Caramelized Onions
Ingredients
2-4 yellow Onions
2 tablespoons Butter, Cold Pressed Olive Oil, or a mix
2 tablespoons Any Stock, Red Wine, or Balsamic Vinegar
Sea Salt, to taste
Instructions
1. Slice the onions into thin slices (alternatively you can dice the onions)
2. Melt the butter over medium heat (or add oil)
3. Add the onions to the pan
4. Stir them gently to coat with butter
4. Check the onions every 5 to 10 minutes
5. Stir the onions and scrape up any *fond that forms on the bottom of the skillet
(Exact cooking times will vary with the number of onions you’re cooking, their liquid and sugar content, and their age)
6. Around 10 minutes onions will start to soften and turn translucent in spots and will release a lot of liquid into the pan
7. Around 20 minutes onions will be very soft and starting to break down (adjust the heat if the onions seem to be cooking too quickly or you notice any burnt spots)
8. Around 30 minutes onions should be light blonde in color and starting to become jammy
9. Around 40 minutes onions are golden and starting to smell very caramelized
10. Taste an onion and if you like the way they taste, you can stop now
11. For even deeper caramelized flavor, continue cooking
12. At around 50 minutes and beyond continued cooking will result in darker, richer, even more caramelized onions
13. Continue checking the onions every 5 to 10 minutes until they reach your desired level of caramelization (The fond may start to build up on the bottom of the pan — let it be unless it looks like it’s starting to burn- in which case, deglaze the pan with a little filtered water)
14. When the onions are finished cooking, pour 1/4 cup stock, wine or balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan
15. As the liquid bubbles, scrape up the fond and stir it into the onions
16. Use additional liquid as necessary to scrape up all the fond
17. Salt the onions to taste
18. Cool and enjoy
Note: If you’re not using the onions immediately, let them cool in the pan, and then transfer them to a storage container. Caramelized onions can be kept refrigerated for around a week or frozen for up to three months.
*The Fond:
As the onions cook and release steam, some of their sugars get transferred to the bottom of the pan. It looks like the pot is burning, but don’t worry! It’s not! This sticky glaze will quickly dissolve with a little liquid. At the beginning of cooking, the steam from the onions as you stir is enough to scrape up the fond; as they become more dry and caramelized, you can deglaze the pan with a little water, broth, wine, or balsamic vinegar.