Pickled Cabbage & Onions

Start by taking your mason jars of choice (we used the smallest glass variety), and in a bath of boiling water, submerging each glass (with lids and tops in separately) to clean and bring them up to temperature. Using silicon-tipped tongs, grab a mason jar out of the water, carefully draining the rest of the water back into the pot and placing the glass on a wire rack. This prevents the jars from cracking when adding hot liquids later.

Wash and chop all veggies you'll be pickling (our first four ingredients). Once the jars have cooled to the touch (about 3-5 minutes), start to layer your jars with filling, starting with garlic, then onions, then cabbage (or whichever order you prefer).

In a medium sauce pot, combine the remaining ingredients over low heat, slowly simmering and stirring just until the sugar has incorporated into the other ingredients (about 3-5 minutes).

Assembly time! With a wide mouthed funnel over the first filled mason jar, carefully pour the pickling liquid until it reaches about 1-2 millimeters from the top, and repeat this process with all remaining jars. You should have enough liquid using the small jars for this recipe (they're almost 1 cup of liquid each) or a couple larger, total volume equivalent sized versions.

Wipe the top and side ridges on the jars before capping off and putting on the lids to ensure a clean seal, then return to the hot water bath for 3-5 minutes or until the top of the mason jars stay tight and don't bounce when pressed on. They usually come with a built-in center that you can "pop" or press up and down when they're not sealed, and it stays tight or depressed when it's sealed as a visible reminder of that fact. After the bath, carefully take the jars out with the silicone tongs and let cool down on a wire rack, allowing to rest and ferment for 3-5 days before opening. If sealed properly, these will last a year in the pantry with no refrigeration. If not sealed, they last in the fridge for up to 1-2 months.