Burnt onions

[redmike]

I followed a chicken and roast potato recipe yesterday and ended up with burnt onions; again! ggrrr

Chicken thighs at one end of the pan and potatoes and onion slices at the other end.

Total cooking time approx. 50 mins oven temp 425°F 220°C

Chicken and potatoes were covered with a mixture of olive oil, rosemary, orange zest and red pepper flakes.

I lightly oiled the bottom of the pan before adding the chicken and potatoes

Recipe said to add the onion rings to the potatoes after the first twenty minutes which is what I did

Not a lot oil had come out of the chicken so I misted all the ingredients.

The chicken and potatoes were excellent but most of the onion rings were burnt.

Burning the onions is a problem that I've had with several recipes!

Any help would be much appreciated.

Michael

 

[Snip 13]

I always pack my onion slices under my chicken or roast meats. They don't burn and they get cooked in the juices that drip off your roast.

 

[redmike]

I always pack my onion slices under my chicken or roast meats. They don't burn and they get cooked in the juices that drip off your roast.

Sounds like a very good idea.

Thanks

 

[Snip 13]

Sounds like a very good idea.

Thanks

Glad I could help

 

[redmike]

Glad I could help

There's always more to learn about cooking.

Tried to buy a clay pot (tagine) today but the store had sold out. Seems like they're back in fashion.

Have never tried one but it should be interesting.

 

[Cheezy]

Don't slice your onions too thin...

 

[Snip 13]

There's always more to learn about cooking.

Tried to buy a clay pot (tagine) today but the store had sold out. Seems like they're back in fashion.

Have never tried one but it should be interesting.

I couldn't agree more
I learn something new every day and I agree with what Cheezy said too.
Keep the onion slices fairly thick.

Tagines are pretty cool. I loved mine but sadly it broke. I've dropped many dishes

 

[redmike]

Don't slice your onions too thin...

Another good idea, thanks.

I was wondering what to do.

Crazy to adjust the oven temperature to the onions and not the main meal, so I'd only thought of adding the onions later and later.

But both your suggestions make good sense.

Michael

 

[redmike]

I couldn't agree more
I learn something new every day and I agree with what Cheezy said too.
Keep the onion slices fairly thick.

Tagines are pretty cool. I loved mine but sadly it broke. I've dropped many dishes

You can buy another one, and you had a smashing time!

I was film sound editor for over 30 years and it was good, but it wasn't what I expected or intended to do with a large part of my life.

I wanted to be top saucier and almost signed up with an excellent school in London.

Wow it's still there!

But life took me in another direction.

I'm now retired and learning to be a chef from the Internet and you guys ;-)

Live is weird ;-)

 

[CraigC]

I always quarter onions for roasting, leaving the root end intact. Some of the outer layers may get black but the rest are fine.

 

[redmike]

I always quarter onions for roasting, leaving the root end intact. Some of the outer layers may get black but the rest are fine.

Another great suggestion, and thanks.

All of this lends new meaning to the expression,",know your onions!".

Michael

 

[salt and pepper]

When cooking at such high temps, cover your food until the last 15 minutes of cooking.

 

[Andy M.]

You did not mention oiling the onion rings before adding them to the pan.

Also, don't add them after 20 minutes. Add them after 30 or more minutes.

 

[redmike]

When cooking at such high temps, cover your food until the last 15 minutes of cooking.

Do the chicken and potatoes have time to brown?

A great Jamie Oliver tip is to parboil the potatoes and then shake them in a metal colander to roughen up the eggs, before adding them to the pan.

They come out so crispy and crunchy.

 

[redmike]

You did not mention oiling the onion rings before adding them to the pan.

Also, don't add them after 20 minutes. Add them after 30 or more minutes.

I misted them.

And my first thought was to add them later, and I hope that 20 minutes will be enough for them.

I'm pretty certain that I've been slicing them too thin!

Thanks ;-)

 

[frenchguycooking]

I always pack my onion slices under my chicken or roast meats. They don't burn and they get cooked in the juices that drip off your roast.

That's the way I do it also. They don't burn and they get tasty !

 

[AlfredsKitchen]

My first thought is 50 minutes at 425 seems a little hot. However, I don't know what kind of potatoes or if they are being cut,....need more info. I would cut the potatoes smaller and the onions bigger. I would also think about adjusting the temp and time. Does this get covered in the oven? just not sure. Are the onions meant as an aromatic for the potatoes only? Sorry, try posting the entire recipe so we could spot some possible errors.

-Alfred

 

[redmike]

My first thought is 50 minutes at 425 seems a little hot. However, I don't know what kind of potatoes or if they are being cut,....need more info. I would cut the potatoes smaller and the onions bigger. I would also think about adjusting the temp and time. Does this get covered in the oven? just not sure. Are the onions meant as an aromatic for the potatoes only? Sorry, try posting the entire recipe so we could spot some possible errors.

-Alfred

Recipe

Thanks.

Michael

 

[AlfredsKitchen]

Not sure, but the first thing I notice is The pan would be pretty big to hold 8 pieces of chicken and 16 pieces of potato (8 cut in half single layer). The only real issues I see is in the cooking method, flavors and aromatics look tasty. You are trying to cook several things in one pan using a dry heat method. All of these things can be cooked this way, but you have different sizes, shapes and density which effect the "done-ness" of each. Also, note step # 8. It wants you to "Continue to roast, basting and stirring every 10 minutes" The author wants you to keep checking the dish, they know it could dry out, burn, etc. hence continue basting. Also, it would take my oven longer that 10 minutes to recover back to temp after opening it over and over to baste.
So potato size, don't worry about exactly half, just keep uniform. Some potatoes you may need to cut more than once (like maybe 1/3's). "...a half inch slice of onion, again 1/3's if not in half depending on the size of the onion. It reads to me as onion pieces bigger than potato for same done-ness as others have already suggested. Also covering the dish for the first portion of cooking could help things along as well. Again, diagnosing is difficult without seeing the end product done by the author as well as done by someone following the written recipe.

Hope I helped a little.

-Alfred

 

[GLC]

Note that sugar starts to carbonize at 350F. Onions have considerable sugar (and so can easily be caramelized). And being formed as layers, there are thin layers to get to oven temperature quickly. Best to saute onions separately or wrap in foil to cook with the meat.