pickles, jams and chutney advice please:)

cheel

Hello,

I love pickled onions and chutney. However when I make them they dont turn our so well.

My pickled onions I follow Delia smiths instructions, soak them in brine, sterilised jars, keep them in a box so they are in the dark and they still come out not si crunchy and with those greenish yellow dots on them. can anyone give me any tips ? The strength is great they are eye waterers which is what I like. I use the vinegar sold by the veg man, should I be using sarsons? Could it be that the onions aren't tip top condition in the first place?

Also my chutney doesn't come out brilliantly, and tips or tried and tested recipes would be most welcome.

Thanks

FairyPrincessk

Hi Cheel,

I don't know much about chutney and I've never pickled onions, but I see no one else has chimed in so I'll offer my only suggestion. From my limited preserving experience I think you might need to swap out the vinegar. Commercially produced vinegars have a standardized Ph which will ensure consistent performance. If the one you're using is produced by someone in small batches it might have a more variable Ph so it might not be producing consistent results. Of course if your veg man is just selling commercially produced vinegar of a different brand then this may not apply The same is true for lemon juice used in other preserves--recipes will often specify that it be from a bottle rather than fresh lemons for this reason.

jackyann

Can't help with chutney, but I follow my great aunt's tip about pickled onions - not actually onions - she reckoned shallots kept their crunch better, and to leave the spices in the jar (haven't a clue why)
I would use commercial malt vinegar, but add your own spices.

Having said that, I reckon with pickles, jams, bread and sponges: sometimes the goddess smiles on you and sometimes she doesn't

Anne_Marie_2

What kind of chutneys are you talking about? I'm not one heavily into pickling and making jams and chutneys, but I do make a nice onion marmalade and also some berry ones to serve with cheese, usually baked brie in my case. Probably would go well with meat too, but I'm a veggie. If that's what you are looking for, just say and will give post the recipes.

-taff

Can't fo wrong with any chutmey recipes from the River Cottage book by Pam Corbin.

Also take a look at the recipes on The Grapevine forum.

You do need a good heavy based pan for it though, and an ability to enjoy the smell of boiling vinegar. A Maslin pan is good, or if you haven't got one, a heavy based steamer/pressure cooker pan.

suki1964

I can just about remember helping mum with the pickled onions as a nipper

We peeled zillions of shallots. Then they were covered in salt over night, rinsed and dried

Mum made her own pickling vinegar, using malt and her own blend of spices. She did strain the spices out I do know that. And the onions had to be left 8 weeks. They were dark, crunchy and OMG hot and lovely


Thinking on, she must have used an old good housekeepers recipe. Certainly a popular cook book from the 60/70's

cheel

Thanks everyone.

Anne - marie id love your recipe please! Onion marmalade sounds perfect.

I wonder if its my pan, I just use a normal stainless steel one. And will definitely give shallots a try. I'm sure I saw some the other day.

A d ill check the container of the vinegar, might need to get a better one.

Thankyou all for the pointers xx

Alex1985

Proper pickling vinegar is important to use - you can make up your own, sometimes you can buy the pickling spice mixtures in the supermarket. As I'm lazy, I buy ready made stuff (one jar a month through the year spreads the cost). Once peeled, I use the dry method too - layer salt with the onions/shallots in a large stockpot or mixing bowl. If you want a slightly sweeter mix you can mix the salt with sugar, use up to 50/50. Leave for up to 24 hours then rinse off and add to the vinegar. It has worked for me for several years.

natbags

I too use dry salt to draw the moisture out, as i'm told its that that makes them stay crunchy. I usually do it over two days, so salt them one day and leave overnight covered then again the next day/night, then rinse off, pat dry with lots of kitchen paper and jar up. I dont boil my vinegar I use pickling vinegar (Sarsons usually) and leave the spices in, I also add a few birds eye chillis (we like them hot) - these remain crunchy for about a year (thats the longest they've ever lasted here)

Mojisola

cheel wrote: »

I love pickled onions and chutney. However when I make them they dont turn our so well.

My pickled onions I follow Delia smiths instructions, soak them in brine, sterilised jars, keep them in a box so they are in the dark and they still come out not si crunchy and with those greenish yellow dots on them.

The dots are nothing to worry about - they happen sometimes with pickled onions.

My trusty MAFF publication "Home Preservation of Fruit and Vegetables" says under Problems - "Yellow spots on pickled onions - Due to the formation of a harmless substance".

As long as your vinegar is real vinegar and 5% acid, it is fine to use.

Bettie

I now use real malt vinegar for my eggs,onions and other pickling. I was using the veg mans acetic acid white stuff which made the eggs look nice and white but it wasn't the same. Had a few moans about the eggs looking brown but they tasted so much better..