Buzz
Like many millennials, I crave instant results and often try to speed up the cooking process. But there's one dish that demands patience: caramelizing onions. It’s a slow, deliberate process that can’t be rushed.
As Tom Scocca highlighted in his critique of misleading food writers about caramelizing onions, this is a task that requires at least 30 minutes, if not more. You’re not just browning onions; you're breaking down complex sugar molecules into simpler ones and then into smaller, more flavorful compounds for a deeper sweetness. Adding a pinch of baking soda might hasten things slightly, but cranking up the heat won’t speed up the process.
Make sure you have the right tools for the job of caramelizing (or frying) onions:
A mandoline, for slicing evenly every time
A big ol’ pan, the larger, the better
Wooden spoons, perfect for stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan
The key ingredient in caramelized onions—besides onions themselves—is patience. They need to be cooked on low heat, not medium. I’m not particularly patient, so I’ve figured out that the secret is keeping busy with other quick tasks while you let those onions do their thing. Here’s my method:
Slice or chop your onion into medium-thin pieces, not paper-thin, because overly thin onions will fry and crisp up instead of caramelizing.
Place them into a pan set to low heat, with a tablespoon of cooking oil. (Butter might seem tempting, but if you use it, you'll end up browning butter, not onions).
Sprinkle some salt on the onions—not just for flavor, but to help draw out moisture.
Let them sit and do something else for five minutes; take out the trash or, if you're feeling brave, trim the dog's toenails (though honestly, that usually takes way longer than five minutes!).
After five minutes, stir the onions.
Repeat steps 3 and 4, alternating between stirring and completing short, simple tasks.
If you get a little too eager and crank up the heat, you might see the onions starting to crisp up at the edges. If that happens, lower the heat. If there’s burnt fond at the bottom, add a bit of water, scrape it up, and keep cooking.
Once your onions reach the level of darkness you like, remove them from the pan. For light, golden-brown onions, that’ll take about 25 minutes. For rich, deep caramelized onions, you'll need at least 35 minutes, maybe even 40.
Use these delicious onions in any way you desire—add them to soups, dips, burgers, grilled cheese, scrambled eggs, or simply enjoy them by the spoonful.
If you don’t want to wait and decide to cook your onions on higher heat, that’s your choice. You’ll get colorful, flavorful onions, but they’ll be fried, not caramelized. I have pictures to prove it. (And I should know better—I’m the one who tried to speed up the process and failed.)
But honestly, fried onions aren’t the end of the world. You can still throw them on a burger, toss them into a dip, or snack on them straight from the pan. They’re just not the same as those tender, sweet, soft caramelized onions.
