{"id":2010,"date":"2020-11-07T10:10:57","date_gmt":"2020-11-07T10:10:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gardendad.co.uk\/?p=2010"},"modified":"2020-11-09T09:00:23","modified_gmt":"2020-11-09T09:00:23","slug":"how-to-pickle-shallots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gardendad.co.uk\/how-to-pickle-shallots\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Pickle Shallots: A Simple Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pickled shallots are a fantastic, and very easy thing to make. These small onions<\/a> are sweeter than their standard cousins, and their size makes them ideal to fit into a jar with vinegar. They are delicious, nutritious, and very moreish – what could you love more about a pickled onion! So you want to find out how to pickle shallots? Then you\u2019ve come to the right place.<\/p>\n

Why pickle shallots?<\/h2>\n

\"why<\/p>\n

Shallots contain a great deal of healthy substances – they are high in Vitamin C and A, as well as B Vitamins. They also contain fibre and micronutrients such as Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium and Zinc.<\/p>\n

All onions are a rich source of antioxidants too, mainly due to a component called Allicin<\/a>, which is great for general health and immunity. Cooking these onions to oblivion can destroy some of these fantastic health benefits, so eating them raw is the bet bet.<\/p>\n

But raw onion is not the nicest taste in the world, even when said onion is a mild tasting shallot! So what\u2019s the best way to enjoy an onion\u2019s health benefits? Pickling it, of course!<\/p>\n

Pickling any vegetable is a great way to preserve not only the taste, but also the nutritional value of that vegetable.<\/p>\n

Cooking anything can remove some of its vital health benefits, but as pickling is generally done \u201ccold\u201d<\/em> (ie the vegetable is not cooked), then you are preserving all of the good stuff.<\/p>\n

Plus (and this may be the most important reason, but it\u2019s a reason nonetheless), pickled stuff tastes great!<\/p>\n

Pickled shallots are a great addition to a cheese board, a lunch time sandwich – or just a yummy treat to grab from the jar as you\u2019re passing.<\/p>\n

How to pickle shallots<\/h2>\n
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  1. Select your best, firmest and healthiest onions. You should discard any that are floppy or squishy as these are likely to mould and disintegrate in the jar.<\/li>\n
  2. Top and tail the onions, and remove the skins.<\/li>\n
  3. Place 450g of onions into a brine made up of 600ml of water with 50g of salt dissolved into it. Alternatively, you can omit the water and add the salt to the onions and let them sit overnight, stirring regularly.<\/li>\n
  4. Tip the onions into a colander or sieve and rinse them well to remove the salt.<\/li>\n
  5. Add 400ml malt vinegar, 1tsp pink peppercorns, 1tsp yellow mustard seeds and 1tbs of caster sugar to a pan.<\/li>\n
  6. Simmer until the sugar has dissolved, then drain the mixture through a sieve to remove the spices. Cool to room temperature.<\/li>\n
  7. Sterilise your jars by washing them in warm soapy water, the placing in a pre heated oven for 5 minutes.<\/li>\n
  8. After cooling the jars for a minute or two, place the onions into the jars and pour over the vinegar mixture.<\/li>\n
  9. Seal the jars and store for however long you can avoid eating the contents!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Here is a good video showing you how to pickle shallots:<\/p>\n