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Pickled Apples with Spices and Honey Recipe

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  • Author: Paula
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes + overnight chilling
  • Yield: 8 servings
  • Category: Condiment
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This Pickled Apples recipe offers a delightful way to enjoy crisp apples with a tangy, spiced vinegar brine. Thinly sliced apples are soaked in a flavorful mixture of white wine vinegar, honey, and aromatic spices like star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, and allspice. Perfect as a unique condiment or a tangy side, these pickled apples add brightness and depth to salads, cheese boards, or roasted meats. The process involves a quick stovetop preparation and overnight refrigeration to develop bold flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Pickled Apples

  • 1 pound medium apples, cored (approximately 2 apples)

Pickling Liquid

  • 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 each)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon whole allspice
  • 1 to 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns

Instructions

  1. Slice the Apples: Using a mandoline slicer or a vegetable peeler, carefully cut the apples into very thin slices to ensure they absorb the pickling liquid thoroughly and evenly.
  2. Prepare the Jar: Place the thinly sliced apples into a clean 1-quart jar, packing them gently but without crushing to preserve texture.
  3. 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 this mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat to extract and meld all the aromatic flavors.
  4. Pour Hot Brine Over Apples: Carefully ladle the hot spiced liquid over the apples in the jar, ensuring the apples are completely submerged to promote even pickling.
  5. Cool and Refrigerate: Cover the jar securely with a lid and place it in the refrigerator. Allow the apples to chill and marinate overnight, developing their signature tangy and spiced flavor.
  6. Serve and Store: After chilling, serve the pickled apples as a tangy accompaniment or garnish. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks to maintain freshness and flavor.

Notes

  • Use firm apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Fuji for best texture.
  • Adjust the number of bay leaves to your taste; 1 is milder, 2 gives stronger flavor.
  • Honey can be substituted with sugar or maple syrup for a different sweetness profile.
  • Ensure apples are fully submerged to avoid spoilage.
  • Can be served with cheeses, roasted meats, or added to salads.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (~1/4 cup)
  • Calories: 45
  • Sugar: 9g
  • Sodium: 150mg
  • Fat: 0g
  • Saturated Fat: 0g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 12g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 0g
  • Cholesterol: 0mg

Find it online: https://piesbypaula.com/pickled-apples-with-spices-and-honey-recipe/