Bread and butter pickled onions are delicious anywhere you’d use regular bread and butter pickles. The onions are the best part of bread and butter pickles, and now you have them all right in a jar!
Are you a pickle lover? Do you enjoy the tangy and sweet taste of bread and butter pickles?
If not, you’re missing out. Not only are bread and butter pickled onions delicious, but they’re incredibly useful to have on hand for all sorts of meals.
Pickled onions are a great addition to sandwiches, burgers, salads, and even as a snack on their own! The sweet and tangy flavor is perfectly balanced, making them an excellent accompaniment to a wide range of dishes. Plus, canning your own pickled onions allows you to easily preserve them for later use, ensuring that you always have some on hand.
And did we mention how healthy they are? Pickled onions contain high levels of antioxidants and are a great source of vitamins C and B. Plus, the vinegar used in the pickling process has been shown to aid in digestion and boost your immune system.
So, why not try canning your own bread and butter pickled onions? Here’s how to do it.
(The jars used in this article are the Ball Elite Collection Spiral Mason Jars (28 oz), simply because I wanted to fancy up this fun preserve a little bit. You can use any jar with a 2 part canning lid. The 10-minute canning times are setup for pints and half pints. For 32-ounce quarts, as well as these 28-ounce intermediate canning jars, use 15 minutes. Add 5 minutes if above 6,000 feet in elevation.)
Ingredients for Bread and Butter Pickled Onions
This recipe is adapted from Put ‘Em Up! by Sherri Brooks Vinton. The main thing to note is that with regular bread and butter pickles, you often salt the vegetables for serveral hours before pickling, and this recipe just goes right to work. The reason here is that the cucumbers need a salting and draining before pickling so they’re not soggy, but onions simply don’t. They make excellent bread and butter pickles with just a simple brine, so they’re much easier to make.
The ingredients for canning bread and butter pickled onions are quite simple. To make a canner batch of six pints, you’ll need the following:
- 4 lbs large onions, sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, sliced
- 4 cups distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar (5% acidity)
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp celery seed
- 1 tbsp mustard seed
- 1 tbsp turmeric
You can technically use any kind of onions you’d like for this recipe, but generally sweet white or yellow onions tend to work best. You’ll need around sixteen onions for this recipe, but it will vary slightly depending on the size of the onions.
Bread and Butter Pickled Onions
One note before you get started – be sure to use a nonreactive pot for this recipe, since it uses vinegar.
Start by chopping your onions and slicing the garlic into fine pieces. Try to get these as uniform as possible.
Then, bring the sugar, salt, celery seed, water, vinegar, mustard seed, and turmeric to a boil in a large pot. Once boiled, add in the onions and garlic and stir until all ingredients are thoroughly heated through. Remove the pot from the heat.
Use the boiling water method for this recipe. Clean and heat your canning jars, then ladle the pickle mixture into the jars, making sure the onions are covered by ¼ inch of liquid.
Leave ¼ inch of headspace between the top of the liquid and the lid. Use a bubble remover tool to release any trapped air, then wipe the rims clean. Center the lids on the jars and screw on the bands tightly.
If making refrigerator pickles, simply allow the jars to cool to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator. If canning, proceed to canning instructions below.
Canning Bread and Butter Pickled Onions
If canning, be sure to prepare a water bath canner before beginning, along with jars, rings and lids.
Once the jars are filled, leaving 1/4 inch headspace, process pint and half pint jars for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if above 6,000 feet in elevation). For quarts, add 5 minutes to the canning time.
Once the time has completed, turn off the heat and remove the canner’s lid. Allow the jars to rest in the water for five minutes before removing them and placing them aside to cool for 24 hours. Check the seals, and if your jars are properly sealed, you can store them in a cool, dark place for up to one year.
And if you’re not into canning the recipe? You can still use it! Instead of canning with the water bath method, simply ladle the pickle mixture into bowls or jars and refrigerate for up to three weeks.
Serving Bread and Butter Pickled Onions
When it comes to serving bread and butter pickled onions, there are a few things to keep in mind. These pickled onions are typically served as a condiment or a side dish. They’re great for adding some tangy sweetness to sandwiches, burgers, and hot dogs, or as a flavorful complement to grilled meats.
As for what to serve them with, the possibilities are endless! They pair well with all kinds of savory dishes, from pork chops to roasted vegetables. You could also try serving them alongside some sharp cheddar cheese or other salty snacks like nuts.
And because they’re a bit sweet, they also make a great addition to charcuterie boards or cheese plates.
One thing to keep in mind is that bread and butter pickled onions are typically a ready-to-serve item. That means they’re ready to go right out of the jar, without any additional preparation needed.
Of course, you could always get creative and experiment with adding them to recipes or using them as a topping for your favorite dishes. But if you’re in a hurry or just want to keep things simple, you can always just pop open the jar and enjoy!
Bread and Butter Pickled Onions
Bread and butter pickled onions give you the best part of bread and butter pickles in this simple recipe.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs large onions, sliced
- 6 cloves of garlic, sliced
- 4 cups white vinegar or cider vinegar (5% acidity)
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp celery seed
- 1 tbsp mustard seed
- 1 tbsp turmeric
Instructions
- Start by slicing your onions and slicing the garlic into fine pieces. Try to get these as uniform as possible.
- Bring the sugar, salt, celery seed, water, vinegar, mustard seed, and turmeric to a boil in a large pot.
- Once boiled, add in the onions and garlic and stir until all ingredients are thoroughly heated through.
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Clean and heat your canning jars, then ladle the pickle mixture into the jars, making sure the onions are covered by ¼ inch of liquid.
- Leave ¼ inch of headspace between the top of the liquid and the lid.
- Use a bubble remover tool to release any trapped air, then wipe the rims clean. Center the lids on the jars and screw on the bands tightly.
- Process pint and half pint jars for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if above 6,000 feet in elevation). Quarts are processed for 15 minutes (and 20 minutes above 6,000 feet elevation). Once the time has completed, turn off the heat and remove the canner's lid.
- Allow the jars to rest in the water for five minutes before removing them and placing them aside to cool for 24 hours.
- Check the seals, and if your jars are properly sealed, store them in a cool, dark place for up to one year.
Pickling Recipes
Looking for more simple pickling recipes?
- Pickled Corn Salad
- Pickled Three Bean Salad
- Pickled Green Tomatoes
- Pickled Green Beans (Dilly Beans)
- Pickled Jalapenos
- Pickled Fiddleheads
Savory Preserve Recipes
Looking for more savory ways to enjoy the season?
- How to Make a Herbal Jelly (Savory or Sweet)
- Carmelized Onion Jam
- Tomato Jam
- Corn Relish
- Pickled Brussels Sprouts
Robert DeWitt
Nice but nowhere do you say how msny pints
Ashley Adamant
Makes 6 pints. The recipe card at the bottom says 6 pints, as does the ingredients list in the text of the article.