[juliec]

I love this site and the fact that we can ask frugal living questions without folk thinking we are mean!

Any way wheres my next question.  My family go through a lot of shop bought pickles and I hate throwing the pickling vinegar away when all the picles have been used.  Can this vinegar be used to pickle a few of my own (very few ) home grown onions.

Also I have some everlasting onions (started with one bunch of now have about ten patches of 6-8 growing and am hoping there will be enough next year to do some thing with.

Does any one have experience with these onions, (which I understand only grow to spring onion size) and can they be pickled.

Agan many thanks
to you all for reading and answering.

Jools

[8doubles]

From an earlier post, http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=42403.0

I`m all for frugal but there is also 'spoiling the ship for a ha`pennyworth of tar'.

[juliec]

Thanks 8doubles.

[Trillium]

I have a friend who loves to recycle pickle vinegar, but it first needs to be strained of any mold, boiled, a bit of extra vinegar added and then used. But only for one more time as the 'pickling' ingredients are mostly used up. You can always try one small jar's worth and see how it works out, but don't tempt fate too often.

[N.WalesIdealist]

I put my used vinegar on chips too, it's lovely, not as sharp as proper vinegar but the spiced element is delicious.

Next time you're pickling, buy twice as much vinegar as you need, it's cheap if you know where to get it!  I go to the market where I get my onions from, the fella there does me a nice little deal if I buy a few gallons.  I also chuck in 1 part cheap sherry to every 2 of vinegar to make it last longer, the result is lovely!

[noshed]

I might try that...

[juliec]

I put my used vinegar on chips too, it's lovely, not as sharp as proper vinegar but the spiced element is delicious.

Next time you're pickling, buy twice as much vinegar as you need, it's cheap if you know where to get it!  I go to the market where I get my onions from, the fella there does me a nice little deal if I buy a few gallons.  I also chuck in 1 part cheap sherry to every 2 of vinegar to make it last longer, the result is lovely!

Shame we dont eat many chips!!

Are you telling us that vinegar goes off quicker without sherry.  Im all for adding a splash of alcohol to anything!!

[N.WalesIdealist]

I put my used vinegar on chips too, it's lovely, not as sharp as proper vinegar but the spiced element is delicious.

Next time you're pickling, buy twice as much vinegar as you need, it's cheap if you know where to get it!  I go to the market where I get my onions from, the fella there does me a nice little deal if I buy a few gallons.  I also chuck in 1 part cheap sherry to every 2 of vinegar to make it last longer, the result is lovely!

Shame we dont eat many chips!!

Are you telling us that vinegar goes off quicker without sherry.  Im all for adding a splash of alcohol to anything!!

Well, I did really mean that you end up with more pickling liquor, but if you'd like to use a longer expiry date as an excuse to consume some more sherry, then why not!  One thing I've found though is that pickles made this way don't retain their crunch as well.  They're by no means soft, but not as crunchy as I like them sometimes.

[compostqueen]

There is a section here on pickling etc so have a browse there as that will answer any queries you may have and give you ideas to start you off down the preserves route 

I did roasted beets pickled with slivers of raw shallot this year. Absolutely gorgeous 

[juliec]

I did roasted beets pickled with slivers of raw shallot this year. Absolutely gorgeous 
[/quote]

mmm now those sound delicious and my beets are ready to be pulled up, is the recipe on here?

thanks

[compostqueen]

I think someone else on here has followed the recipe, and it's from the Delia online website

You roast your beets in foil in the oven (why foil I don't know) It brings out their exquisite sweetness.

Go and have a look for it, you won't be disappointed

Have you got the shallots to go with the beets? 

[juliec]

no but I can buy some.

thanks