fizzy pickled onions

[Eden]

Hello all, I did my first batch of pickled onions a couple of weeks ago. Peeled them, soaked in salt water overnight then packed into sterile jars and topped up with 2/3rds vinegar 1/3rd water, a few black pepper corns and a couple of bay leaves. I checked them today and it was like opening a bottle of pop! On closer inspection the bubbles are coming from the cut surfaces of the onions. Are they OK to eat? I've been pickling onions for donkeys years and never come across this! Also they seem to have gone soft, some years they do do this but what causes this? I do it the same everytime and can't understand why I've got soggy onions!!
Many thanks
Eden

[valmarg]

If you've been using the same method for 'donkeys years', I cant' understand why they should be any different. From your description, I would say they are fermenting, and are not fit to eat.

To start with I thought it might have had something to do with the 2/3rds vinegar to 1/3rd water. I always use 100% vinegar, ie 2/3rds vinegar to
1/3rd spiced vinegar.

Other than that, can't really help.

valmarg

[rustylady]

I certainly wouldn't put any water with the vinegar. The purpose of soaking the onions in brine is to extract any surplus water from the veg itself. Then you drain it, and when you put it into vinegar the vinegar should be drawn into the veg (onions or whatever), and it is the vinegar and spices that actually preserve the veg.

[wellie]

Trousers read your thread out to me this evening, and I said "it's the water". I agree with valmarg and rustylady I'm afraid. I wouldn't be tempted to eat them.
I'm really sorry this has happened.
My old Dad had a lovely nack of turning a negative into a positive. Would there be one of those here perchance?!

[Eden]

Thank-you for your replies, I must admit, I did always use neat vinegar but my family found it way too strong, it was my mother-in-law who said to try using a little water in with the vinegar this year. I can see now how it's all gone wrong! I've got plenty more onions left in the veg plot, which is often pooped on and dug up by the local cats, so I'll use the fizzy onions as a flying deterrent!!

[Flummery]

Oh yes! Bopped on the bonce by a champagne onion! What a way to go!

If they are too strong with 100% vinegar try not spicing it or using a cider vinegar instead. Wimps' pickles!

[HappyMouffe]

It sounds like you've got fermentation going on - the bacteria etc weren't destroyed by the vinegar.

[rouguepickler]

Fizzing problems...

Hi Eden

What strength vinegar were you using before you watered it down? I am using 12% vinegar and watering it down to 6% which I originally thought was causing the fizz, however I have tried mixing it with water to 8% strength which should definitly prevent it fermenting however it is still fizzing...

Either you just can't add water to the vinegar...

Or the water from the onions is diluting the vinegar below the strength needed to prevent fermentation....

The onions are not getting pickled fast enough (one batch was peeled and jarred in 2 days and didn't fizz, another batch was peeled and jarred in 3 days and fizzed) - though shouldnt the vinegar work in either case?

... Or something else is causing them to ferment/fizz...

if it is the water in the vinegar can someone please tell me why?

Please help!

[roitelet]

I always dry brine my onions and use 6% minimum acidity vinegar with ordinary pickling spice an never had a problem.

Very wary about any receipe that says add water.

[Bill HH]

Ferment it out and get pixxed on your ploughmans lunch.

If using pure vinegar keeps the mother in law away, case closed.

[Bigmallly]

Rouguepickler, welcome to the vine. The thread is 8 years ago, Eden no longer visits the vine.

[Dricodeoliveira]

Hello!

I made two pickles onion and had the same problem bubbles on the surfaces of onions. I had followed the ratio of 1/3:2/3 water: vinegar (cup) and 1:1 sugar: salt (teaspoon). This solution is present in the book Jamie's Comfort Food by Jaime Oliver.

I will discard the preserves, but I will insist on this solution but now with pickled carrots and green beans.

[astraman1]

i must admit ive only done them once so far but i brine mine for 24 hours then i use sarsons spiced vinegar which is heated up in a pan then i put the onions in the jar and add the hot vinegar over them and add a few pepper corns and a chilli to the mix and lid on left mine for about 4 months

they were mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Bill Door]

I do shallots using salt spread over the shallots (after I have skinned them). I shake the container and add more salt if it seems to have gone into the liquid, this is done for at least 24 hours. I do add a little sugar, mustard seeds, pepper corns and a small dried hot chilli when heating up the vinegar. The vinegar is usually red wine or sherry vinegar (we like to live it up). I did add water to the hot vinegar one year but it was not a success so have never done so since.

I did notice this year that more liquid came out even though i dried the shallots for several weeks. So it is possible that the onion/shallot may not have dried out enough.

It could be that soaking them in a brine does not extract enough water from the onion, or they need to be soaked longer.

I agree with others that they may not be right to eat. At least you will have plenty of practice for the coconut shy.

best wishes
Bill