[Li]

I have just peeled all my shallots but now im stuck  what is the best way to pickle them so they don't go soft for Christmas do i also have to soak in anything before pickling sorry for the daft question 

[DD.]

I just soak mine over night in brine. Drain, rinse & dry.

Pack them in jars and covered with pickling vinegar.

Add chllies or peppercorns for extra interest.

[Li]

Thank you  DD but i have no brine can i use anything else x

[DD.]

Brine is simply a salt solution. You must use that, it takes some of the water out of the onions so that they don't go soft quickly.

[Val H]

Surely you've got some salt?

[Li]

lol never heard of brine being called salt before so i just put them dry in a bowl covered with salt then jar in morning am i right god help my onions x

[DD.]

Dissolve the salt in water - as much as it can take until no more dissolves. As I said, brine is simply salt dissolved in water.

Leave your onions in this overnight.

[Li]

Thank you DD my hubbie is in stitches at me waffling about my onions so i am off to do this now will confirm back Christmas afternoon how they taste 

[Ian_A]

use a decent vinegar after brining - not malt which kills the flavour and makes the shallots taste commercial and cheap. And many of the bought pickling vinegars also go a long way to giving a sub-standard final product.

If you want to make your own top quality "pickling vinegar" then use wine (red or white) or cider vinegar - and put in peppercorns, cloves, chilli , bay etc in the vinegar along with some sugar (needed to temper the vinegar - not too much, about 3-4 tablespoons per litre of vinegar - or more if you want a sweeter liquour).

Warm this all up to let sugar dissolve and bring to a boil. Then turn off hear and let flavours infuse as the vinegar cools

Then bottle and in a couple of months of allowing it all to do its thing you will have the most amazing pickled shallots/onions.

I often do this with sliced red or white onions and it is just as excellent.