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Remember that delicious cucumber mint salad I posted about on Facebook earlier in the week from GNOWFGLINS that I added those beautiful fermented red onions to? These are those onions. Fermented onions are quickly becoming one of my favorite ferments. They add an amazing depth of flavor to so many dishes. I add them on top of green salads, chopped up and mixed into cold salads, even in hot dishes. If you use them in a hot dish, mix them in after the dish is cooked to keep the probiotic benefits. The brine from these onions is delicious as well. It works beautifully in place of vinegar in salad dressings or potato salad. You can also use the fermented onions in place of fresh onions in my Lemon Poppyseed Dressing.
Cucumber Mint Salad from GNOWFGLINS with added fermented onions. So pretty!
And the best part… they are purple! Purple is my favorite color so any food that I can make purple is a super bonus. These onions came from the organic farm up the road from us that the boys and I are working at. We helped plant these beauties and I’ve been waiting ever so patiently for them to be big enough to pick so I could ferment them.
Onions before fermenting.
Onions after fermenting.
Fermented Red Onions
- 4 red onions (or as many as you want to make)
- 2% salt brine (19 gms of salt per 1 quart of filtered water)
Trim off root end. Peel of outer layer of skin and save the skin. Slice onions thinly. Place skins in the bottom of your Pickl-it and pack sliced onions on top. I filled a 1.5L jar with my 4 med sized onions. Adding the skins helps make the color deeper so putting them in is optional. Weigh onions down with a Dunk’R and let set for about a week. Once bubble activity dies down, remove to cold storage. In an airtight vessel, these will last a good year or so.
Hi Melanie-
Great website… and… great kombucha I bought at the farmer’s market last week! Quick question… are you able to let me know which organic farm you are writing about? Do they have a booth at the market? Thanks so much!
-Rachel
Hi Rachel! I help out at North Star Farms (in Carpio). They manage the North Prairie Farmers Market. They are a CSA so they don’t bring produce to the market but they do have garlic (which is amazing BTW).
[...] you love onions as much as I do? If so, you’ll probably love this recipe for fermented red onions from Melanie at Pickle Me Too. Yum! I can’t wait to make a batch of these. I love onions and I really love red onions. [...]
[...] pods at a time and it takes a long time to get enough for a side dish for four hungry eaters. Her red onions are awesome, [...]
I’m about to try this! It looks wonderful!
Do you think the onion skins have any amount of phytic acid or lectins or tannins? The red effect looks great but I am trying to avoid high phytic acid, as well as lectins and tannins. All bind with minerals to some extent and interfere with mineral absorbtion.
Will appreciate your answer to this so much!
[...] So far (the smaller bottle is a week out in that picture) it has been good. No mold or spoilage. I will update as the weeks go by. The onions I did have to make a brine but it was super easy: water and 19 grams of salt per quart of water. That recipe was from Pickle Me Too (here: http://www.picklemetoo.com/2012/08/03/fermented-red-onions/) [...]
What would be a good replacement for a Dunk’R. I have problems with keeping the vegetables submerged. I’ll cut a plastic lid but some always get through and float oh and should I not use plastic I always notice mold when I do?
Sorry,
I just looked further and found an article about floaters using cabbage leaves. I also read once that grape leaves, due to the tanin will keep cucumbers more crunchy and would probably do the same as cabbage leaves as far as holding down the tiny bits. But will the cabbage leaf not mold?
As long as the leaf is under the brine it shouldn’t mold. I use a weight on top of the cabbage leaf to keep it under. Grape leaves are great for keeping things crunchy!
Could a stone be used for a weight on top of the fermenting veggies?
I have heard people suggest that. I would be concerned about no knowing the composition of the rock. You don’t want lead or other heavy metals in your ferment.
Thanks for the reply. I hadn`t thought of that.
[…] Fermented red onions […]
Going to try this today! Question for you though as I am a newbie… About how long does it take for the bubbling to calm down? Is it days? I just need to set myself a reminder to check!
It depends on the temperature of the house but it’s usually between 5-7 days.
I’m a newbie to fermenting and the pickl-it system and clueless!! After a week and you say move to a cool place, like basement, do I take out the pickle-it air lock and place the plug that came with it? Or does that stay on until I refrigerate and use? I’m so confused. I”m also doing 12 week kraut and same question. Do I leave the air lock in and watch the water levels while in basement or replace with the small plug?
I have a silly question, but as I was making these, it just dawned on me….regarding the salt %, is this based on water USED or the size of the container? I did my calculation based on using a 1 liter jar and then wondered, if that was right, because that obviously isn’t the actual amount of water I used. Eek! Did I ruin my onions?
Yes, the salt amount is based on the amount of water. You didn’t ruin them, they just have a little excess salt. Fermentation wise, it should be fine. Taste wise, it might be a little salty.
Thank you Melanie! I haven’t tasted them yet, but I did taste the sauerkraut I made with the same method and I actually like it, lol. It’s not too salty, it’s smooth, not as tart as it would normally be I guess.