Try this Pickled Onions recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 25.956 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0.0630000009387732 g
- Protein 0.0945 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (36g)
- Sodium 1745.385 mg
- Sugar 25.8929999990612 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 96 calories
Step-by-step
- Pack the onions into a 1-pint mason jar or similar heat-safe vessel. Add peppercorns and thyme.
- In a small saucepan, combine the water, vinegars, honey and salt.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then carefully pour the mixture into the jar over the onions.
- Press the onions down into the vinegar and pop any air bubbles in the jar.
- Let the onions cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate.
- They can be consumed immediately but are best if they sit overnight.
- These quick-pickled onions will keep 2 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
- Experiment with replacing the thyme and peppercorns with ginger, red chili, allspice, garlic and/or red pepper flakes.
Slicing red onions too thickly leaves raw, pungent centers that the warm brine cannot penetrate within thirty minutes. Slicing them paper-thin allows the heated mixture of water, honey, and vinegars to soften the cell walls uniformly. Packing the glass jar tightly ensures the liquid fully submerges every piece without requiring excessive amounts of extra brine.
Adjusting acid ratios changes the final flavor profile drastically, so maintain equal parts liquid if swapping vinegars. Using only apple cider vinegar imparts a heavier fruitiness, whereas white wine vinegar delivers a sharper, cleaner bite. Honey dissolves completely during the gentle simmer over medium heat, balancing the sharp salinity of the one and a half teaspoons of salt.
Aromatic substitutions require culinary restraint to avoid overpowering the Allium base. Replacing the thyme sprig with bruised garlic cloves or sliced ginger introduces robust secondary notes during the overnight resting period. Peppercorns provide a subtle warmth that ground black pepper simply cannot match due to sediment clouding the clear liquid.
Storing the sealed mason jar in the refrigerator preserves the crisp texture for up to three weeks. Consuming them immediately after cooling yields a sharp crunch, but waiting twelve hours mellows the harsh raw edge entirely. Discard the contents if any cloudiness develops beyond the natural suspension of spice particles.
