Traditional Pickled Onions

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Small white pearl onions (Approximately 900g)
• 0.75 cups Salt (Approximately 180g, for each brine solution. Original recipe uses 1.5 cups salt to 2 quarts water.)
• 1 quart Water (Approximately 950ml, for each brine solution. Original recipe uses 2 quarts water.)
• 0.5 teaspoon Mace blades (Or 1/4 tsp ground mace)
• 1 teaspoon White peppercorns
• 0.5 teaspoon Whole cloves
• 3 pieces Small bay leaves (Broken into smaller bits)
• 1 small Red pepper (Thinly sliced, or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes)
• 1.5 quarts White vinegar (Approximately 1.4 liters. Original recipe uses 1 gallon vinegar.)
• 0.33 cups Granulated sugar (Approximately 65g. Original recipe uses 1 cup sugar to 1 gallon vinegar.)

Instructions

1. 1Peel the small white pearl onions. Trim the root and stem ends, being careful not to cut too deep, which could cause the onions to fall apart during pickling.
2. 2In a large pot, combine 0.75 cups of salt with 1 quart of water. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, stirring until the salt is fully dissolved. Allow the brine to cool slightly.
3. 3Place the peeled onions in a large, non-reactive bowl or container. Pour the prepared brine over the onions, ensuring they are completely submerged. If necessary, use a plate or weight to keep them under the liquid. Let the onions stand in the brine at room temperature for two days.
4. 4After two days, drain the onions thoroughly, discarding the old brine. Prepare a fresh batch of brine by combining another 0.75 cups of salt with 1 quart of water and bringing it to a boil, stirring until dissolved. Allow to cool slightly.
5. 5Return the drained onions to the clean bowl and cover them with the freshly prepared brine. Ensure they are submerged. Let them stand for another two days at room temperature.
6. 6After the second two-day soak, drain the onions thoroughly again, discarding the brine. Prepare a third batch of brine using 0.75 cups of salt and 1 quart of water, heating it to a rolling boil.
7. 7Carefully add the drained onions to the boiling brine. Boil them for exactly three minutes. This brief boil helps to further tenderize them slightly and prepare them for pickling.
8. 8While the onions are boiling, sterilize your pint jars and lids. Measure out the mace blades, white peppercorns, whole cloves, break the bay leaves into small pieces, and thinly slice the red pepper (if using fresh). Keep them ready for filling.
9. 9Using a slotted spoon, transfer the boiled onions from the brine into the sterilized jars. As you fill, intersperse the onions with bits of mace, white peppercorns, whole cloves, pieces of bay leaf, and slices of red pepper. Fill the jars tightly but leave about 1/2 inch headspace.
10. 10In a separate saucepan, combine 1.5 quarts of white vinegar with 1/3 cup of granulated sugar. Heat the mixture to just below boiling (scalded), stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Do not boil vigorously.
11. 11Carefully pour the hot pickling liquid over the onions and spices in the jars, filling them to overflow (or to the recommended headspace for canning, typically 1/2 inch). Immediately wipe the rims clean and seal the jars with sterilized lids and rings, or cork them tightly while still hot. Allow to cool completely before storing in a cool, dark place. For best flavor, let them cure for at least 2-4 weeks before opening.