Flavor Variation Measurements

Red Onions – One medium onion sliced into 1/8-inch slivers will usually be perfect to fill a one-pint jar. The size of your onion and how tightly you pack the jar will determine how much onion you need to use.  I add 1 Tablespoon of pickling spice and 1 teaspoon of peppercorns to the bottom of the jar before packing in the onions.

Red Cabbage – I slice the cabbage thinly and use only about 1/4 of a small head for a pint jar. A small whole cabbage would probably make 4 pints. I add 1 Tablespoon of pickling spice, 1 teaspoon of peppercorns and 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds. The caraway seeds add a distinct sauerkraut flavor, so they are definitely optional, but I LOVE them with cabbage.

Carrots – I slice carrots into super-thin rounds about 1/8″ thick. A pint jar holds 3 to 4 large carrots cut in that way. I add 1 Tablespoon of pickling spice and 1 teaspoon of peppercorns to the bottom of the jar before packing in the carrot slices. A stem of fresh thyme is excellent with carrots, if you have some on hand.

Cucumbers – It’s recommended to remove the blossom end of cucumbers before slicing to help them stay crunchy. I use Persian cucumbers (mini cucumbers) like the ones in my Shirazi Salad recipe. In the past, I have cut them into rounds about 1/4 inch thick, and today I sliced them with the mandolin into the thin ribbons you see in the pictures. Those are closer to 1/8″ thick. I love the ribbons for sandwiches. Choose the shape that makes the most sense for your family.  I add 1 Tablespoon of pickling spice, 1 teaspoon of peppercorns, 1 clove of garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of dried dill weed to the bottom of the pint jar before packing in the cucumber slices.

Nutrition info is for 4 pints of pickled red onions.