Help! Pickled Onions!

[sylvia@sylqy.net]

I tend to use Sarsons pickling vinegar this appears ok after a few weeks, but if I leave them for a few months they tend to go brown and soft, anyone got any ideas will be grateful for advise. thanks.

[Two_Sheds]

Soft pickles are caused by adding them when they are hot/warm - for crunchy pickles the onions need to be cold

[valmarg]

I tend to use Sarsons pickling vinegar this appears ok after a few weeks, but if I leave them for a few months they tend to go brown and soft, anyone got any ideas will be grateful for advise. thanks.

It is just a personal choice, I do not like to use Sarsons pickling vinegar, insofar at the company has spiced it for you. I much prefer to spice the vinegar myself.

What I do is boil up some malt vinegar with pickling spices, allow to infuse, go cold, and then strain through muslin.

Having filled the jars with brined onions (i.e. onions that have been brined overnight in a mix of 2oz salt to one pint of water to 1 lb of onions), I fill three quarters of the way up the jars with malt vinegar, and top up with the spiced vinegar. If you want really spicy onions, drop a couple of small dried chillies into the jars.

valmarg


I find these keep crunchy for years.

[Hilary B]

If you put the spices in the vinegar and leave them for several weeks, you don't need to boil it. I used to know someone who just put spices in the jars with the onions, and let the vinegar 'infuse' at the same time as the onions pickled. The strength of vinegar smell when you heat it convinces me that you are losing some of the vinegar acid content.
Not all vinegar is strong enough for long-term pickling anyway, it needs to be 6%, and some 'table' vinegar is only 3% acid.

[T8Ter]

I've never boiled the vinegar, just add everything cold. My onions are still crisp 6-8 months later. Personally I believe it's the salting of them that's key.

[valmarg]

I agree T8Ter that the salting is the most important part of pickling onions.

The method I use is an old family recipe. It is only a small amount of vinegar I boil with the spices, and then its only 'bring to the boil', turn out the gas, cover and leave to go cold/infuse. Most of the vinegar in the jars is malt, topped up with the spice infused vinegar (as I said in my earlier post). I also said that if you want a spicier pickled onion add a couple of small dried chillies.

Hilary B, I think by just bringing the vinegar to the boil with the spices is a quicker method rather than leaving them to soak for several weeks. The Sarsons vinegar I buy is 5% acid, but it is vinegar, rather than non-brewed condiment. I think by putting the spices in the jar with the onions and letting them infuse, you have no control over taste. Have you put too many in, have you put too little in?

Anyway, I was only trying to be helpful, and say what worked for us.

I should be very disappointed if my pickled onions only lasted for 6-8 months. They usually last for at least two years.

valmarg

[Hilary B]

I tend to just use the pre-spiced ones, I think the friend who added dry spices to the onions and vinegar liked them very spicy, so 'too much' was just not going to happen. Yes the salting is vital, and of course the spicing is quicker when you boil it, you could make tea with cold water (who'd want to? but you COULD) if you let it soak for days, the boiling is a lot quicker, but if you plan ahead a bit, you just don't need to.
We are all trying to help, in our different ways.

[valmarg]

We are all trying to help, in our different ways.

Yes, we all have our tried and tested family recipes, and think they are worth passing on, ie they really work for us.

The bottom line is that we love to share these recipies, and help anyone who is new.

valmarg

[T8Ter]

I should be very disappointed if my pickled onions only lasted for 6-8 months. They usually last for at least two years.

valmarg[/QUOTE]

Mine are never around that long to find out

[Hilary B]

I should be very disappointed if my pickled onions only lasted for 6-8 months. They usually last for at least two years.

valmarg

Mine are never around that long to find out [/QUOTE]

Likewise!

[valmarg]

Yes, I think I do far too many for the two of us.

It's a job I don't relish every year, but we do love the onions we pickle.

valmarg

[Pies]

just bookmarking for reference