Pickling never really crossed my mind until recently. I guess I’ve always felt that anything involving canning, jarring or preserving was for grandmas, you know? Great to have on hand for the apocalypse, but otherwise, just too much work. Turns out, it couldn’t be easier. Now that I’ve made these pickled onions many times I can see the slippery slope ahead of me. I suspect that within two months I’ll be eating nothing but vinegar soaked veggies.
2 red onions, sliced whole
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup white vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 dried bay leaves
1 tsp whole fennel seeds
4-5 whole allspice berries
4-5 cloves
1 dried red chili
In North America, “pickle” almost always refers to a pickled cucumber. The word actually comes from the Dutch for “brine”, and almost any vegetable, or any perishable food for that matter, can be “pickled”. I’ve never actually gone through the trouble of jarring these since I always use them within about two weeks.
It is important to point out here that, much like most of the cooking I do, nothing is exact. Especially with pickling. You can use whatever spices you want and have on hand. Most recipes for pickled red onions use only white vinegar, but I really like the sweet tanginess that red wine vinegar imparts on the onions, so I use a mix. The only reason I mix it is because white vinegar is much cheaper. In the end, you just need enough vinegar to cover to the top of the onions in the pot you’re using. If your onions are larger, use more if you need it! I like to slice the onions whole – I think the full rings look better for serving – but cut the onions in half first if it’s easier for you.
Add the vinegar, sugar, salt and spices to a pot on medium-high and heat until the sugar & salt are dissolved. Add the onions to the pot and stir them around for about 3 or 4 minutes. You only need to blanch the onions and soften them up. Allow the onions and pickling juice to cool enough to safely add to a jar or airtight container.
Since the first time I made these onions, I’ve had a jar in my fridge at all times. I’ve served them with all kinds of grilled meats from pork chops to jerk chicken to steaks. They’re great with burgers, hot dogs, fish tacos or even just with a spread of meats and cheeses!
