English Pub-Style Pickled Onions

• 1/2 cup pickling salt
• 2 quarts water
• 1 1/2 1 1/2 lbs pearl onions or 1 1/2 lbs shallots
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 cups malt vinegar
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1/4 teaspoon whole allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf, crumbled

1. In a bowl, dissolve 1/4 cup salt in 1 quart water; add the onions and weight them gently with a plate that fits inside the bowl.
2. Let them stand 8 to 12 hours.
3. Drain the onions, and peel them; return them to the bowl.
4. Make a brine with the remaining salt and water, pour it over the onions, and weight them gently again.
5. Let them stand 2 days.
6. In a nonreactive saucepan, bring the sugar and vinegar to a boil; let the liquid cool.
7. Drain and rinse the onions, and drain them well again.
8. In a 1-quart jar, layer the onions, peppercorns, allspice, pepper flakes, and bay leaf.
9. Cover them with the cooled, sweetened vinegar.
10. Cover the jar with a nonreactive cap, preferably all plastic.
11. Refrigerate the jar for at least 1 month before eating the onions.
12. They will keep for at least 6 months.

pickling salt, water, pearl onions, brown sugar, malt vinegar, black peppercorns, whole allspice, hot pepper, bay leaf

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/english-pub-style-pickled-onions-32727 (may not work)