I am slooooooowly going through my old ferments and getting them updated for the Pickl-It jars. I will, at some point, get them all updated. It’s just going to take me awhile! 
I did get my original pickled onion recipe updated and that is what I’m sharing with you this week. This recipe is SO easy! Two ingredients is all you need – onions and brine (I guess brine is technically two ingredients). You can also make these fancier by adding some garlic or fresh herbs. I meant to add garlic and thyme to my batch, but I was crying so hard by the end of slicing all those onions that I completely forgot. My health food store had a great price on red onions recently, so I stocked up. Those are some of the strongest red onions I’ve ever sliced. I made two slices in my first onion and was already crying! Tears and sharp knives are not a good combo!
If you don’t like red onions, feel free to use a different variety. These “pickled” onions are delicious in salads, on sandwiches, with eggs, on pizza, and more. Really, you can use them any way you would regularly use onions. Delish! I made a two liter jar, but you can make more or less, depending on how much you like them. They will last upwards of a year in cold storage, so it’s a great chance to make a big batch. They do get better with age. The picture above I took before the fermenting got underway. I thought they were much prettier at the start than they were once they were fermented.
Lactofermented Red Onions (Updated for the Pickl-It)
5 red onions – mine were on the small/medium side, so you may only need 3 if they’re really big
Fresh herbs (optional)
Fresh garlic (optional)
2% brine (19 grams of sea salt per 1 quart of filtered water)
Instructions
1. Make your brine and let cool to room temperature. For a 2L Pickl-It jar, I needed exactly one quart of brine.
2. Slice your onions (have tissues ready, and please, don’t cut yourself!)
3. If you are using fresh herbs and garlic, place those in the bottom of the jar. Then pack your sliced onions on top and pack to the shoulder of the jar.
4. Add your weight (I use the lid of a .2L Fido Jar).
5. Pour your brine over the onions, filling to the neck of the jar. You want to make sure you leave at least an inch of headroom between the top of the brine and the lid.
6. Add your airlock and close the lid. Wrap the jar in a dark towel to keep the light out. UV light destroys all the good little bacteria we’re trying to cultivate!
7. Leave at room temperature until the active bubbling stops. Depending on the temperature of your house, this could be anywhere between 5 and 10 days. My house is starting to cool off now that it’s fall, so it took 8 days at room temperature. When the bubbling is done, move to cold storage and enjoy!
Delicious Obsessions was founded by Jessica Espinoza in 2010. Jessica is passionate about real food, natural living, and more. She helps people see how to eat nourishing food, without breaking the bank. Her motto is "baby steps" -- making small, lasting changes, one at a time, is the best way to ensure long-term success. This website contains "affiliate links" where appropriate, on which, I may earn a small commission or referral fee on your purchase. This has no effect on your price. The monies earned help maintain and support this website's hosting, maintenance, and the development of free content. The content shared on this site is for informational and educational purposes only. Statements/products discussed have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease or illness. Please consult your own health care practitioner before making changes to your current diet or before beginning any herbal or vitamin supplement regimen or exercise program.
Can I just use this same recipe for the Fido? How many Tbs are 19 grams of salt? Are you using pink himalayan salt? I want to make this and some kraut tomorrow, been putting it off and I love your weekly series.
Lori – You could do the same in a Fido jar, but I don’t like fermenting in the fidos, because there is no way for the gasses to escape and the CO2 buildup damages the LABs.
In regards to the salt, you can use whatever sea salt you have on hand. Mine is a super fine grind pink Himalayan salt – it’s almost like a powder. I don’t know a precise measurement for it, because I just always use my scale. Next time I make some, I will try to make a note of the tbsp. measurement, though it won’t be that accurate for people because their salts are all going to be different. Hence why it is best to weigh it. Does that help at all?
Is it normal for the red onions to lose their color and turn greyish after a month or two in fidge?
Ho Lola – Yes, I am noticing mine are really starting to fade out — this last batch was the longest I’ve let stay in the fridge. Normally I eat them quickly, but for some reason, I haven’t been in the mood for onions. Weird. The brine is now more of a grayish purple color. They still taste good though!
I have a question. If you can use these like regular onions, will it kill the good bacteria if they are heated. I am trying to get fermented foods into my hubby, but if heating kills good bacteria this won’t work less they are served raw. Going to start a batch now. Thanks for your blog!! Making these onions and fermented garlic today!
Hi Rebecca – If you want to preserve the probiotic benefit, then yes, you would want to avoid heat. I like to put them on sandwiches, wraps, salads, etc. The uses are many! Enjoy!