Recipe Manuscript

To Pickle Onions Red

Name: To Pickle Onions Red
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT15M
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 500g small red onions (or larger ones, sliced); 1L water; 60g salt; 15g alum (or 1 tbsp pickling lime, as a substitute; optional for crispness); 500ml malt vinegar (substitute: apple cider vinegar if needed); 10 whole black peppercorns; 2cm piece of fresh ginger, sliced; 1g ground cochineal (or a few drops of edible red food coloring as substitute)

1720

From the treasured pages of Cookbook of 1720

Unknown Author

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Beginner Other

Original Recipe • 1720

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

To Pickle Onions Red

"Put your onions in slices or small whole ones, & boil salt & water & put a lump of allom in it as big as a large wallnut & pour it boiling upon them, & let it stand all night, drain them well, & boil your alegar with whole black pepper, & some ginger, & put a little of the boiling pickle to a penny worth (or more as the quantity requires) cochineal to dissolve, then put into the rest of the pickle & let it boil up & pour it upon your onions, they will be fit to use in a little time"

Note on the Original Text

This recipe is written in the straightforward, elliptical style of early 18th-century English cookery, designed for those already familiar with foundational techniques. Step-by-step timing, temperatures, or precise measurements are mostly omitted—the quantities are often given relative to common household objects (a 'large walnut') or monetary worth (a 'penny worth' of cochineal). Spelling and terminology reflect the era: 'alum' is spelled as 'allom', 'alegar' refers to vinegar made from beer, and colorants like cochineal are valued for presentation. Instructions such as 'pour it boiling upon them' expect the reader knows to use heat both for brining and sanitizing.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cookbook of 1720 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cookbook of 1720 (1720)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1720

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step back to the early 18th century and discover a delightful treasury of recipes and culinary secrets, where traditional flavors meet timeless technique—a feast for curious cooks and history lovers alike.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe, dating from around 1720, reflects the English fascination with brightly colored, spiced pickles to enliven the table in winter months. At that time, home pickling was an important means of preservation, and red onions pickled with vivid pink hues and aromatic spices were both a treat and a mark of household management skill. The use of 'alegar'—fermented ale turned to vinegar—was common before the industrialization of vinegar production. Cochineal, derived from insects, was a luxury ingredient that added a dramatic red color. The pickle would have been served alongside cold meats, cheeses, or as part of a relish tray, signaling both thrift and sophistication in domestic foodways of the 18th century.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the early 18th century, cooks would have used a large earthenware or stoneware bowl for brining, wooden or pewter spoons for stirring, and a metal or ceramic saucepan for boiling liquids. The pickling process often called for glass or pottery jars sealed with parchment or bladder covers and tied with string. Heating was done on an open hearth or stove, and cutting was completed with simple iron knives. All materials were non-reactive, suitable for vinegar-based preservation.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

1 lb small red onions (or larger ones, sliced)
1 quart water
2 oz salt
0.5 oz alum (or 1 tbsp pickling lime, as a substitute; optional for crispness)
2 cups malt vinegar (substitute: apple cider vinegar if needed)
10 whole black peppercorns
3/4-inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced
0.04 oz ground cochineal (or a few drops of edible red food coloring as substitute)

Instructions

Begin by peeling small red onions or slicing larger red onions, aiming for about 1 lb total.
Bring to a boil approximately 1 quart of water with 2 oz of salt and a piece of alum weighing about 0.5 oz (roughly the size of a large walnut).
Pour this boiling solution over the onions in a ceramic or glass bowl, ensuring they are fully submerged.
Cover and let them site overnight at room temperature.
The next day, drain the onions thorougly.
In a clean saucepan, combine 2 cups of malt vinegar (as an equivalent to alegar), 10 whole black peppercorns, and a 3/4-inch piece of fresh ginger sliced.
Dissolve about 0.04 oz of ground cochineal (or a few drops of edible red food coloring if cochineal is unavailable) in a small portion of the hot pickling liquid, then add this colored liquid back to the remaining pickling liquid.
Bring everything just up to a boil, then immediately pour the hot, spiced vinegar over the onions in sterilized jars.
Seal and let cool.
The onions will be ready to eat after several days.

Estimated Calories

25 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You will spend some time peeling and preparing the onions, and a little more time heating the liquids and assembling the jars. Most of the recipe time is letting the onions soak and then cool down after pickling.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.