Small addiction

I think I have a problem. No, I am not talking about my addiction to buying workout clothing. I am talking about my addiction to all of the Mexican food.

It could be the spicy and fresh flavour combinations or the colours or the avocados. It is most likely all of the above. 

I adore topping my salads (enchiladas and tacos) with pink pickled onions. Full disclosure I also love to add jalapenos to the top of all of those things (and other things too). I digress. Pink pickled onions are the best, the colour and crunch are amazing. They add a little sharp dimension to a meal.

As with all things, I search for a way to have the things I want without them being bad for me.

Traditionally pickling requires a combination of vinegar, sugar and water. Whenever possible, I try to keep away from sugar, so I set about making a pickle solution that would be sugar-free without comprising on flavour.

Bro science warning

I’m going to attempt to explain what the pickle solution does. 

What is pickling? Pickling is the process of soaking foods in solutions to prevent spoilage.

There are two basic types of pickling. 

Type one using an acidic solution that kills bacteria; this is often a vinegar solution. Often a vinegar solution will use sugar and spices to add more flavour. Some examples of type one pickling are pickled cucumbers and onions. 

Type two using salt or brine (saltwater) to encourage fermentation which means that good bacteria grow and beat out the harmful bacteria that makes food spoil. Some examples of type two pickling are sauerkraut and kimchi.

Bro science completed

So the challenge was to find a replacement for the sugar usually added to a pickling solution without having a negative impact finding a way to preserve the onions the same way that a traditional pickle solution would but replacing the sugar with something else. 

Test 1 coconut sugar

First attempt was using three tablespoons of coconut sugar as a replacement. I used apple cider vinegar which has it’s own slight sweetness while still acting as a preservative. 

The result onions that were far too sweet for me, the mixture worked well, and the pickles were good to eat for four weeks, but I didn’t enjoy the flavour. 

Test 2 maple syrup

For this test, I decided to use two tablespoons of maple syrup to see if it would give the right flavour I was looking for. I stuck with the apple cider vinegar as I do like the flavour.

The result while this batch was much better than the coconut sugar version I still didn’t really like. 

Test 3 honey

For this test, I decided to use two tablespoons of honey to see if it would give the right flavour I was looking for. 

The result we have a winner! The honey gave the onions the perfect amount of sweetness without changing the flavours from the vinegar.

Quick pickle pink onions

Ingredients

• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 2 tbsp. Honey
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 peppercorns

Equipment 

• Saucepan 
• Wooden spoon 
• Measuring  cup 
• Measuring spoons
• Mason jar/ preserve jar 

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.