Zesty Pickled Red Onions - Small Batch Canning

This may be the single dish that I make more often.  Lately I always try to have a jar of these laying about.  And of all the canning that I do (limited), this is the easiest.  I only make one or two jars at a time.  the work is very minimal, maybe a total of 5 minutes actual hands on work.  I can easily make these while working on other dishes and the cost is very minimal.

And the pay off is HUGE.  Bright colors for presentation but also a distinctive sweet taste that takes the raw bite out of the onion and replaces it with such a mixture of flavors.

A delight in every way.

This particular recipe adds a couple of spicy peppers to the mix.  These peppers, sweetened by the pickling process still release their zesty spicy oils into the jar flavoring every bite of the onions!  Still sweet pickled, yet with a little kick (just enough to be zesty) at the end!

OK... Here's what I did...

Zesty Pickled Red Onions

Ingredients

• 2-3 Large Sweet Red Onions cut into rings 1/4 inch thick or half moons, very thinly sliced
• 1 Green Jalapeno Pepper, cut into thin rings
• 1 Red Jalapeno Pepper, cut into thin rings
• 2 Cups Vinegar
• 1 Cup Water
• 1/4 Cup Sugar
• Can use 3 tsp of Pickling spices or make your own spice mix...
• 1 tsp Coriander Seeds
• 1/2 tsp Allspice Berries
• 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1/2 tsp Dill Seed
• 1/2 tsp Cloves
• 1 Clove Garlic, very thinly sliced or minced
• 1 Bay Leaf

Cooking Directions

1. In a sauce pan, heat the vinegar, bay leaf, Jalapeno peppers, herbs and sugar to boiling.
2. Add the onion slices and stir for 1 minute, till the onions get soft.
3. Transfer everything to a sanitized jar, seal. Allow to cool to room temperature. you should hear the lid "POP" as it seals from pressure changes. and refrigerate
4. Serve as a side dish, topping for pulled pork or use in recipes.
5. Use with a couple of weeks and ENJOY!!!

So many uses... This is one of those "When I think of it recipes" that whenever I have them I always say I need to constantly have them available. They are fantastic and you can put them on anything... Salads, even pizzas, of course they really shine at a back yard BBQ/Grilling session. they are a beautiful addition to a condiment table, look lovely on a burger and even stand out on a Beer Braised "Brat" Kabob".  Most recently I made a Fresh Tomato and Beer bread (really, beer bread!) Panzanella Salad (photo below) and used these to contrast with the more raw onions in the salad... Beautiful and FANTASTIC (and will be my next post)!

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So,  I am pleased to list this as one of my very favorite Growing list of  "52 Small Batch Canning Ideas"!!!

I love Canning! Love the idea of it, Love having my own Jellies, Pickled produce, Sauces, Chutneys... All those pint, half pint, 4 Ounce jars,,, Even big quart jars of Spaghetti Sauce Lined up in my basement storage shelves.  Small batch means I can usually finish a project in no more than an hour of hands on work and usually less.  Easy DIY Projects that last a month or more... Great ideas for first time canners!

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This simple recipe has also been added to my growing list of "52 Simple but Next Level Dishes"!

Kind of an odd title for these posts. But the longer sentence is... Simple recipes that are easy and inexpensive that will take your cooking to the next level... Things like easy pickled items (I always have a jar of Pickled Red Onions for sandwiches in my fridge). Or how about the easiest bread to make in the world... Beer Bread that is tasty on it's own but also makes a wonderful open face pizza style sandwich... With easy to make Tomato Sauce. Or how about Roasting Garlic for a spread on toast points for a unique appetizer. Infusing Oil with Herbs or spices or spicy peppers. Or how about making your own BBQ sauce. Nothing sets you apart as a grill master like setting out a jar of your own specialty BBQ Sauce.

You get the idea. These recipes are very simple, take very little time but will set you apart as a better cook...

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