Canning: Red Onions in Vinegar

Sense of Home Kitchen

I get overly excited when I see jars of my home-canned produce on my pantry shelves.  Such an abundance makes me feel rich, I have what I need to provide nutritious meals for my family.  I am not the kind of person to have a lot of "things", stuff just does not mean much to me.  Now, don't get me wrong, I have plenty of "stuff", and not all of it is necessary, and in an effort to simplify our lives I have been gradually reducing the unnecessary stuff in our lives by taking it to good-will or the second-hand stores to be sold to someone who can make use of it.  However, when it comes to my kitchen pantry, I like to see lots of colorful jars lining the shelves.

Those jars represent a labor of love so that we can live frugally while still eating well.  There is such a variety of produce and I want to preserve some of it for use during the cold, snowy months that will inevitably come.  I have been working hard planting, weeding, and watering my garden so that it will produce an abundance of fruits and vegetables that will, along with what I pick up at the farmer's market or from friends and family provide the majority of our food until next year's garden begins producing.  I will share garden photos soon, the strawberry plants are loaded with berries and the raspberries are literally humming with honeybees, there are small peppers on some of the plants, the tomatoes are flowering, soon we will have all the radishes and lettuces we can eat.

I have multiple canning recipes I have never tried and would love to make this the year I try them, but that will depend on how soon the store sells and how much time I will have as the summer progresses.  I am off to a good start and very happy to have added these red onions in vinegar, they make an excellent addition to cold salads, such as, pasta, potato, and a variety of vegetable salads.

Red Onions in Vinegar
~Sense of Home Kitchen, based on a recipe from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving~

Makes 4 pints

4 cups red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic
10 cups peeled and sliced red onions (about 1/4-inch thick)

Prepare water-bath canner, jars, rings, and lids by washing in hot soapy water.  Fill canner 2/3 full of water and place jars in, making sure they are 2/3-filled with water and sitting on a rack, not the bottom of the pot.  Cover canner. Heat water to a simmer over medium-high heat to sterilize the jars, boiling is not necessary.  Leave jars in hot water until ready to fill with onions.

Meanwhile, in a large stainless steel saucepan, combine vinegar and garlic.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil gently for 5 minutes until garlic flavor has infused the liquid.  Add onion rings, increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and boil gently, covered, for 5 minutes, until onions are heated through.  Discard garlic.

Place new, washed, jar lids in a small saucepan of water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, simmer for 30 to 60 seconds, do not boil.  Pack hot onion rings into hot jars to within a generous 1/2-inch of top of jar.  Ladle hot vinegar liquid into jar to cover onions, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.  Remove air bubbles with a non-metalic utensil and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot vinegar liquid.  Wipe rim with a clean cloth.  Center sterilized lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.

Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water.  Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid and wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool, remove band and test to see that they are sealed, wipe down jar and store.


Sense of Home Kitchen / Recipes / Canning