Pickling Shallots

Having always used malt vinegar for pickled onions I wonder can I use apple cider vinegar instead? There is a local producer which is organic that produces vinegar and cider. I did use the vinegar for my first time of pickling walnuts but not sure if the taste will be altered for the shallots with cider vinegar. Any thoughts? thank you as always.

 

Ask if his vinegar has 5% acetic acid, to ensure bacterial inhibition. After that its a question for your taste buds !
Have you experience of brine pickling/fermentation of shallots ?

 

@infradig collected some cider vinegar and had a long chat with the owner. He showed us jars of onions from last year in cider vinegar. He adds "half a bag" of sugar to a litre of cider vinegar. He also uses it for beetroot but this time only the vinegar but puts a layer of "runny" honey on the top.
No to your question. Should I be concerned?

 

a) if his vinegar is less than 5% acetic acid content, then both he and you should be concerned....
b) regarding fermenting/brine pickle, then no need for concern beyond doing it right. As it is forecasted as a wet weekend (cataclysmic some forecasters say?) you might be interested in this Vegetable & Fruit Recipes Archives

 

My father simply used malt vinegar and pickling spice for his pickled onions, he was the only one that liked them.

 

I have always used malt vinegar to pickle my onions, I also add sugar and a few dried chillies. I have on occasions used distilled white vinegar for an improved colour.

 

As a 'practicing' diabetic, the addition of sugar* to pickles is not a favoured option. Therefore by fermenting/brine pickling gives an option to achieve the desired results. Refrigeration of the product greatly extends shelf life, not needing vast quantities means its not a problem.

*artificial sweeteners are not recommended for they cause greater (but different !) problems than sugar, I am advised.

 

Hi I am coeliac so unfortunately can't use malt vinegar. I use the white or spirit vinegar, you can use cider vinegar but the taste will be somewhat different. With the white / spirit vinegar you do the recipe the same as for malt. hope that helps.

 

Well spent the morning crying tears as I got the shallots ready for pickling tomorrow. I had my glasses on but still not enough.
Yes I know that people say do them under water, but how do you cut the top/bottom in a bowl of water?
They are ready now and in brine and will be pickled tomorrow.
A really good harvest this year.

 

The onion scent goes up your nose which affects your eyes IMO.
So you really need a gas mask.

 

My nan used to say that whistling while you're peeling/chopping onions prevents your eyes watering. It doesn't work very well for me!

 

Well the shallots are now pickled. Thought that we would end up with more jars but did get 5 big jars. Some of the "spring" onions in the tunnel are turning into small bulbs so will look at pulling them and pickling them as well.