Hot pan - Warm pan?
Fat - No fat?
Fast - Slow?
Sugar?
I’ve heard them all, but what really works?
Low to medium heat, a little butter, sliced onions, a long time.
I think the biggest thing that people get wrong when it comes to caramelizing onions is to think it can be done quickly. It can’t. I completely agree with this article.
Big cast iron pan 15" or bigger. Peel and cut onions into wedges. Three big onions will fill the pan. One or 1/2 stick butter. Few tablespoons of olive oil. Low medium heat until onions sweat. Drop heat to low. 3 out of 10 on my stove. Stir not quite continuously for 90 minutes. Drinking and music help. If the onions start to sautee, your heat is too high and or you’re not stirring enough.
No sugar. No worchestershire. I make them at least a couple times a month. The yield is small, but the flavor is big! I’ve used most varieties, but the best results are with white onions.
Agree with both above - some fat, low and slow is the way to go, and only chumps use sugar. Plan on staying in the same room and stirring occasionally. Tune your ear to hear the difference between a wet sizzle and a dry burn. I know that probably sounds ridiculous but if you can’t hear it, you’ll have to stand there watching the whole time.
Concur, no sugar, but I always add salt to the freshly-sliced onions.
Does it help to do a large batch of onions? I tried caramelizing one medium onion last night and it just kind of dried out before it burned.
Try adjusting the pan size to the amount of sliced onions you’re cooking. You can always do more than you need and put whatever you don’t use today in a container in the freezer or fridge for a few days. Typically I do around three cups of sliced onions at a time in a12" pan. Create a layer about 1" deep.
I try to keep the layer of onions fairly thin in the pan so I can see what’s happening to the onions at the bottom. It takes a little longer but I try to keep the heat down to the point where the onions just sizzle initially. Keeps them from burning if I get distracted. Time is all that’s needed. I usually use oil instead of butter.
You can do them in the crock pot.
I’ve never tried this, but I want to. One of my friends has, and says it works pretty well.
I used to have a terrible time caramelizing onions because I wasn’t good at slicing them. I would either slice them too thick (meaning it took a really long time) or I’d end up with some thick and some thin, which meant some would scorch before others darkened.
For me, the solution was to get a mandoline slicer. Setting it on the second-thinnest setting gave me evenly sliced onions that caramelized much more quickly. I always use some oil, but no sugar.
BTW, my favorite recipe using them is something I got from a supermarket cooking class. You caramelize a whole onion, and meanwhile cook 2 chorizo sausages and toast 2 slices of pumpernickel bread. (I slice the chorizo in half lengthwise to make it lay flat on the bread). Put each chorizo on a slice of bread, top with the onions, and a slice of provolone. The spiciness of the sausage and the sweetness of the onions makes for a great combination of flavors.
I use the crock pot method. Insanely easy and soooo good!
put a dollop of oil (I use almond or safflower) int he bottom of the crock pot and swish it around.
Add a big pile of sliced onions. Be sure to slice onions across the grain. If you slice with it you’ll end up with a stringy mess.
Leave top off of crock pot and go to bed.
About half way through the night your kitchen will smell sulphery and raw oniony. Best if you sleep through this stage, but if you should happen through the kitchen don’t worry, it gets better.
Wake up and spread some on a toasty bagel. Bonus if you’ve got some asiago or gouda to add as well.
Freeze the rest in small portions.
I generally also add a couple of heads of garlic, which is even more amazing. Just peel, slice and add with the onions.
This is the way to go if you have the time, spaeking of which I always put a bit of dried thyme in the onions (make sure to rub it in your hands till it’s almost a powder).
Spread some of the onion of a fried pork cutlett sammige (or sangwige if you prefer) and you got a little piece of heaven.
For what it’s worth, caramelized onions freeze well, so you can make up a big batch and pull 'em out as needed.
No, onions are typically sliced with the grain, radially.
Jut speaking from experience. I had a batch of huge field onions and for whatever reason I sliced them in narrow strips stem to stem instead of across the center like I usually do. When they came out ofthe crock pot they were a sea of strings in a pile of goo. really yucky. Probably overcooekd as well, but they would have been usable if I’d cooked them right.
I still froze the goo and used it to boost soup stocks.
For stewing or grilling, where you need the onion to maintain integrity this is true. But for sauteéing or carmelizing, you want to slice across the grain in thin (but not paper thin) sections. This is the way onions are prepared for carmalizing in every kitchen I have ever worked in. It may help to section the onion in halves lengthwise, remove the skin, outer layer, and heart, and then start slicing, but they should basically be thin enough that they are floppy.
Carmelizing onions, as noted above, takes time; at least half an hour, although a generally allow forty-five minutes. A small amount of oil (roughly a teaspoon per medium union) can be used to prevent sticking, but you don’t want so much as to infuse or saturate the slices. Salt is optional and helps draw the liquid out of the onions (I generally put a pinch of salt and a little pepper after the onions are thoroughly softened but prior to final cooking–see below) but there is no reason to add sugar, as the point of carmelization is to bring out the natural sugars in the onion.
The process is as follows: heat the oil in the skillet under medium high heat until the oil ripples. Add the onions and stir to coat. Reduce heat to simmer and add 1/4 cup of water or wine (for less sweet onions) per medium union. Cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes (longer for onions with a higher sugar content), stirring occasionally to prevent overheating. Once the onions are transparent and have no resistance to cutting. Salt and pepper (if you haven’t before) and turn the heat back up to medium high, sauteéing for approximately five minutes or until they become browned and the excess water is gone (add a little bit of oil if necessary). Once cooked, remove from heat and strain for a minute (the onions will release more water), then apply.
I use carmelized onions in macaroni and cheese, on pizza, or to top a spinach salad, among other things. They also make a good sweet topping for crustini. I find them too sweet for use in most sauces, but they make a nice addition to some foods that can use a bit of sweetness to offset the bitter, such as broccoli or asparagus.
Stranger
This may also be something I’m doing wrong, it makes sense to cover them to keep them from drying out too fast.
There should still be some residual liquid once you are done simmering. If they are getting dried out, turn down the heat or add a little more water. Adding water won’t hurt as it just evaporates, but it’ll take longer to get it reduced down.
Stranger
That is absolutely not the way I’ve ever seen it done in any of the professional kitchens I’ve ever worked in. Onion soup, for example, always starts with carmellzed onions sliced the traditional way. I can also cite other chefs, such as Thomas Kellor, who do it this way.
Slicing against the grain produces long, stringy pieces.
I always slice my onions in rings to caramelize them. I fill the crockpot with sliced onions, throw in 1/2 to 1 stick of butter and turn it on low with the lid on overnight. easiest thing ever!