Pickling onions

[Scoot]

Never done this before but I'm just gunna use some pickled juice that is left in the fridge from a jar of pickles.

I was just wondering what the process is of preparing the small onions before chucking them in the juice. Do I cook them or not? Anything else?

[veggiechicken]

The "pickled juice" won't be strong enough to pickle onions. You need to start with fresh vinegar as it will have been diluted by the old onions.

[WendyC]

As VC said you really need fresh pickling vinegar. It's not expensive at the supermarket.
I soak onions in a string brine solution fo 24 hours first. This draws out some of the moisture. After a good rinse I pack them into sterilised jars.
Best tip I had was to make peeling easier pour a kettle of boiling water over the onions or shallots first.

[Scoot]

Thanks. I didn't think it would be just a simple task.

So if i peel them, chuck them in a strong salty water for 24 hours, then chuck them into the pickling vinegar? Leave for how long?

Let me guess though, it's not that simple?

[WendyC]

Rinse well and dry before putting them in the pickling vinegar. Leave for as long as you like. We're still eating last year's which are quite potent now. I think you'd need to leave them a month but I'm guessing.

[Bill HH]

onions are sensitive creatures they don't like being chucked here then chucked there. The correct term is "place with loving care".

[Nannysally99]

Must get my one jar out and re do. Used vinegar from pickle jar ......

[roitelet]

I never eat mine under a year old. The vinegar I use is ordinary vinegar with an acidity of 8% boiled up with whole pickling spice, or you can add a teaspoon of whole pickling spice to each jar. Dry brine the onions for 24 hours then pack in jars and pour the hot vinegar over them and cover at once with a jam skin and metal lid. The jam skin stops the lid from rusting.

If you like your onions sweet add 6ozs of sugar to 1.5pints of vinegar and add a piece of green pepper and a sprig of tarragon to each jar.

Be patient and don't touch them before at least Christmas!!!!!!

[cazzaahh]

do you have to use special onions for pickling ..if so when do you plant them ??

[roitelet]

I use shallots but pickling Onions are just small onions or you can grow silver skin onions if you want white ones.

[vixylix]

You can also slice bigger onions and pickle them that way!