Wet or dry brine for pickling onions - votes please!

[Finley]

I've always used a dry brine and had good results but I just bought a giant bag of pickling onions and read a zillion recipes which all disagree.. so which do you find gives the best crunch? I normally do dry brine and cold vinegar (with a few dried chillies tucked in) and leave them for two months. Looking forward to hearing what you all do for the perfect pickled onion!

[roitelet]

Dry brine keeps them crisper.

[Jay-ell]

I've popped a vine leaf in mine as the tannins help keep them crisp

[Finley]

Oh good tip - thanks! Actually have a vine in my garden by some crazy stroke of luck

[Jay-ell]

Oak leaves and bay leaves also have tanin and can be used

[Mrs Bee]

Dry salt.
Vinegar that has been brought to a simmer with a variety of herbs and spices and left over night to cool and poured over the onions cold.

[Bill Door]

I use dry brine, but any old salt will do. Usually done for about 24 hours and continually topped up. I wash off the salt and dry the onions with a paper towel, one sheet is usually plenty!

I heat up the bottles in the oven and heat up the vinegar and spices before adding it to the onions in the bottles/jars. I find that this helps seal the bottle/jar; as it cools a vacuum forms in the jar. I don't have the vinegar too hot.

Bill