Principles of Pickling

Learning to make pickled vegetables is an essential skill. Historically, this was always done to preserve food in the days before refrigeration. Nowadays, it is used to create some of the most delicious sides and garnishes you will come across. These onions are no exception! You can make them so quickly and they add a splash of vibrant pink colour and a burst of sweet, tangy flavour.

You can apply the techniques used in this recipe to really most pickles you want to come across. The core lesson in here is about the 3-2-1 ratio. This relates to the balance of acid, dilution and sugar used to get the flavour right, and to pickle correctly. Essentially, you want to use 3 parts vinegar to 2 parts water and 1 part sugar. You should also use some salt, to aid with both preservation and flavour. The amount you use is more up to personal preference!

Personalising the Flavour

This is the fundamental basis for pickling, and I would then encourage you to experiment with spices according to what you are making! Adding in a few peppercorns, a star anise, bay leaves etc. can add a wonderful depth of flavour and keep the pickles on theme with a dish you are making. Of course, you could also throw in more aromatic vegetables like a garlic clove.

The final aspect that determines the flavour profile of your pickles is the choice of vinegar. You can keep it simple with plain white vinegar, but life is for living isn’t it? There’s a whole world of vinegars from all over the world to play with. Using things like malt, black or balsamic vinegar are not really suitable for this, but most others are! I may choose to use rice vinegar if I am pickling to accompany a south Asian dish for example, or white wine vinegar for something more western/European.

This Recipe

This is a very simple recipe. I have kept it so in order to keep these onions versatile, and also to focus the recipe on core pickling principles. I have not used any additional spices to make this, but they still taste fantastic. For this recipe, I have used white wine vinegar, but that is simply my personal preference!

These are so versatile and taste great with almost anything! I really like to use these in burger, sandwiches, salads or as a garnish on chilli!

Sweet & Sharp Pickled Red Onions

Sweet, sharp and colourful. These pickled red onions are a classic garnish to liven up a range of dishes with a splash of colour and a burst of flavour!

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Pickling Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course: Garnish

Cuisine: Asian, European, South American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 Red Onion
• 180 ml White Vinegar Or a flavoured vinegar
• 120 ml Water Boiling
• 4 tbsp White Granulated Sugar
• 1.5 tsp Salt

Method

 

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add your container. Boil for 5 minutes to sterilise it, remove and leave to cool
2. Julienne your onion and separate the slices by hand. Add to the container.
   
3. Add the salt and sugar. Massage it by hand and ensure the salt and sugar is evenly distributed among the onions.
   
4. Leave to rest for 5 minutes. By this point, your onions should have sweated out a lot of liquid and started to soften.
   
5. Add in the vinegar and leave for another 5 minutes.
   
6. Add the boiling water, mix and seal the pot. Leave aside for another 30 minutes and watch the colour intensify! These will now be ready to eat straight away and can last up to a couple of months in the fridge.