How to Make Pickled Onions - Titli's Busy Kitchen

No cold meat sandwich or Ploughman's lunch is complete without the classic British pickled onion. Pickling your own onions is really easy!

Ingredients
Typical quantities

750 g (26 oz) small pickling onions
1 litre (2 pints) ready-spiced pickling vinegar
4 tsp salt

To make your own pickling vinegar

1 litre vinegar
150 g (5 oz) sugar
½ tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp black peppercorns


Instructions

Top and tail the onions and place them in a bowl. Cover with boiling water and leave for 10-15 minutes. The skins should now come off easily.
Dry the onions and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt, cover and leave overnight.
Drain the onions and wash in plenty of cold water to remove the salt.
Drain and dry the onions.
Bring the spiced vinegar to the boil. Place the onions in a clean, sterile, hot jar and pour in the vinegar, making sure that the onions are covered. Put on a clean, sterile lid and the job is done!

To make your own pickling spice

Simmer the vinegar, sugar and spices together gently for 30 minutes, then allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Strain the vinegar to remove the spices and place in a clean pan.

Titli's Tips
Leave the onions to mature in a cool, preferably dark place for around 2 months before opening the jar. Once made, and providing the seal on the jar is airtight, the onions will stay fresh in an unopened jar for at least 2 years.