Deliciously Sweet + Dilly Pickled Onion Rings

A Southern kitchen is not complete without an array of pickles and relishes.  Seriously, we will put just about anything into a jar with vinegar and sugar.  Pickled onion, cucumber, okra, corn, green tomato, watermelon rind... You name it, we have tried it. When I found this family recipe for easy Dilly Pickled Onion Rings, I had to give it a whirl.  This recipe just feels like home. Sweet, sour and tangy, it doesn't get any easier than this.  Dump everything into a jar, shake and put it in the fridge.

My husband and I come from a long line of geniuses. Humble brag. *Eats straight from the jar*

One of my favorite weekend activities is reading through old recipes. I have a collection of old community cook books, files of old newspaper recipe clippings, and of course, a stash of our family recipes.

I absolutely love flipping through my husband's grandmother's recipe box. It is full of quirky recipes like Hill Country BBQ Sauce, Tennessee Tea Cakes, and Beer Rolls. (All of which will be future blog posts.)

One that really takes me back is this fast and easy recipe for Dilly Pickled Onion Rings. I love just about anything pickled. Dill or sweet, that sweet tang gets my taste buds going.

Ingredients Needed:

• Onions - Use a mild or sweet variety.
• White Vinegar
• Sugar
• Water
• Dill
• Salt
• Mustard seeds
• Black Pepper

How to Make Dilly Pickled Onion Rings. A quick and easy refrigerator pickle recipe.

1. Mix vinegar, water, sugar and spices in a quart sized jar.
2. Seal and shake until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Add fresh onion slices to the top.
4. Seal and shake again.
5. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours to overnight
6. Enjoy!

Of course, you know me, I have to tweak the recipe. My father always accuses me of over doing it, but hey...nothing wrong with a little kitchen experiment.

The main thing I did to this recipe was double it and put it in a jar. Why? I knew that these pickled onions wouldn't last long so I needed a double batch.

Secondly, shaking all of the ingredients up in a jar made sense to me. Why dirty up another dish?

Use a wide mouth canning jar so you can fit the onions in.

I also cut back on the salt ratio just a little. But then I cranked up the dill! I love dill.

And yes you totally busted me reusing a lid. (If I were processing and canning these, I would never do this because they wouldn't seal properly. Since this easy pickle recipe is going into the fridge, a clean reused lid is just perfect.)

Try more of our family recipes:

Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole

Tennessee Tomato Gravy

7-Up Cake

Sweet Hot Jalapeno Corn Relish

Roasted Tomato Jam

Citrus + Ginger Pear Preserves

 

If you can get your hands on fresh dill, I would recommend cutting it back to your taste.  It takes a little more of the dried dill to get that dill flavor I was after. I also added a little pepper and some mustard seeds to our pickled onion. (If you like hot, throw a red-hot chile or two in the mix.)

Just slice your onions, pack them in the jar and shake some more.  Into the fridge they go for at least 5 hours or overnight.

Dilly Pickled Onion Rings are great served with:

• Fried fish and hushpuppies (yummmmmmmmmmm)
• On top of your favorite fresh salad for extra tang and crunch
• Burgers and hot dogs
• With a plate of beans and cornbread (What doesn't go well with beans and cornbread?)

Bonus: No boiling or canning required. Keep them sealed tight in the fridge and they will keep for a week or three. (If they last that long.)

You can also make this fast pickle recipe with slices of cucumbers, red onion, radishes, and tomatoes. So fresh and easy.

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