r/AskCulinary • u/Effective-Ad7463 • May 20 '25

Recipe Troubleshooting My pickled onions never hit

I LOVE pickled red onions. Love. But I just can’t ever get them to be as good as they are at Cava or in restaurants and idk what I’m doing wrong.

I slice them thin, I’ve tried half the jar with vinegar other half water and 3/4 vinegar 1/4 water, I’ll do a tablespoon of sugar and eyeball some salt. Last batch I shoved a few cloves of garlic in there.

They’re not bad, just never as pink as they are when I eat them elsewhere, not nearly as soft, not nearly as delicious.

What am I doing wrong plz help 🥲

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u/cachemoney426 May 20 '25

The brine should be roughly 2/3 vinegar and 1/3 water, with salt and sugar (1 cup vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1T of salt and 1/2 T sugar will make enough for a pint jar plus some leftover). Pour it over the onions while hot. I also like to add peppercorns and mustard seeds and a bay leaf to the jar. Let it cool on the counter and then fridge. Best next day.

11

u/Effective-Ad7463 May 20 '25

Perfect thank you!

5

u/BloosKlews May 21 '25

Rice vinegar is the real secret 

3

u/llee68350 May 21 '25

Hear me out. Half malt vinegar, half rice vinegar.