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Caramelised Onions

A few years back I bought a jar of caramelised onions from the farmers market in town. It proved to be popular with the whole family, so I had a go at making some myself. These days it is one of those recipes that I make every year. It takes a little bit of time, and you can expect to cry (a lot) but it is definitely worth the time and effort.

We serve the caramelised onion on sandwiches, with roast meat, on hamburgers and wraps, and even on crackers with cheese. Family and friends who come to visit are always keen to take a jar home with them.

Caramelised Onions
 
Print
Prep time
20 mins
Cook time
3 hours
Total time
3 hours 20 mins
 
A delicious recipe to make your own caramelised onion
Author: Jo @ Country Life Experiment
Recipe type: Preserve
Ingredients
  • 12 large red (Spanish) onions
  • 3T olive oil
  • ½c brown sugar
  • ½c balsamic vinegar
  • 3 bay leaves
Method
  1. Peel, halve, and slice the onions about 5-7mm thick - too thin will cause the onions to burn. I used a Japanese mandolin because it makes slicing so much faster (and thus less teary), but be careful not to slice your fingers off!
  2. In a large saucepan, heat the oil on a medium heat.
  3. Add the onions and stir regularly for 15 minutes until they are soft and beginning to collapse.
  4. Reduce the heat to low, and with the lid off, add the bay leaves and cook until the onions start to go golden coloured. Stir occasionally. This could take a while.
  5. Add in the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Stir until well combined and the sugar dissolves.
  6. Place the lid on and continue to cook on a low heat for 15 minutes before removing the lid again. This allows the vinegar to be taken up by the onion rather than evaporating immediately.
  7. Continue to cook until the onions are a rich, dark brown colour. Remove the bay leaves.
  8. While still hot, spoon into sterilised jars and seal well.
  9. For the best taste, let the onions sit in the jar a couple of weeks to mellow before you serve.
3.3.3077

Are you a fan of caramelised onions? Have you made your own before?

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Leanne says

    March 26, 2017 at 10:42 pm

    I have taken to doing our onions in the slow cooker put everything in and let it go for 6hours on slow. Taste amazing!!!!!!

    Reply
    • Jo@CountryLifeExperiment says

      March 26, 2017 at 10:58 pm

      Great idea!

      Reply
  2. Lauren @ Create Bake Make says

    May 17, 2015 at 9:16 am

    I love caramelised onions and eat them on anything and everything too! Thank you for linking up with us for Fabulous Foodie Fridays.

    Reply
  3. frederique Llensa says

    May 11, 2015 at 7:23 pm

    We quite often eat caramelized onions or a marmelade made like your caramelised onions but with more vinegar. We use it with cold meat, vegetables or cheese. In France sweet and sour caramelised onions are not often used, except in North of France. I often give some pots for Xmas or when we are invited in the evenings.

    Reply
  4. Shane says

    May 11, 2015 at 3:23 am

    I make a savoury onion jam that I sell at farmers markets around Southern Tassie – have managed a few prized at the Hobart & Huon show from it. I use a brown onions in it with a range of herbs & spice for addional flavours.

    Reply
  5. Beverley O'Brien says

    May 11, 2015 at 2:26 am

    Thank you Jo – I have stacks of onions we have grown and I will start bottling them today on the wood fire. We have very ordinary weather here in Tassie so have the fire going. Thanks again for the recipe Xx

    Reply
  6. Jan says

    May 11, 2015 at 12:12 am

    Never thought of actually bottling them. Your recipe is what would do in just cooking. Hardly worth it for me as I am basically by myself now. My days of huge numbers of bottles and lots of fruit, chutneys etc are over. If I make chutney, I make only a small amount.

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Jo

I'm a city girl turned farmer's wife, school teacher, ideas woman, and mum to three country kids. Country Life Experiment is all about simple country living, growing and making our own food, and life on our family farm in rural Australia. Join me as I give country living a try. Read more...
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We have been mulling over how to fix up the drivew We have been mulling over how to fix up the driveway and lead up to our house for a while. Currently it’s just a dumping ground for old bits of metal and a big pile of mulch, but C would like to create a turning area and put in a garden. First up though, there’s a huge old stump that needs to go. What better excuse is there to have a fire on Sunday afternoon? C and the kids jumped on the quad bike and trailer, and hauled back a big pile of sticks and logs to help the stump burn. Once the fire was going, marshmallows were found and roasted. No better way to spend time together.
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It’s been a tough few weeks on the farm. We got It’s been a tough few weeks on the farm. We got through shearing without a hitch (thankfully 🙏) but we’ve had a run of the flu followed by Covid run through the family since then. The kids and I have tested positive (this is my second time getting it 🦠) though so far C has managed to avoid it. There has been a lot of lying on the couch feeling pretty ordinary. Han had to reschedule her driving test for a 4th time due to Covid, which is disappointing for her because she wants her freedom and for us because it would be so much more convenient if she could drive herself places. Just to add in to the mix, our hot water system has chosen now as a good time to die so we’re on cold showers until we’re all out of iso. This is not meant to be a whinging post but sometimes life just sucks a bit and it’s good to be real. Fortunately, the sight of the fire going with a stack of wood next to it cheers us up. Things will improve soon. Onwards we go…

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Hi, I’m Jo

City girl turned farmer's wife, school teacher, ideas woman, and mum to three country kids. Country Life Experiment is all about simple country living, growing and making our own food, and life on our family farm in rural Australia. Join me as I give country living a try. Read more...
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