Pickled onion disaster ? Advice needed please.

henmuffin

I have pickled my own onions for the first time ever and was feeling very proud and wholesome. That was until I checked them :eek: Then I noticed that the vinegar has gone cloudy and there are particles of something floating in it. I followed a recipe, sterilised bottles etc. I was wondering are the onions ruined. The recipe included spices such as coriander and chilli in dark vinegar. Does it matter if the jars aren't totally airtight ? Any advice will be gratefully received !!

kethry

I've got this too. will be watching this thread with interest - i haven't tried mine yet!!

keth
xx

pigpen

Mine too.. but noone has yet died from eating them!!

The cloudiness is just 'stuff' from the onions I guess and the bits probably crystallised bits of whatever from the onions.. maybe bits of the skins you left on when peeling them.

pink.1970

I haven't done any this year my OH doesnt like them, says they are too strong!!

Anyway did u soak the onions in salt water for a couple of days first?? this may be why the vinegar is cloudy.

henmuffin

Yes, I did soak them. Maybe they are supposed to go cloudy. Anyway, like you said I have never heard of anyone dying from pickled onion poisoning :rolleyes:
I am a bit of a disaster in the home made arena. Tonight I have been making dried oranges in the oven to make Xmas decorations. I have just checked on them and they are black !! Oh well.

kethry

yup. I salted em too. oh well. hope they'll be okay.

henmuffin - that happened to me too (the oranges going black).. i think maybe the oven was too high? try doing it again with the door left open a bit or something.

keth
xx

Jarvey

Without seeing a recipe I can only presume that the cloudiness is being caused by using ground spices. Where ever possible use fresh or whole spices. I've eaten many onions from cloudy jars over the decades and survived. I'm getting all my pickles ready for Christmas since you can't buy much of that stuff in Denver.

Raspberry_Swirl

i have a jar of homemade pickled gerkins from my polish neighbours that are cloudy. i've eaten them and am still here and my stomach is notorious for being sensitive!!!

Wimbledonpark

Ithink you will be ok,the taste will tell you otherwise.Enjoy

kizzykizzywizzy

Yep, mine are always slightly cloudy, but are delicious! I've already eaten 2 jars! I gave a jar to my brother in law & he's hinting on another one:p I love cheese & pickled onion sandwiches.

Debt_Free_Chick

Salt can make the vinegar cloudy too as it usually has something added to it to make it flow freely and that "something" makes the vinegar cloudy.

Hard water can make it cloudy.

Lactic acid (natural) can make it cloudy.

But....... cloudiness can be a sign that the pickles are contaminated ...

henmuffin wrote: »

Does it matter if the jars aren't totally airtight ?

Err, yes it does. It doesn't follow that if the jars aren't air-tight that bacteria will get in a spoil the contents, but the risk of this happening is higher. Are the onions slimy/mushy? If so, discard - if not, then it probably isn't contaminated and the cloudines is more than likely due to another reason.