Pickled Red Onions (no sugar)

5 from 10 votes

Course: condiment

Cuisine: American

Servings: (2-Tablespoon) servings

Calories: 8kcal

Peel the onion and cut it in half lengthwise from stem to root. Place one half-onion on a cutting board flat-side down; cut off and discard a thin slice from each end. Cut the rest of the onion into 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch slices. Repeat with the other half.
Put the onion slices into the jar. Arrange the garlic cloves and sprigs of thyme (or rosemary).
Pour the vinegar and water into a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the honey, salt, and peppercorns and warm up while stirring just until the honey and salt blends into brine. Do not boil.
Pour the brine into the jar and cap. At first it will seem like there isn't enough brine (see photo below). Don't worry; the salt draws moisture from the onions and they will soften. After about an hour you'll see that there is plenty of brine to cover the onions. Flip the jar over periodically to help the process.
After the brine cools down, refrigerate. Wait a few hours or until the next day before eating so the flavor has a chance to set in.

The vinegar tends to rust Mason jar screw bands or other caps. To prevent this I suggest covering the mouth of the jar with a square of parchment paper (double layer) before capping.
Feel free to add different herbs or spices to the brine such as allspice, red pepper flakes, star anise, or fresh dill.
Raw honey contains beneficial enzymes that are destroyed when heated. Only warm the brine until the honey and salt dissolve, then remove from heat.
Once the onions are eaten don't throw away the leftover brine; it is flavorful and contains nutrients from the onions, garlic, herbs, and spices. Use it in place of vinegar when making salad dressing.