How to Pickle Onions

Pickled onions can be used as a side dish or added to sandwiches for extra punch. Made with vinegar and salt, pickled onion recipes can be tweaked to provide various flavorings. Experiment with different seasonings such as coriander, jalapeño, mustard seed and bay leaves to vary the tastes.

Things You'll Need

• Onions
• Distilled white vinegar or malt vinegar
• Canning salt
• Various ingredients, according to taste
• Canning jars
• Stainless steel pot

Instructions

1. Choose the onions. Pearl onions are a popular choice. Baby onions are no more than 3/4 of an inch in diameter. You can use small yellow onions, but these have to be peeled. Vidalia, Walla Walla and red onions other options.

2. Select your canning jar. Mason jars with wide mouths and canning rings work well. You also can use empty pickle jars.

3. Make a basic pickling solution out of white distilled vinegar or malt vinegar and canning salt in a 5-to-1 ratio. From this basic recipe, you can add other ingredients, including sugar, pickling spices, dill, coriander, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, garlic, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, jalapeños, chili peppers, carrots, sweet peppers or allspice.

4. Bring your ingredients to a boil using a stainless steel pot. Avoid using aluminum pots; they can turn the onions to mush.

5. Peel onions and chop off both ends. Slice the onions in quarters or in rings. When slicing in rings, a mandolin is helpful for slicing large batches. Pearl and small onions can be left whole.

6. Place the onions in the boiling water and boil for a minute or two to soften them.

7. Remove the pot from the stove, and cool the brine and onions. Fill the canning jars and seal them tightly. Store the onions in the fridge and use them within two weeks. Onions can be preserved in canning jars for long periods without refrigeration if they are canned and boiled in a water bath. For more information on this, read the Ball Blue Book of Canning.

Tips & Warnings

• Canning salt gives the best results. Other salts may have a coating on them that can cloud the vinegar. Add more or less salt to taste.

• If you desire less tartness, add sugar.

Resources

• National Center for Home Food Preservation