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How to Caramelize Onions

How to do it

  1. Heat a skillet (I prefer not to use nonstick for this) over medium heat with a small amount of olive oil
  2. Peel and thinly slice the onions.
  3. Add onions to the heated oil and stir to coat well.
  4. Reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn pale yellow.
  5. If the onions start to brown, reduce the heat. The idea is to cook the onions from the inside out, and they shouldn't take on browning until the end. The color should become an even brown.
  6. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the onions cooking slowly.
  7. When the onions have begun to turn brown, add 1/2 tsp kosher salt and stir well.
  8. The onions will have become very softened and the salt will extract any remaining moisture.
  9. Taste, adjust salt and continue cooking to your desired color/flavor. The best result will be like jam. This can take as much as an hour and it's best to do while you're working on other projects. Don't leave it alone or it will be ruined.

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