Caramelizing onions is the act of slowly cooking down onions over low heat with a little bit of olive oil (or in my case, some sugar, salt and worcestershire sauce, too!). Doing so produces sweet, jam-like onions that are a rich and flavorful addition to tons of different dishes.
What To Do With Caramelized Onions
You can use caramelized onions in a variety of ways, including:
- To top burgers
- On sandwiches
- In my Ham & Cheese sliders
Caramelized Onion Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to caramelize onions:
Onions: I’m using red onions for this recipe, but you can honestly use whatever variety you have on hand.
Worcestershire sauce: I use this sauce to add a bit of flavor.
Sugar: To help kick start to caramelization process.
Salt: Just to bring it all together.
How to Caramelize Onions
All you need is a bit of time to get the perfect caramelized onions.
Step 1: Chop your onions.
The first thing you’ll do is chop up all of your onions. I like to do thin slices that are about a half inch thick. Once done, throw them into your skillet or cast iron.
Step 2: Start cooking your onions.
On medium high heat, add the olive oil, sugar, salt and worcestershire to the onions and stir. Let cook until the onions begin to soften — just about 8 minutes. Making sure to stir at this point so that you don’t burn the onions. They’ll start releasing their juices in this stage.
Step 3: Caramelize your onions.
Now turn the heat down to low and let your onions cook away for about an hour. Make sure to stir (and even add a touch of water if things start to dry up). I like to let the onions stick for a little before stirring again. This helps to form those browned bits on the caramelized onions that I love so much. Once the onions have reached the consistency you’re looking for, turn the heat off, stir and remove.
Caramelized Red Onions
Ingredients
- 5 red onions sliced ½ inch thick
- 2 tbs worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Add everything to a skillet with high sides. Cook over medium high heat, stirring continuously, until onions begin to soften. About 10 minutes.
- Turn the heat to low and let slowly cook for about 45 minutes to 1 house. Let onions stick a bit to brown, and then stir. Add a splash of water if things are drying up. Once at your desired consistency, remove from heat and proceed with whatever recipe you need them for.
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