Sweet and Sour Pickled Red Onions - from my garden!

These pickled onions will be perfect on your favourite burger, on a charcuterie board, with your favourite cheese, with your Sunday roast... delicious! 

Makes approximately four 500ml jars

Ingredients:

 2 cups/480 ml    apple cider vinegar 

¾ cup/150 g       granulated sugar 

2 tbsp                 pickling salt 

3 lbs/1.4 kg        red onions, trimmed and thinly sliced 

2 tsp                  mustard seed 

1 tsp                  celery seed 

½ tsp                 red pepper flakes 

Directions:

Combine the vinegar, 1½ cups/360 ml water, sugar, and salt in a pot over high heat and bring the brine to a boil. Add sliced onions to brine and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium and simmer briefly to soften onions. 

Meanwhile, combine the remaining spices in a small bowl and stir to blend. Add the spice blend to the sterilized jars, distributing evenly. 

Using tongs, evenly divide the onions between the 4 jars. Pour hot brine into each jar, leaving ½ inch/12 mm headspace. Gently tap the jars on a towel-lined countertop to help loosen any bubbles before using a wooden chopstick to dislodge any remaining bubbles. Check the headspace again and add more brine if necessary.

Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a steam canner for 10 minutes. Let these pickles cure for at least 48 hours before eating.