Caramelized Onions and Swiss Chard Recipe - Don't Waste the Crumbs (2024)

FAQs

What are some tricks to caramelizing onions? ›

It takes time, probably a solid 45 minutes, for the onions' sugars to caramelize. If your heat is too high, the onions will burn. Heat your pan over medium-low, then add your onions. Keep it on that temp for the whole process.

When onions caramelize, one of the main things that happens is the sucrose, or natural sugar hidden within their cells, is transformed into other, simpler forms of sugar, including glucose and fructose. Those sugars taste sweeter than sucrose, which accounts for the increase in sweetness as the onions caramelize.

When you add baking soda during cooking it changes the pH which increases the Maillard reaction causing the onions to brown more quickly. The higher pH also causes the onions to soften more quickly, which we cover below when we discuss the texture.

It's possible that you aren't adding enough fat to the pan at first, and that your onions are sticking. That could be a problem, too. If you're way overly cautious and the flame is very, very low, it could also take a lot longer than 90 minutes, though the flavor will probably also be terrific.

Our Test Kitchen likes to use butter when caramelizing onions, as it offers the richest flavor. If you avoid dairy or don't have butter, you can caramelize onions in other fat such as margarine or olive oil. Add the onion slices. It's okay if they overlap a bit here because they'll shrink as they cook down.

Absolutely. An earlier version of this recipe suggested using sugar and baking soda for even faster results.

The winner was a technique heralded by America's Test Kitchen, which begins by steaming the onions, covered, over high heat. The onions are then cooked uncovered over medium-high heat until caramelized, at which point a baking soda solution is stirred in.

Tip: use apple cider vinegar for white and yellow onions and balsamic vinegar for red onions. Tip: the vinegar serves to deglaze the pan, adds acidity, and brings this recipe together by boosting the tangy and savory flavors of the caramelized onions. If the onions stick to the pan, that's fine.

Yes, you should cover the onions when caramelizing them. Covering the onions helps to trap the steam and heat, which aids in the caramelization process by softening the onions and allowing them to release their natural sugars. This results in a sweet and flavorful caramelized onion.

I love non-stick pans for making pancakes and eggs, but they're not the best pick for caramelized onions. Instead, I recommend using a cast-iron skillet. As the onions cook, a delicious fond will develop on the bottom of the pan. If you scrape it up and stir it into the onions, it will make their flavor even richer.

Why did my caramelized onions turn to mush? ›

When you add baking soda, the onions start to turn to mush as they caramelize. Delicious mush. But something closer to jam.

Salting caramelized onions is like the icing on the cake. They must have salt but don't make the mistake of salting the onions too early. Instead, salt them at the very end of the recipe. Salt makes the onions release moisture which can slow down the caramelization.

Caramelized onions are an easy way to add richness and depth of flavor to any dish but if you don't take it low and slow then you're often left with burnt crispy onions.

Before you start, let us be clear about something: No matter the approach, the caramelization process will take time: 15–20 minutes for French onion soup and 45 minutes to an hour for jammy, mahogany-hued onions. Fortunately, while they cook over low heat you can take care of other things.

Fold onions with a spatula, scraping bottom of pan to ensure they don't stick or scorch. Cook, stirring every 5 to 6 minutes and reducing heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, until liquid has evaporated, about 35 minutes.

A few reasons could be that you sliced them too thick or too thin. You haven't cooked them long enough. Your heat isn't at the right temp, use between medium and medium-low. Adding too many onions at once can actually cause them to steam because of too much moisture, instead of caramelizing.

You don't want to slice them too thin or they'll cook too fast which could cause them to burn. You'll also want to start out with fat. I choose oil and butter. Butter gives it a good flavor and helps with the caramelization and the oil helps the butter not to brown too fast.

Covering Your Onions

Not necessarily. We also have to watch out for burning. And it's too easy for part of the onion to burn while the rest is still trying to brown. Putting a lid on will steam the onions and cook them more evenly.