How to Caramelize Onions

You'll love to know how to caramelize onions. Not only is it super easy, but they are incredibly delicious and can be used to greatly enhance hundreds of recipes. There are many ways to make them and my favorite is to use clarified butter.

We're creating an unbelievable, intensely rich, sweet flavored, caramel-colored, spreadable delicacy.

Some might say it's like gold. And others might say it's like candy. Either way, what everybody is trying to say is that they're super, super special!

Ingredients

• onion - I typically use brown onions. Any variety of onion can be caramelized.
• unsalted butter - It's important to use unsalted butter so you can control how much salt goes in a recipe.

There are Many Different Ways to Caramelize

• You can caramelize onions in 15 minutes, by browning their surface quickly.
• You can also use methods where you caramelize them in thirty minutes.
• It can be done in the oven, on a grill or on the stove.
• You can caramelize onions in olive oil, butter, clarified butter, bacon fat -- really most fats.
• You get my point -- there are many ways to do it, and different results can be reached with each one.

I'm going to share a method in which we'll learn how to caramelize onions very slowly on the stove. . . drawing all of their natural sugars to their surface.

What makes these caramelized onions special?

Although you can use olive oil, I love using clarified, unsalted butter to caramelize my onions. It adds flavor and the final result is almost spreadable.

Why clarified, unsalted butter for caramelized onions?

Butter has essentially three parts: butterfat, water, and milk solids. Milk solids can burn easily -- even at a low temperature. When butter is clarified, the milk solids (and water) are removed and all that remains is the butterfat. This creates a higher smoke point, which makes clarified butter ideal for cooking and sautéing.

For cooking, I always prefer to use unsalted butter. You have more control over the final seasoning and flavor this way.

How to Clarify Butter (Quick Method)

- Add butter to a heavy-bottomed pot and turn the heat to low to melt the butter.

- Use a metal spoon to remove the milk solids from the surface.

-  They will appear as a creamy colored foam. This is essentially a quick way to clarify the butter.

- The butter should appear clear once the milk solids are removed. It's okay if a few spots remain.

For this method of making caramelized onions, the raw onion slices are added at this point.

I love watching a pot full of bright white onions slowly transform to contain only a thin layer of deep caramel, cooked onions. It's a little like magic!

(More detailed instructions are below.)

Uses for Caramelized Onions

• in all kinds of appetizers
• mixed into soups
• in sandwiches (they're especially delicious in grilled cheese)
• in wraps
• in a stir-fry
• on pizza
• in tarts
• in quiche, frittatas, scrambled eggs

Recipes with Caramelized Onions

• Red Potato Appetizer
• Smashed Potato Casserole
• Stuffed Honeynut Squash
• Onion Mushroom Casserole
• Grilled Sausage Portobello Mushroom Pizza
• Grilled Avocado with Bacon Compote

Enjoy!

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