English Pickled Onions
English Pickled Onions are made with a malt vinegar, sugar and spices brine for a delicious addition to just about any meal or appetizer spread.
Pickled onions are a standard for the English Ploughman’s lunch which consists of bread, cheeses and cold meats. Also a great addition to your next charcuterie board.
English Pickled Onions ~ Easy Recipe
Homemade condiments are great to have on hand and often much more delicious than the store bought varieties, not to mention they are much more affordable.
Ingredients for English Pickled Onions:
- Small onions – pickling size
- Kosher Salt
- Malt Vinegar
- Coriander Seeds
- Celery Seeds
- Mustard Seeds
- Peppercorns
- Chile Flakes
How to Make English Pickled Onions:
Peel the onions by removing both ends. If they are hard to peel, place in a heat proof bowl and pour boiling water over them, drain well. Rinse with cold water and the peels will come right off.
Place peeled onions in a large bowl and sprinkle with kosher salt. Toss to coat well. Cover with a flour sack towel or plastic wrap and set aside for 12 hours. You don’t want to go longer than 12 hours or it will make the onions soft.
- The salt will draw excess moisture out of the onions, making them crunchy.
- Rinse and drain the onions.
- Dry with a flour sack towel or paper towels.
- Sterilize 4 pint jars and the lids in boiling water.
- Mix the pickling spices together.
- Add sugar, pickling spices to a pan.
- Pour in the malt vinegar and place over medium heat.
- Heat the brine mixture until it is hot but not a rolling boil, stirring occasionally.
- Fill the jars with onions.
- Use a funnel to pour the brine over the onions, making sure to get the pickling spices into each jar.
- Stick a butter knife down into each jar to remove any air bubbles.
- Wipe the tops of the jars with a damp cloth and add the lids.
- Store onions at room temperature 3- 6 weeks before opening, they are best at 8 weeks.
Storage for Pickled Onions:
- After opening, store in the refrigerator up to 3 months.
- For longer storage, these pickled onions can be processed for canning but the onions will not stay crisp.
Serve pickled onions alongside fried fish, grilled fish or any traditional English meal. They also make a great addition to a charcuterie board or snack to serve with cocktails.
More Homemade Condiments:
We made these English Pickled Onions with the small onions that we harvested from our garden. Look for pearl onions in the produce section of your grocery store. We adapted this recipe slightly from this pickling recipe.
English Pickled Onions are a condiment to serve with summer sandwiches, fish dinners and a great addition to your next party appetizer platter.
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English Pickled Onions
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 pounds small onions pearl onions or pickling onions
- 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon celery seeds
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 36 ounces malt vinegar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Peel the onions by removing both ends. If they are hard to peel, place in a heat proof bowl and pour boiling water over them, drain well. Rinse with cold water and the peels will come right off.
- Place peeled onions in a large bowl and sprinkle with kosher salt. Toss to coat well. Cover with a flour sack towel or plastic wrap and set aside for 12 hours. You don't want to go longer than 12 hours or it will make the onions less crunchy.
- Rinse and drain the onions and dry with a flour sack towel or paper towels.
- Sterilize 4 pint jars and the lids in boiling water.
- Fill the jars with onions.
- Mix the pickling spices together.
- Add sugar, pickling spices to a pan.
- Pour in the malt vinegar and place over medium heat.
- Heat the brine mixture until it is hot but not a rolling boil, stirring occasionally.
- Use a funnel to pour the brine over the onions, making sure to get the pickling spices into each jar.
- Stick a butter knife down into each jar to remove any air bubbles.
- Wipe the jar rims with a damp cloth and add the lids.
- Store onions at room temperature 3- 6 weeks before opening, they are best at 8 weeks.
This was a hit at my last party on the appetizer table! Thank you!!
So easy to make it’s crazy!! I love pickled onions, thanks for this recipe.