Pickled Shallots - help!

[Mrs_m]

Evening all,
So, hubby has brought me a giant bag of shallots today. In my haste and naivety I suggested pickling them, thinking it was as simple as peeling them & pouring on vinegar. Not so, it seems 
Ive had a look at a few online recipes and i cant find a great deal of feedback to say if they're actually any good
Can anyone give me a tried & tested method if pickling shallots please?!
Mrs M x

[Mrs_m]

[gavinjconway]

Mrs M... Thats Spooky.... I've just made a load from shallots and potato onions (similar to shallots)  We finished our last lot the other day so used the last batch of shallots tonight.. 

Simples... peel, wash and drain, place in colander and sprinkle salt liberally - leave overnight to draw moisture out. Get some pickling spice from town or ebay. Estimate how much vinegar you will need and simmer up about half the vinegar with spices for 10 min - leave overnight to stew.

Next day wash the salt off the onions with some plain vinegar and bottle the onions. Now share out the spiced vinegar mix into all the jars - share out all the dregs into the jars as well. Top up as required with plain vinegar. . Leave for a month before eating..

ps. The normal spice mix will be great as a plain pickle with a tiny nippy bite.. if you like HOT then add some extra chili flakes!! 

pps. I get a few pickling spice mixes on ebay every now and then and mix them to get a blended flavour..

[markfield rover]

As above but we add honey.

[pumkinlover]

Ahhh.... someone else who adds a sweetener! I was keeping quiet but my recipie has 6oz sugar to every pint of vinegar!

[gavinjconway]

Interesting adding sugar / honey... I'll try that next time. Thank you.

[Annemieke]

Simples... peel

says gavinjconway ..... I find peeling my small onions a pain. They are red onions, are they harder to peel? Is there a trick, like there is for garlic, to make it easier?
Thanks!

[gavinjconway]

Yeah there is an easier way to peel them. Give them to one of your family to do and go out for a few hours!!   


I have blanched them in boiling water for 1 minute which did make it easier.

[winecap]

" I suggested pickling them, thinking it was as simple as peeling them & pouring on vinegar. "

I confess, that's how I do mine. I add some pickling spice to the jar at the end and then leave for a month at least. Lovely.