[lottiegirl]

Can someone help? I want to grow onions for pickling and have no idea how to go about it!! I've just read that onions for pickling are actually maincrop onions which are picked young. Is this true, if so, what variety would be best and when would I plant them. If my information is correct am I right in assuming that I just buy the sets and pick young? But when would that be?

Many thanks

[Nikkithefoot]

A fair few people I know grow shallots for pickling. Smaller slightly milder 'onion' flavour and of course smaller than onions.

If grown from sets shallots really pay you back in terms of yield, up to 8 shallots per bunch depending on variety.

[gavinjconway]

I use shallots and small maincrop at the end of the season when I pull them all out.. just sore out the smallies..

[BobE]

Lottie, I know this is cheating,  but, my local farm shop sells bags of shallots and onions plus the vinegar and even the bottles.  So you can bottle them up.  This year if you did that then you would know how many to grow next year.  You could even admit that you cheated, I didn't 


And you could reuse the jars next year.

[solway cropper]

I also use any small onions/shallots that are available but I have grown Paris Silverskin for 'cocktail' onions and was distinctly unimpressed.

[compostqueen]

I grew pickling onions from seed I got from Marshalls Seeds and they were just called "brown onions"

They were very good too. I had a great crop.  I was disappointed with the resultant pickled onions though as they weren't nearly as good as Gar*ers   

[AnneB]

My Longor shallots are excellent pickled.  They are really nice if pickled with beetroot too.

[lottiegirl]

Thanks very much for the advice - especially about cheating!! Will check out my local farm shop!!

[Salmo]

If you grow onions from sets you will seldom have onions small enough to pickle. Most people use shallots, but you can also grow brown onions or silverskin onions, as has already been said.

You can pickle them at any time after lifting. The sooner the better as it saves having to ensure that they are 100% dry for storage. Shallots easily go mouldy in storage and you can loose them if not properly dried.

The secret of keeping them crisp is to remove as much water as you can with salt, either brine or sprinkle liberally with salt. I do the latter and leave them in the salt for 24 hours. Then put them in a colander and quickly wash off all the salt before placing in jars and covering with spiced vinegar.

They improve with age and the rule in my household is not to start them until Boxing Day. Two year old pickled shallots are wonderfully spicy.