How to make caramelized onions: making the cut

Thus, cutting onions is not a kitchen chore with a particularly pleasant reputation. Both the taste of the finished product and the tears shed to get there are affected by the cutting method.

1) Use a sharp knife. The bite from the onion comes from the substances inside the cell walls. When those walls are smashed by a dull knife, there is a lot of damage and more chemicals are released. Sliced cleanly, there is less damage — and usually, fewer tears.

2) Direction matters . The same substances that make you cry also give onions their signature sharp flavor. If you want a stronger, sharper taste, cut against the grain, or, through the middle. (This breaks more cell walls.) If you want a milder taste, cut end-to-end.

3) Leave the root intact . There is a higher concentration of tear-producing chemicals at the root end of the onion. Leaving the root end intact also helps keep the onion together while you slice. Slice the onion in half from the stem end to the root, then immediately put the cut-side down. Cut off the stem end, then slice the onion starting a little above the root, leaving the slices connected. When you are done cutting that half of the onion, cut the root off. Don’t throw the root out; it has incredible flavor, so save it for stock.

Some people like to chill the onions for a few hours or overnight in the fridge to reduce the sting. I find that it changes the flavor too much for my liking, but if you are particularly sensitive to onions, it may be worth trying out.

How to make caramelized onions: cooking in butter, lots of butter

I like using butter for caramelizing onions, about 1 tablespoon per 2 or 3 onions. I find it gives a nutty, deep flavor that I really enjoy. If butter isn’t your thing, you can use vegetable, coconut, or olive oil (I avoid extra-virgin in most cooking, but this is low enough heat that it should be fine). Make sure you start with a lot of onion, as they will cook down pretty far. The exact difference is hard to predict because there are a ton of factors that contribute to volume reduction.

I usually plan on ending up with about ⅓ of the volume I started with. As the onions cook, you’ll notice brown bits forming on the bottom of your pan. This brown filmy layer is called fond , and it is delicious! Add a bit of liquid to the pot (about a tablespoon) so you can scrape up the fond and incorporate it back into the onions. Do this often, so the onions don’t burn. This process of adding liquid to the pan and scraping the fond is called deglazing . Wooden spoons or silicone spatulas work great for this. This is a great way to maximize flavor. Perhaps more importantly, scraping and incorporating fond before it burns makes it much easier to clean your pan afterward and prevents getting burned bits in your caramelized onions.

Try deglazing your pan with veggie stock, white or red wine, or other liquid whose flavor compliments your dish. Try purple onions and red wine, as mentioned before, to pair with pork. White onions with veggie stock or lemon go great with fish, and a deeply caramelized yellow onion deglazed with a little beer (even zero-proof beer) is an excellent condiment for a cookout.