Description
A vibrant and tangy Pickled Apples recipe featuring thinly sliced apples soaked in a spiced honey and white wine vinegar brine. This recipe blends warm spices like star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, and allspice to create a perfect balance of sweet, tart, and aromatic flavors, ideal for adding a zesty crunch to salads, cheese boards, or sandwiches.
Ingredients
Scale
Pickled Apples
- 1 pound medium apples, cored (about 2 apples)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
- 3 whole star anise
- 3 cardamom pods
- 2 cinnamon sticks (3 inches)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon whole allspice
- 1 to 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
Instructions
- Prepare the Apples: Using a mandoline or a vegetable peeler, slice the cored apples into very thin slices to ensure they absorb the pickling liquid evenly and quickly.
- Fill the Jar: Place the thinly sliced apples into a 1-quart jar, making sure not to overcrowd to allow room for the brine to circulate.
- Make the Pickling Brine: In a large saucepan, combine water, honey, white wine vinegar, star anise, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, kosher salt, whole allspice, bay leaves, and whole peppercorns. Bring the mixture to a boil to fully infuse the spices and dissolve the honey and salt.
- Combine Apples and Brine: Carefully ladle the hot pickling liquid over the apple slices in the jar, ensuring the apples are completely submerged in the brine.
- Refrigerate and Marinate: Cover the jar and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to develop. The pickled apples will be ready to enjoy the next day and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- For best results, use crisp apples like Fuji, Honeycrisp, or Granny Smith to maintain a crunchy texture after pickling.
- Ensure the jar is clean and sterile to maximize shelf life and prevent spoilage.
- The pickled apples pair well with cheeses, salads, pork dishes, or can be enjoyed as a tangy snack.
- Adjust the number of bay leaves and spices to your taste preference for stronger or milder flavors.
- If you prefer a less sweet pickle, reduce the honey to 1/4 cup or substitute with a low-calorie sweetener.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (about 1/2 cup)
- Calories: 45
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 190mg
- Fat: 0.1g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 0.1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
