Easy Pickled Onions

Forty degrees and raining on Tuesday. Sixty-eight degrees and sunny on Thursday. This is Colorado in April and I have no words for it that don't involve profanity. New Mexico has weather too but it's honest. Colorado weather has a sense of humor and not always a funny one. I grilled Thursday because the sun was there and I had to — the opportunity felt like it might not come again. Made carne asada: skirt steak marinated in lime, garlic, cumin, and green chile, grilled hot and fast, sliced thin, served in tacos with fresh tortillas, avocado, and pickled onions. The twins needed both hands to hold their tacos and still lost half the contents to the table. Worth it.

The offensive line had a rough practice Wednesday. I've got a sophomore tackle named Jordan who is physically gifted — six-three already, strong as a grown man — but whose footwork is a disaster. I spent forty minutes watching him set his feet wrong on the same pull block before I finally stopped and said: "Jordan, I've been watching you set your feet wrong for forty minutes. How many more minutes do you need?" He laughed, which is the right response. A kid who laughs at himself is coachable. A kid who argues is a project. Jordan is coachable. We'll get there.

Sofia ran her first 5K this weekend — a neighborhood fundraiser, but she ran it like she was competing. She's seven and has the gait of a natural runner, long-strided and relaxed in a way that's hard to teach. I watched her cross the finish line and felt a pride so specific I'm still trying to describe it. She runs the way she does everything — quietly, efficiently, without making a production of it. She's nothing like me. I make productions of everything. Lisa says Sofia takes after her, which is accurate and slightly humiliating in the best way.

Called my mother this week. She asked when I was coming back for chile roasting season. I said September. She said your father is pretending his ankles are fine and they're not fine. This is how my mother reports medical information — as a logistics problem she needs me to help solve. I said I'd talk to him. She said talk to him about eating less salt first. My mother gives instructions in priority order and expects compliance in the same order.

Four more weeks of spring practice. The season is eight months away and I can already feel it building.

A few people asked after I posted about Thursday’s tacos — specifically about the pickled onions. They’re not complicated, but they do make the difference between a good taco and one the twins will go face-first into a table trying to save. I keep a jar going in the fridge from about April through September. Here’s exactly how I make them.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 5 min | Total Time: 35 min (plus 20 min resting) | Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 large red onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred)
1 small dried chile de arbol or pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cloves garlic, lightly smashed

Instructions

Slice the onion. Cut the red onion in half through the root, then slice each half into thin half-moons, about 1/8-inch thick. The thinner the slice, the faster they pickle and the more tender they’ll be. Pack them into a clean pint-sized glass jar or heat-safe container.
Make the brine. Combine the apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, water, sugar, salt, peppercorns, oregano, dried chile (if using), and smashed garlic in a small saucepan. Bring to a medium simmer over medium heat, stirring just until the sugar and salt fully dissolve, about 3—4 minutes. Do not boil hard.
Pour and rest. Carefully pour the hot brine over the sliced onions in the jar, making sure the liquid covers the onions completely. Press them down gently with a spoon if needed. Let sit uncovered at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before tasting. They’ll be lightly pickled and slightly warm — good already at this stage.
Chill for best results. For the brightness and crunch that holds up on a taco, let them cool to room temperature, then seal the jar and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. They peak around the 4—6 hour mark and keep well for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
Serve. Drain lightly before piling onto carne asada tacos, grilled chicken, carnitas, or anything that needs a sharp, acidic contrast. The brine itself is great as a base for vinaigrettes — don’t toss it.

Nutrition (per serving)

Easy Pickled Onions — The Secret to Those Tacos Everyone’s Going to Ask About