Pickled Pearl Onions — NCHFP
A tested NCHFP boiling-water canning recipe for sweet-and-tangy pickled pearl onions.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 8 cups peeled white pearl onions about four 10-ounce bags unpeeled
- 5 1/2 cups white distilled vinegar 5% acidity
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsp canning salt
- 2 cups sugar
- 8 tsp mustard seed
- 4 tsp celery seed
Equipment
- Boiling-water canner
- Canning jars Three to four pint jars
Directions
Instructions
- Prepare hot pint jars and lids. To peel onions, dip a few at a time in boiling water for 30 seconds, then cold water for 30 seconds. Trim 1/16 inch from each end and remove the peel.
- Combine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in an 8-quart pot. Boil gently 3 minutes. Add onions, return to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until half-cooked, about 5 minutes.
- Place 2 teaspoons mustard seed and 1 teaspoon celery seed in each hot pint jar. Fill with onions, leaving 1-inch headspace; cover with hot liquid, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove bubbles, adjust headspace, wipe rims, and apply lids.
- Process pints in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes at 0–1,000 ft, 15 minutes at 1,001–6,000 ft, or 20 minutes above 6,000 ft. Cool 12 to 24 hours and check seals.
- For best flavor, let processed jars stand 3 to 5 days before serving.
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Recipe Notes
Safety status: research-tested NCHFP recipe. Use 5% vinegar and follow the exact proportions, pint jar size, headspace, and altitude-adjusted processing. Source accessed September 12, 2026.
Exact source: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/pickle/vegetable-pickles/pickled-pearl-onions/