Cooking For Engineers

[ducttapesmarts]

Hi,

My roommate and I really want to try to make some homemade pickles, but she is allergic to Onions (really most of the entire Allium family). Most of the recipes I've found for pickles have onions included. Does anyone know if the onions are required? Will disincluding the onions affect the brining?

Thanks in advance,

T.

[kgb1001001]

So, most dill pickle recipes I'm aware of (including Refrigerator dills) do include something like either onions or garlic, but that's entirely there for flavor and is a matter of personal preference. To be honest, you could substitute any strong flavor you choose. You could make up a homemade pickling spice and add things like whole peppercorns, or even (yum) hot peppers, or you could use one of many commercially available pickling spices, many of which do not contain garlic or onions. I grew up with homemade dills that never contained either, and I can't say that there were any better or worse than any of the commercial brands -- just a little different.

One thing I'd recommend -- try making Refrigerator pickles before you embark upon buying all the equipment necessary for home canning -- it'll be cheaper, and you may find you never find the need to "put up" pickles for long periods anyway.

[NeiNastran]

What else is in the Allium family?

[Dilbert]

.....What else is in the Allium family?

all the onions, spring onions/scallions
leeks / ramps
garlics
cloves
chives

are the most commonly encountered.

if it's got "layers" in the stalk or root, likely to be in the family

[ducttapesmarts]

Thanks for the help! And we were very much planning on the refrigerator pickles first.

[IDontUse]

my favorite substitute was habaneros. I almost died.