Pickled red onions are very easy to prepare and can work in a salad, as a topping, added in a sandwich, and in many other places. They work well by adding acidity, color contrast, and a crunch to a dish while being extremely cheap and lasting a long time in the fridge.
As pre-first step, cooking is always easiest with a clean kitchen and with all ingredients and cookware ready before you begin.
This recipe works with heat so it is important to take safety measures as to not get burned.
Supplies
This recipe works off of a 1 liter jar size, for larger batches, increase the jar size by 1 liter for each onion.
Ingredients
- 1 Large Red Onion
- White Vinegar
- 333ml or 1/3 of your jar
- Water
- 333ml or 1/3 of your jar
- Kosher Salt
- 1 tbsp. per 1 liter
- If using a fine grain salt, use 1/2 tbsp.
- 1 tbsp. per 1 liter
- Optional
- Any reasonable combination of spices you come up with!
Cookware
- 1 Liter Glass Jar
- Does not need to be a canning jar but must be air tight
- Must be glass, not metal
- Knife and Cutting Board
- Tbsp measuring spoons
- Oven mitt, non-cloth preferred
- Small Sauce Pan
- Stove or heating device
Step 1: Measure Water, Vinegar, and Salt
To measure the water and vinegar, fill your jar 1/3 of the way to the top with vinegar, or 333ml in a 1 liter jar, and then the same with water. Using a measuring spoon, measure out 1/2 of a tablespoon of salt. In this recipe I am using a course grain salt. If you are using a fine grain salt reduce the salt to 1/4 of a tablespoon.
Step 2: Combine the Water, Vinegar, and Salt and Bring to a Boil
In a small saucepan, combine the water, vinegar, and salt. Do not worry about the salt dissolving, it will do this as the combination heats. Place the saucepan on the stove and bring to a boil over high heat. The next 2 steps can be completed while the water is brought to a boil. Once the combination is at a boil, turn off the heat. Remember to always keep an eye on heated items on the stove.
Step 3: Preheat Your Jar With Hot Water
To prevent the jar from cracking, preheat the jar using hot water from the sink. Bring the water from the sink to the hottest it will go and place the jar under the stream. Allow the water to heat up the jar, about 1-2 minutes. Once the jar is up to temp., turn off the water and pour out the water collected in the jar.
Step 4: Cut Onion Into Slices
While the water-vinegar mixture is coming to a boil and the jar is preheating, cut the onion into slices. To do this, cut the onion in half and discard the outer layer. Cut out the core with angled cuts on either side of the core. In the root to stem direction, cut the onion into slices. The layers will be connected to each other at this point, use your hand to pull them apart. Once the jar is done preheating, place the sliced onion into the jar.
If the water-vinegar mixture comes to a boil while you are cutting your onion, turn off the heat so the pot does not over boil or evaporate too much of the liquid.
Step 5: Add Water-vinegar Mixture to the Jar
Once the water-vinegar mixture is brought to a boil, turn off the heat and place the jar with the onion into the sink. If the heat was turned off before this step, bring the mixture back to a boil. It is important to place the jar in the sink to contain any spillage and incase the jar cracks. Being cautious of the heat, slowly poor the water-vinegar mixture into the jar up to just below the lip. Place the saucepan and remaining mixture off to the side.
Step 6: Tap Out the Bubbles
There will more than likely be air trapped within the onions at this point in which should be removed. To do this, with an oven mitt, pick up the jar and lightly tap it against the bottom of the sink. The water-vinegar level will lowered so top the jar off with more of the mixture.
Do note that a cloth oven mitt, as I have in the images, will not protect you from the liquid and only the heat from the jar, therefore, be careful to not get the mitt wet or it will not protect you from the heat.
Step 7: Allow Pickled Onions to Cool in the Fridge
Place the lid on and keep the jar in the sink. Allow the jar to come down to room temperature before placing the jar into the fridge. Moving the jar straight into the fridge will likely cause the jar to crack. For thinly sliced onions, the pickling should be ready in a few hours. For thicker sliced onions, the pickling should be ready in 12 to 24 hours.
The pickled red onions can be kept in the fridge for a few month. However, with how good they are, they might not last that long.
Step 8: Optional/Bonus
Pour the remaining water-vinegar mixture down the drain to clean the pipes.
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