cookiecrafter
Senior Cook
Some produce companies/wholesalers etc freeze excess and sale at a better price or demand. Bananas can be frozen when unripe (green). Some grocery stores invest in crops and freezing is profits.
Selecting Onions?
- Thread starter Kathleen
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Some produce companies/wholesalers etc freeze excess and sale at a better price or demand. Bananas can be frozen when unripe (green). Some grocery stores invest in crops and freezing is profits.
CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
Can you explain how exactly you make caramelized onions? Please.
As far as quality of onions. I am not sure what is going on, but both onions and potatoes last 10 or so years have been pretty lousy. I don't remember both of those being "bad" inside. Right fresh from the store I cut into a potato and they are black inside, right in the middle. Onions are as Kathleen described. I wonder what is going on.
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
Cut up 3-4 pounds of yellow onions and put them in a slow cooker. Sprinkle with some salt. Cook on low for about 12 hours, stirring occasionally. Some people prefer to do this outside because of the strong aroma.
larry_stewart
Master Chef
Similar to what GG Said
I followed the recipe from the site below which worked out well and has been consistent over the past few years
https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-ca...cooker-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-193413
I followed the recipe from the site below which worked out well and has been consistent over the past few years
https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-ca...cooker-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-193413
karadekoolaid
Head Chef
I don´t possess a slow cooker, so I just slice the onions and cook them in abundant butter for about 40 minutes or so, stirring occasionally and tasting frequently
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
And that works, of course, for a smaller amount. The slow cooker method results in quite a bit more, so you can freeze some for later.I don´t possess a slow cooker, so I just slice the onions and cook them in abundant butter for about 40 minutes or so, stirring occasionally and tasting frequently
Sir_Loin_of_Beef
Chef Extraordinaire
This is how I buy my onions:
I then put them into sandwich bags by the half cup (a half cup equals one small or half of a large onion) and put each sandwich bag back into the original zip bag and freeze them. When I need onion I just grab a bag or two, depending on how much onion is called for in the recipe.
I have an electric food chopper, so I do the same thing with celery and carrots, then grab one sandwich bag of each when the recipe calls for mirepoix or soffritto.
I then put them into sandwich bags by the half cup (a half cup equals one small or half of a large onion) and put each sandwich bag back into the original zip bag and freeze them. When I need onion I just grab a bag or two, depending on how much onion is called for in the recipe.
I have an electric food chopper, so I do the same thing with celery and carrots, then grab one sandwich bag of each when the recipe calls for mirepoix or soffritto.
CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
Just to make sure, when you say slow cooker, are you talking about crock pot or something else?
larry_stewart
Master Chef
Crock pot. Mine has basically 2 settings High and low.
Personally I dont like them, as Im an ' active cooker'. I like mixing, tasting adding.... I hate just dumping stuff into pot, walking away, and checking back 8 hours later. Even when I try to do it, im still opening it up, mixing.... So I buried it in the basement for years. Then someone suggested I try the crock pot for caramelizing Onions ( since I had an over abundance). It worked really well, multiple times, and since my only goal is to caramelize/ cook down the onions, I didnt need to actively mess around with them.
I think hands on caramelizing on the stove top does come out a little better, but this is definitely more efficient especially with a bulk of onions.
As mentioned previously , they can be frozen successfully for future use.
I often add a ladle to my already completed onion soup, just to boost the onion flavor, and sometimes into my chili too.
CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
Thank you, Larry.
karadekoolaid
Head Chef
Well that´s me , too. I can´t imagine just filling up a pot with food and then coming back to see if it´s ok. However, this works perfectly well for a lot of people, so fine. A bit like the microwave; I only ever use it for re-heating. Any stuff I´ve ever cooked in it has a wierd texture.
I can see the advantage for caramelised onions, however.
5 lb + 2 sticks butter?
Bought 10 lb of onions. Finally found DIL's slow cooker. Gonna head outside and slice up probably 1/2 (5lb) .
Should I just put a blob of unsalted butter in - set to low for 8/10 hours and let it go?
Think I will also find a plug in the garage for them. (can't trust the rain for outside) They are home on the weekend and I hate for them to walk into an onion cloud!
Bought 10 lb of onions. Finally found DIL's slow cooker. Gonna head outside and slice up probably 1/2 (5lb) .
Should I just put a blob of unsalted butter in - set to low for 8/10 hours and let it go?
Think I will also find a plug in the garage for them. (can't trust the rain for outside) They are home on the weekend and I hate for them to walk into an onion cloud!
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
I don't put any butter in it, just salt. Set it for 8 hours, stir a few times and check it at the end of that time. If it's not brown enough, let it go a little longer.
bethzaring
Master Chef
I have a 6 1/2 quart slow cooker. I use a medium shred disc on my food processer and can get 11 pounds of shredded onions in the pot. For 11 pounds of onions I use 6 T. butter, so 3 T. for 5 pounds of onions. For the large quantity of onions I caramelize, I put the crock pot on high for one hour, then turn on low, for the overnight process. I also add 2 T. brown sugar, 1 T. salt, and 2 T. Worchester sauce, for 11 pound's onions.
Well, pooped out and hopefully will get to them tomorrow!
Thanks guys.
Thanks guys.
Kaneohegirlinaz
Wannabe TV Chef
Ooh!
I never thought of that dragn ... an Onion cloud indeed!
Good call, I was thinking of making jarred Caramelized Onions
as Neighbor's Christmas Gifts ... what do y'all think?
Just freeze them once they cool, maybe start
the end of November to be ahead of the curve?
I saw Vidalia Onions at the market, in I think 5lb bags ...
or just good ole yellow Onions?
I never thought of that dragn ... an Onion cloud indeed!
Good call, I was thinking of making jarred Caramelized Onions
as Neighbor's Christmas Gifts ... what do y'all think?
Just freeze them once they cool, maybe start
the end of November to be ahead of the curve?
I saw Vidalia Onions at the market, in I think 5lb bags ...
or just good ole yellow Onions?
bethzaring
Master Chef
Kaneohegirlinaz
Wannabe TV Chef
That's pretty much all I buy now too, Beth.
I don't care for the Yellow or the White Onions
at the markets here.
I don't care for the Yellow or the White Onions
at the markets here.
karadekoolaid
Head Chef
When I had a Conserves company, we used to make an onion "confiture" ( French for jam - just sounded better in French!).
Sliced about 10 kgs of onions at a time, and into a HUGE stainless steel pot, with a bit of vinegar, some sugar ( not too much), some green peppercorns... cooked for about 3 hours and stirred frequently. OMG with a BBQ.
Sliced about 10 kgs of onions at a time, and into a HUGE stainless steel pot, with a bit of vinegar, some sugar ( not too much), some green peppercorns... cooked for about 3 hours and stirred frequently. OMG with a BBQ.
Remember this thread by Bolas? Slow cooker onion base
