How do you carmelize onions?

1. 91

   Denise Handlonposted 12 years ago

   How do you carmelize onions?
   
   I'm not sure what I did wrong-the first batched burned and the second batch sautéed.  Any tips?

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2. 61

   truebluewriterposted 12 years ago

   maybe you're putting the heat on too high. Just slow cook them with a bit of olive oil.

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   1. 91

      Denise Handlonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for your response...I'll try it.

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3. 70

   mr-vegposted 12 years ago

   I think you might be adding less oil. Try adding more oil and with even medium heat, it should do the trick. The video here should also help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tachrAaYP4Y

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   1. 91

      Denise Handlonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks...I'll give that suggestion a try.  Thanks for the youtube link. 

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4. 61

   domesticgoddess36posted 12 years ago

   Caramelizing onions is a process of releasing the sugar from the onions. Easiest way to do this is to start the onions on medium heat with a combination of real butter and olive oil. Slightly increase the heat once the onions start becoming clear, to med -high. Also adding a small amount of baking soda will help the process.

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   1. 91

      Denise Handlonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Hi domesticgoddess, I appreciate your help, thanks.

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5. 69

   chefsrefposted 12 years ago

   Cookbooks are notoriously unreliable about caramelizing onions, the process takes a half hour or more in spite of what any book says.
   Skip the baking soda, that destroys the nutrition,
   
   Use a HEAVY saute pan.
   Any vegetable oil will do, use what you have on hand, mixed olive oil and butter does add a nice flavor. Use enough oil to coat the entire pan.
   Heat the pan with oil in it before adding onions.
   Start with a medium to low heat so the onions don't burn.
   Add the onions and stir very frequently.
   IF you have a lid for the pan cover it and let the onions steam until they wilt.
   Continue cooking and stirring and the onions will brown.
   Keep cooking and stirring until you have the color you want.
   Don't try to rush it by raising the heat, all you get is burnt bitter onions
   
   (At home I sometimes microwave the onions to soften them, this saves a lot of time)

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      Denise Handlonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Wow, quite a few tips here on the process, Chefref.  Thanks for your feedback.  The instructions I read online did mention it took about 30 min.  Thanks for the info!

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6. 61

   Anne-Marie Yerksposted 12 years ago

   I wonder if an iron skillet would work? I might try it.

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   MickSposted 12 years ago

   I don't know what carmelise is, I've heard it many times on cookery programmes from the USA and I am guessing that it means caramelise.
   At a guess, I expect you had your heat too high, It is a slow setting you need to allow the natural sugars to be realeased and brown.  It is possible to add sugar to 'help' the thing along the way, but I never do that as I think we stuff too much processed sugar down our selves anyway, without adding more.

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