beer as soon as breakfast has settled.
So now, with another November pickling safely negotiated, I feel the time is right to share my methods, giving you all the chance of getting one up on Rich and his jar of knobbly gherkins.
A step-by-step guide to pickling onions
1 First, choose your onions
You can use any type of onion (slice them if they’re big) but shallots are the best. Aside from being the ideal size, their gentle sweet flavour works wonderfully when pickling. There are even some varieties that have been specially marked out for their pickling excellence which are available to sow or buy if you look hard enough – take a look at this guide on how to plant onions if you do decide to sow your own. The key attribute for prime onion pickleability is a bullet-like firmness, again something you get from a fresh shallot.
2 Next, peel your onions
You could reach straight for the knife to whip off the brown skins but, for a more precise and easy peel, first soak them for five minutes in a bowl of boiling water and rinse until cool enough to handle. Trim the bare minimum from the tops and bottoms (excess trimming could cause more layers to slip off) and the skins should peel away with ease.
3 Salt your onions
Now roll your bald onions in salt and leave in a bowl overnight, rinsing the salt away in the morning before patting dry. Although this stage is optional, the salt-and-rinse method will extract moisture from within the onion and you will be rewarded with a crisper, crunchier, firmer pickle in the long run. Worth the extra effort.
4 Prepare your pickling vinegar
You could use cider vinegar.
You could use wine vinegar.
You could use clear distilled vinegar for clarity of onion.
Or you could use a combination of all three.
But for the best results use good ol’ dirty brown malt vinegar. You’ll need roughly an equal volume of water to weight of onions – ie 100ml vinegar for every 100g of onions. And you also need 40g white sugar per 100g onions.
Pour the vinegar into a pan and add your sugar and the allaimportant pickling spices. I go for the following:
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 bay leaf.
I also produce an extra jar with a teaspoon of dried chilli added, should anyone dare complain that my standard pickle isn’t spicy enough.
Gently heat the vinegar and spices for five to ten minutes (don’t let it boil), stirring to dissolve the sugar, then set aside to cool.
5 Pack your pickles
Now is the time to pack your onions into jars. You’ve sterilised your jars first, yes? If not, wash in hot water and dry in an oven on a low heat. Or chuck them in the dishwasher. Make sure you allow them to cool before the cooled vinegar goes anywhere near the glass.
Place the onions into the jar leaving as little space between them as possible (think like a dry-stone-waller and build layers of onions according to size and shape). Fill with the pickling vinegar, including the spices (although I always remove the bay leaf), until the onions are covered. Seal the jar and store somewhere cool and dark, six weeks being an optimum minimum length of time (but don’t worry if you need to eat them sooner).
Pickle perfection is as easy as that. Enjoy.
To take a gander at Rich’s gherkins and learn how he pickles them, head on over to this page
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FAQs
You'll need roughly an equal volume of water to weight of onions – ie 100ml vinegar for every 100g of onions. And you also need 40g white sugar per 100g onions. 1 bay leaf. I also produce an extra jar with a teaspoon of dried chilli added, should anyone dare complain that my standard pickle isn't spicy enough.
Why do you soak onions in salt water before pickling? ›
Some people choose to soak their onions in a salt water mixture before pickling, but I don't find it necessary. In theory, this step draws out extra moisture to keep the texture of the onions nice and crisp even as they sit in the vinegar mixture.
How do you pickle onions from the garden? ›
Place your peeled onions in a bowl, sprinkle over some table salt and leave covered for 24 hours. This process helps them stay crunchy. In a saucepan, bring your vinegar, salt, sugar and spices to the boil to make your pickling liquid. Rinse your onions, dry with kitchen paper and spoon into sterilised jars.
How long should you leave pickled onions before eating? ›
Your pickled onions will be ready to eat once they're bright pink and tender - about 1 hour for very thinly sliced onions, or overnight for thicker sliced onions. They will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
When should you pickle onions for Christmas? ›
Well, in the UK you start to see small "pickling onions" in the greengrocers and supermarkets from October onwards, and with a view to the Christmas buffet table, and that ubiquitous cheese board, now is the time to make these pickled onions so they have time to "mature" for 6 weeks.
Why boil vinegar before pickling? ›
You take all of your ingredients, apart from the product that is being pickled, and bring them to a boil. The heating process helps activate the flavors in the brine and marry them together. This hot brine is then poured over what is to be pickled and then stored in the refrigerator.
Do onions need to be dried before pickling? ›
Now roll your bald onions in salt and leave in a bowl overnight, rinsing the salt away in the morning before patting dry. Although this stage is optional, the salt-and-rinse method will extract moisture from within the onion and you will be rewarded with a crisper, crunchier, firmer pickle in the long run.
How long will homemade pickled onions last? ›
That means once you've stirred them together (which takes only a few minutes), they're ready to add to your meal after just 15 minutes of pickling time. Pickled onions can last in your fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Why do you blanch onions before pickling? ›
Blanch red onions.
This step will help cut the raw onion flavor for those who prefer a milder tasting pickle. If you don't mind the raw flavor of onions, feel free to skip this step. Once the water is at a boil, submerge onions for about 10-15 seconds.
Can you reuse the water from pickled onions? ›
Pro tip, if you eat the onions quickly, you can reuse the brine. Add more sliced red onions to the mixture and start again. You can also try pickling other sturdy vegetables like sliced radishes, carrots, or small cauliflower florets. If the brine is cloudy or has a bad odor, discard and start with a fresh batch.
Most pickle recipes call for distilled white vinegar. This is the clear, colorless vinegar made by fermenting grains. It has a mellow aroma, tart acid flavor and does not affect the color of light-colored vegetables or fruits.
Is it OK to eat lots of pickled onions? ›
The question; "Are pickled onions good for you?" has a simple answer; yes. ... But pickled onions are very different, and it is the pickling process that changes the health aspect of an onion from, "eat all you want," to "eat in moderation," because too much pickled onion can be bad for you.
Are pickled onions good for gut bacteria? ›
Fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut or pickled red onions contain high amounts of good probiotics and digestive enzymes. Maintaining a healthy gut flora can aid your digestion and overall energy levels.
Should onions be salted before pickling? ›
Salt is a very important component when pickling, as it helps prevent the production of harmful bacteria by drawing out moisture. There are two types of 'salting'. Dry salting prior to the pickling process (which the recipe below uses) or wet salting, which uses a brine as part of the pickling process.
Can you pickle onions in old pickle juice? ›
Pickling doesn't have to be a long process involving canning and special supplies. If you have vegetables that would be good pickled, like onions, garlic, carrots or green beans, toss them in the jar of leftover pickle juice, and see what happens. They'll make a nice addition to a charcuterie platter or Blood Mary.
What does soaking onions in salt water do? ›
Wait 10 minutes, then serve. The salt softens the onion's fibrous texture and mellows the sharpness of their flavor. There are other ways to tame raw onion, of course. You could soak slices in lemon juice for 20 minutes, which lends a slightly pickled flavor, as in this Tomato and Herb Salad with Sumac.
Should I brine onions before pickling? ›
Brining your onions before pickling might seem like a bit of a palaver, but don't skip this step. As well as seasoning them nicely, the brine draws out moisture from the onions to keep them nice and crisp.
Why do you need salt before pickling? ›
Giving your fruit or vegetables a salt bath (covering them in salt in a bowl) before pickling them helps to draw out any excess water they may be holding. It helps to preserve the crisp texture through the pickling process. Leave them in salt for 30 minutes – 3 hours, depending on how much time you've got.
What does soaking pickles in salt water do? ›
Brined Pickles or Fermented Pickles: These go through a curing process in a brine (salt and water) solution for one or more weeks. Curing changes the color, flavor and texture of the product. If the product is a fermented one, the lactic acid produced during fermentation helps preserve the product.
