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Featured Replies

So I make French Onion Soup.  It's damm tasty.  But, it lacks that great brown color.  I cook the onions until I'm blue in the face in a dutch oven. I've added salt, I've added sugar, etc...nothing works.  I want my onions to be nice and brown.  What am I doing wrong?

Isn't it just time . . . like 45 minutes or more in butter & oil over fairly low heat?

I know I've burned them by trying to short circuit the process.  It's like barbecue -- low and slow.

time.  it takes a long time to do it the traditional way, especially if your'e adding butter and onions in stages.  but when i don't have the patience i add a T each of ketchup, worcestershire, and soy sauce. 

These guys are right on. Time time time. Start with butter, add salt and pepper and keep stirring. I use medium to medium-low heat.

I do onions for 30 minutes on medium. 

After melting the butter, the first 10 minutes is just the onions. Stir once or twice to keep things even. 

Next 10 minutes with Salt, a shitload of Black Pepper, and a shot of Red Wine Vinegar. Stir once or twice to keep things even. 

Next 10 minutes with Honey added to make it gooey and help carmelize. Stir 2 or 3 times to keep from burning until desired color. 

They turn out amazing every time. 

Onions + vegetable oil + flattop + 45 minutes = Allsome Onions

I may have to try some of the shortcuts. I probably caramelize close to 100lbs of onions per year.

After initially adding butter, I add stock, cook it off, add more stock, cook it off, repeat as needed. Gets them nice and brown. 

Have you tried using Liquid Smoke?

Build the chopped onions into a mound and let the heat and the moisture from the onion work their magic in the center of the pan. A chef showed me one time and it’s completely changed the quality of my caramelized onions. It takes patience for sure.

thomas kellerman says you gotta cook the onion for like 10 hours

3 hours ago, 52-80 said:

thomas kellerman says you gotta cook the onion for like 10 hours

Thomas Kellerman is the man. The Ranch Raundry is also badass. 

Julia's Child's method has worked very well for me.  Melt 2T butter with 1T vegetable oil,.  Mix in the onions, cover, and cook over med-low for 20 mins until tender.  Then add 1/2t sugar and 1t salt, bump up to med-high, and cook for another 20 mins, stirring frequently.  The video is for onion soup, but the method produces wonderfully browned, caramelized onions for all applications.

 

 

Edited by Dutch

butter, time, don't stir much because you need the contact with the pan to keep the temp up, and don't cover it either. 

French dressing is the magic ingredient you're missing.

Edited by Beau Vine

I have begun to deglaze with a splash of apple juice. Adds a delightful touch of additional sweet.

I've obviously been doing this wrong for lack of complication.  My method has always been:  melt a little butter, put onions in, make them hot but not too fast, and stir them so all surfaces hit the heat over the course of, say, 20 minutes.  Fin.

But that's just for general burger, tex-mex, or steak sandwich purposes.... I imagine there's much more refinement needed for FO soup.

Are you using enough caramel?
I use a Mrs. Prindible apple in mine. Plenty of caramel and the chocolate and nuts add a delightful taste.

Don't forget to take out the stick.

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