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If you are a fan of softened, sweet caramelized onions that perfectly accompany meats, potatoes and add the perfect topping to thick soups, stay tuned! You can make these delectable sweet onions easily at home using your slow cooker AND, you can make up batches of this yummy stuff to have year round or to give as gifts to fellow caramelized onions aficionados.
The exciting thing about this recipe and method is that you can do this any time of year, such as when your home-grown onions are ready, or there is a great sale at the Farmer’s Market, or you simply want caramelized onions. You use as much or as little as you have or prefer. I like to make large batches because I batch-cook and bake almost everything to fit into my preparation plan dealing with physical limitations. I use my 18-quart electric roaster as a slow cooker so I can do about 15 pounds of onions at a time.
I prefer to use plain yellow onions (they are less expensive and hold less water weight) over the sweet varieties. As the onions slowly cook they take on their natural sugar and the caramelization process produces extremely sweet cooked onions from regular ol’ yellow ones.
CARAMELIZED SLOWCOOKER ONIONS
Onions – peeled and sliced
Extra virgin olive oil – approximately 1-2 tablespoons per pound of onions
Peel and slice onions about 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick.
Drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil on the bottom of the slowcooker or electric roaster.
Add all the sliced onions.
Pour remaining olive oil over the onions and stir lightly to distribute the oil.
Cover and cook on LOW for 12 + hours (or overnight) or until the onions are deep, rich brown, soft and very sweet.
You can store them in the fridge or freezer.
To can your lovely caramelized onions, you must pressure can them because onions are low-acid food. Follow your pressure canner manufacturer directions.
Prepare jars, lids and rings for canning.
(I use wide-mouth half-pints, quilted canning jelly jars or pints.)
Wash completely and fill jars with hot water (to warm the jars) and place lids and rings in hot water while assembling canning session ingredients.
When ready to fill jars, dump out the water
Prepare canner.
With a funnel, fill the jars to 1 inch headspace
Using a plastic or wood stick, remove any air bubbles. Wipe rims of jars with white vinegar to remove any food or oil which will prevent sealing. Top with lids and rings and tighten to finger-tight.
Pressure can half-pints for 70 minutes, pints for 75 at 10 – 15 pounds depending on your elevation.
Let canner cool completely on its own and until pressure is at zero. Place the hot, bubbling jars onto a towel and let them sit in a draft-free area for about 24 hours before washing the jars, removing the rings, labeling the jars and storing your precious caramelized onions.
Or you could totally pop open a can and spread some of that delicious onion-y goodness onto crackers, homemade toast, a homemade steak hoagie or eat them right off the spoon. They are seriously THAT good.
Thanks to my friend Janine for sharing her wisdom and feedback!
<3
Shared with: Homestead BarnHop #81
About Vickilynn Parnes
