I have a real weakness for Caramelized Onions. They are delicious on almost anything. Some of my favorite things to throw Caramelized Onions on are Perogis, Burritos, and Paninis, but that’s only a teeny glimmer of their usefulness. I have my sister, Sarah to thank for this technique, a simple, but incredibly tasty way to prepare Caramelized Onions. This is a wee bit time consuming, and you’ll have to apologize to your favorite fry pan afterward for making it a pretty mess. But while your dish pan hands may curse you, your mouth will be your BFF. It’s totally worth learning how to how to caramelize onions.
how to caramelize onions
Start by slicing your onions as thinly as possible. The thinner the slice, the better they will turn out. Also, make sure to chop a whole lot more onions than you think you’ll need. They’ll reduce by more than 50% in size. P.S. It is best to use Yellow, White, or Sweet Vidalia Onions for this. Red Onions won’t turn out so well.
Saute the Onions over medium to high heat in a skillet with about 1 or 2 tablespoons of Vegetable Oil. Don’t use Olive Oil. It has too low of a burn point. Try something more sturdy, such as a Soybean or Canola Oil. Cook the Onions, stirring frequently until they begin to clear.
Once the Onions clear, increase the heat to high and begin stirring the Onions constantly. They will begin to yellow, and then brown. You can stop cooking them any time after they have begun to brown. The longer you cook them, the sweeter and more caramelized they will become. Cooking them for a shorter time will allow them to retain more of their moisture and size. They can be made anywhere from gold to dark brown, or anywhere in between.
Once you’ve got the technique down, try tossing the Onions on anything you please. Hint: They taste pretty sensational with Cheddar and BBQ Sauce.