How to Caramelize Onions, Step-by-Step

added a tb of pancake syrup, stirred, and removed from heat. Delicious.

How do I add this to my receipe box for future reference?

How long does this process take?

What do you do if the onions are not turning brown, but you've followed all of the steps?

@ MagPoe: Use a butter as the oil, it makes it taste a little bit better in my opinion, also try turning up your heat to around the "5" mark if you are not using an open flame, and just stir it ocasionally, turn up the heat a tad if necessary. stir until they become a dark brown, but not black.

mag, that means you are stirring to much

For the best taste, I feel you must use butter. It does burn if used alone so I use a combination of vegetable oil and butter (or EVOO and butter if cooking sausage, etc.) If your onions aren't browning as much as you like, turn the heat up a little. In a pinch I have covered the pan so onions would cook quicker but not brown too much. You need to keep an eye on them and stir frequently if your heat is fairly high.

I like to use olive oil...and I have to distract myself by doing some other prep, or wash a few dishes? It's the only way I can keep from fussing with them too much!

MAGPOE---In my experince you should not stir consitantilly like it keeps saying. LET them sit and they will turn brown for you. Just make sure to watch that they do not stick to much. Also can wait to try Maple Syrup! Thanks James!

Deglazed mine with red wine. Mixing them with goat cheese, red pepper & egg mix to fill small tarts for a party. First time recipe & looking forward to the finished product.

This recipe doesn't turn out as well as others, the trick is to put onions in a large skillet over a medium heat with no oil until it is dry and almost sticking to the pan, about 20 mins, then add a little oil and salt, cook stirring occasionally for 40 mins. If you want it sweeter add some sugar with the oil.Taste and season.

I always caramelize my onions in water. I feel this is a healthier way and there is no added fat. I pour about a cup of water into a large skillet. Then add a couple of large vidalia onions which I have sliced thinly on a mandoline. I also find I have to "babysit" the onions to keep from sticking and burning. Please note. This is a timely process--it does not take five or ten minutes. I also lower the head to medium low after about ten minutes after cooking on high. I find that the more they carmelize, the more like a "jelly" or "marmalade" or "confit" they become.

After looking over the recipe, I was exhausted, it was too much methods for my lifestyle, I only have so much time in a day with y grandkids, to do this kind of dish. Thanks, but no thanks.

I enjoy most all the recipes I've created a recipe box and am adding more each time I see a recipe I feel would be delicious. I made the carmalized onions they are outstanding and delicious. Thanks for sharing all your recipes with me. Clarice

couldn't find the "Add to recipe box" to click and save ...also couldn't print out recipe...Carmalized Onions

The Joy of Cooking has a recipe for caramelized onions that has always worked well for me. It's not fast - it can take about an hour, but you can cook down a mound of onions in a large skillet to enough caramelized to enhance many, many meals. If you're in the kitchen doing things anyway, it really isn't that difficult - it just takes time and periodic attention. Start with thinly sliced onions. I prefer regular yellow onions - they have plenty of sugar. Add them to a pan with a 50/50 mix of olive oil and unsalted butter - quantities depend on the amount you're cooking. On Saturday I cooked five baseball to croquet ball sized onions, sliced very thinly, in 2 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter and 2 Tablespoons olive oil. You should start on low heat (the lowest setting you have where the burner is on continuously) and stir/turn over periodically until the onions begin to wilt. Continue stirring and turning over periodically over low heat and after about 30 minutes or so the onions will all be tender and soft -- but not browned. I find using a large fork (I have a big bamboo one) helps you separate the onions and turn them more easily. After 30 minutes or so, turn the heat to medium-high, and stir/turn over frequently for another 20 to 30 minutes until they are as brown as you want them. As an onion fond (browned -- not black -- bits) develops on the bottom of the pan, deglaze the pan periodically with white wine, vermouth, or water (I turn the heat to high before adding liquid and then turn down to med-high after the liquid is evaporated). A tablespoon or two of liquid is plenty, depending on the size of your pan. The liquid will release the onion fond and help darken the onions further. After the onions are brown and sweet (taste to confirm), stir in a little salt and black pepper to taste. Don't overdo the salt. Yoiu can always add more later, but you can't take it out. There is no need to add sugar -- onions (even regular yellow onions) are plenty sweet. Once done and seasoned, spread out on a plate to cool, and then store covered in a container in the refrigerator until needed. This makes a potent, rich, addition to your meals. On Saturday, I used it to garnish a lettuce, tomato, and blanched green bean main-dish salad topped with thinly-slized grilled ribeye steak and feta cheese. Later this week, the onions will be added to a pizza with mozzarella, toasted pine nuts, and duck rillette.

Good solid recipe... a foodaphile friend from Boston tells me the dish isn't authenticated until a spritz of vinegar is added. Mmm!

I LOVE CARMELIZED ONIONS BUT 4 OR 5 ATTEMPTS TO MAKE MY OWN HAVE FAILED. I WONDER IF I RUSH IT TOO MUCH? I WILL KEP TRYING.

Very Helpful

Onions will not brown if you use a nonstick skillet. For best browning results use a cast iron skillet.

I make them in the slow cooker - no chance of burning and you can make tons at one time! Here's my recipe: http://fullbellysisters.blogspot.com/2011/02/foolproof-caramelized-onions.html

add a bit of balsamic vinegar to caramalize faster then not so time consuming

Does anyone know if there is a way to jar or can carmelized onions... I created a recipe for sweet tea bourban onions and everyone always asks for them... It would be nice to have them on hand...

Anybody know how to save this to the recipe box?

I make caramilized onions with almost everthing I grill on the bbq. I use cast iron pan and never rush. All ideas here are good but need a splash of Balsamic vinegar.

i just saw the recepie for 5 burgers, and it called for one med sized onion, caramilzed, the onion will shrink quite a bit, so plesase use more onion if making 5 turkey or chicken burgers, low and slow with a mix of olive oil small amout of butter, takes some time, with the low and slow but add a little beef stock if sticking, it is worth the wait, do not stir to much or mush you will make,

LOVE THE WAY YOU CARALIZED YOUR ONIONS, I ALSO HAVE THE jOY OF COOKING, AND I COMMENTED, BUT SHORTENED IT THANX FOR MORE COMPLETE INSTRUCTIONS

We throw in a few jalopenos in Oklahoma, and Texas.

I have seen the question "how do I print this recipe for carmalizing onions and its comments" several times and no one has answered it. Please someone tell us how.

I found hard anodized (the real stuff) sauce pan with a lid works great for this task. I use the lid to cover the onions and when the onions start sticking to the bottom, I use a flat-tip wooden spatula (from Ikea) to scrap them. Few times I failed when I didn't use the lid because the onion got "dry" too fast. Next time I'll try wine!

You can't really print or save this recipe; this is just a how-to. You'll have to use the linked caramelized onion recipe to save a copy.

Aura Diamond, incorrect. It is possible to caramelize onions in a non-stick skillet, I do it all the time. The trick is to keep the burner on med/low and spritz a little water into the pan if they start to burn. The water deglazes the pan and all that caramelly goodness ends up in your onions. Years of watching cheesesteaks being made with fried onions taught me that trick. For a little more flavor you can use vinegar or wine. Big Tony, keep trying! They are worth it!