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Pickled Red Onions

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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
  • 1.5 cups granulated sweetener allulose, sugar, or honey
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 4 allspice berries
  • 4 black peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick smashed
  • 1 star anise pod
  • 0.5 teaspoons Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 pounds red onions sliced thin

Method
 

  1. Combine brine ingredients: In a large, non-reactive pot, combine 3 cups apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar, 1.5 cups granulated sweetener (allulose, sugar, or honey), 4 whole cloves, 4 allspice berries, 4 black peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, smashed, 1 star anise pod, and 0.5 teaspoons Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes.
  2. Simmer and infuse: Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes . Cover, remove from heat, and let the spices steep.
  3. Slice the onions: While the brine steeps, peel and trim 1 pounds red onions, sliced thin, then slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Discard any leathery outer rings.
  4. Add the onions: Bring the brine back to a boil, then turn off the heat and stir in the sliced onions until fully coated and submerged.
  5. Let cool: Cover the pot and let the onions and brine cool together completely — this is where the color and flavor develop.
  6. Jar and chill: Transfer the onions and brine to mason jars and refrigerate for at least a few days before serving.

Notes

Makes about 2 pints. Doubling the recipe yields roughly 3 one-quart jars. This is a refrigerator pickle, not a shelf-stable canned product — store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks and skip the freezer.