How do I know which onion to use?

And while we prefer yellow for cooking, white for garnishing, and red for pickling, grilling , and everything in between, they're generally interchangeable: Switching between them won't ruin a dish, even if it slightly alters its flavor or appearance.

What's the best onion to caramelize?

You can caramelize any kind of onion, but yellow or Spanish onions tend to offer the most balanced-sweet-savory flavor profile and are the most versatile for different dishes. Sweet onions, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla work too, but keep in mind that their flavor will become even sweeter once caramelized.

How to select the best onion?

How to Pick and Store Onions. Choose firm onions with dry, papery skins . Avoid onions that have brown or soft spots or onions with any emerging sprouts. Store whole onions in a cool, dry spot that's out of the sun.

What is the best onion for everyday cooking?

Yellow onions are your go-to cooking onions. This onion has yellow skin and a strong flavor due to its high sulphur content, which mellows out during cooking, becoming sweet and flavorful.

Which onion is best for frying?

YELLOW ONION: Best All Around Cooking Onion.

How can you tell a good onion?

Look for onions with a firm texture and dry, papery skins . Avoid onions that are soft or exhibit brown spots. You'll also want to avoid any onions that are sprouting. Sprouted onions are usually still good to eat, but they won't last as long.

Should I use butter or oil to caramelize onions?

You can use either oil or butter to caramelize onions — but ideally, you use a combination of both ! I like to use olive oil, and this cooking fat tolerates heat particularly well. Meanwhile, butter adds a distinctly rich flavor to the caramelized onions.

Do you caramelize onions with the lid on or off?

We then need to get the steam and the water from the onions out of there. Otherwise, the onion won't brown. Once you cook the onions with the lid on for about 20 minutes, take the lid off . That allows the water to cook off.

Why add vinegar to caramelize onions?

This is our secret ingredient to make the best caramelized onions. Vinegar adds a touch of acidity to balance out the sweetness of the onions . It elevates their flavor wonderfully. We recommend balsamic vinegar if you use red onions and apple cider vinegar if you use white or yellow onions.

Does baking soda make onions caramelize faster?

In addition to water, we have another secret ingredient: baking soda. We often turn to it to speed browning, since it creates a high-pH environment, which allows caramelization to occur more readily .

What kind of onion is best for burgers?

They are identifiable by their reddish-purple skin, which stands out amongst other types of onions at the grocery store. Since they are so mild in flavor, red onions are one of the best onions for burgers.

Does it matter what onion you use?

In general, different kinds of onions are interchangeable . Just because you don't have any white onions doesn't mean you can't go ahead and fix a Mexican dish with yellow globes. Or red onions, for that matter. I recently fixed liver and onions with leeks, as I had no yellow onions in the house.

How do I find the perfect onion?

Yellow: This is what most cooks reach for when a recipe says simply “onion.” It's full-flavored, versatile, turns golden brown when sautéed, and is the best choice for onion soup . It's also among the highest in sulfuric acid, the stuff that makes you cry, making it too sharp to eat raw.

Do I use white or yellow onions?

Here's our rule of thumb: use white onions raw, yellow onions for cooking and red onions for pickling or grilling.

How to Choose Which Onion to Use | Blue Flame Kitchen (2024)

Which Onion Goes Best With What

When shopping for onions, you have plenty of choices available at the supermarket. Each onion has its own purpose in the kitchen, and knowing the difference is important if you find yourself with a recipe that calls for one type when you only have the other type in the pantry.

Our chef instructors at the ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen Calgary Learning Centre came up with the following pointers.

Yellow Onions: The general cooking onion. Usually relatively cheap and plentiful, they’re the go-to onion when cooks get cooking. The flavour is strong but mild, with an onion flavour that isn’t overpowering. They often have a bit of sweetness to them, they caramelize nicely and they hold up well when cooked. Unless your recipe says otherwise, this is the default onion for most cooked dishes.

White Onions: A stronger, spicier, more pungent flavour than yellow onions. More oniony, for lack of a better term, than yellow onions. They don’t hold up as well when cooked, as they tend to fall apart.

Red Onions: The salad onion. While you can cook with it, it’s less overpowering than white or yellow onions, making it ideal for uses that require raw onion. The colour fades as you cook them. Great for Greek salad, on burgers, etc. “A mild, colourful, wonderful onion,” as one of our chefs put it. Sweeter and less punchy than white onions.

Sweet Onions: Something else entirely. There are multiple varieties under the “sweet onion” banner, and the level of sweetness can vary widely from one type and growing region to another. As the name implies, they’re super sweet and great for eating raw.

Shallots: A chef favourite. Very mild, almost like a cross between a yellow and a red onion. They hold up very well in cooking, and the texture doesn’t break down easily. While they have an onion flavour, they’re not very potent. Because their flesh is so small, they’re a perfect choice for fine-dining applications where a chef wants a very finely diced onion that acts as a base building block for a wide range of dishes. If you’ve never worked with them, give it a go. Ringed, sliced, pickled – any way you slice them (or dice them), they’re fantastic.

How to Choose Which Onion to Use | Blue Flame Kitchen (2024)

Which Onion Goes Best With What

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