Adding onions to the menu of the next barbecue will not only give a sweet note to the flavor of the dishes, it will also guarantee significant benefits to those present in terms of health. Eating onions regularly can reduce the chances of getting cancer and speed up recovery from bronchitis. Learning how to grill onions correctly will allow you to serve a perfect, tasty and healthy side dish to the table, suitable to accompany any course.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Prepare the Grill and Ingredients
Step 1. Clean the grill before using it
This step is very important, especially if you intend to cook the onions in direct contact with the metal grill. Even if you decide to use a different technique, be aware that a clean grill in perfect condition cooks better than a dirty one.
- To clean the grill, grease a piece of absorbent paper with extra virgin olive oil, then carefully rub each of the steel bars that compose it, without missing any. If you prefer, you can spread the oil directly on the grill and then scrape it using a spatula or an iron brush.
- Some barbecues have a self-cleaning feature. If the steps described above were not enough to clean the grill and your barbecue is equipped with this function, use it to finish the cleaning phase.
Step 2. Once the grill is perfectly clean, grease it with oil to prevent food from sticking during cooking
The oil, in addition to being an excellent tool for cleaning the grill, also has a non-stick function during cooking. Make sure you perform this step before lighting the barbecue otherwise it will not be effective.
For this step you can choose to use any type of vegetable oil as it is not what you will use to season the onions. If you intend to cook them in direct contact with the grill, it is always better to choose an excellent quality oil; if you have decided to use a container or aluminum foil, you can opt for a cheaper oil
Step 3. Choose whether to use aluminum foil, a pan with high or low edges or wooden or metal skewers
Except in the case of sliced onions, the easiest way to grill them is to use the most suitable tool to ensure even cooking and prevent them from falling off the grill. A parcel made of aluminum foil, a pan with high or low edges or skewers with which to pierce the onions are all a great solution.
- You can also choose to use a simple aluminum foil to be placed on the grill, being careful to make small holes in it to allow the heat to come into direct contact with the food.
- If you are going to use wooden skewers, be sure to immerse them in water first so that they cannot catch fire during cooking.
Step 4. If you don't have any of the tools described, choose to cut the onions into thick slices or leave them whole
It is better to opt for the first solution, as cooking whole onions evenly on the grill is quite difficult; in fact it is almost inevitable that one side will be more cooked than the others.
Step 5. Choose what to season the onions with before grilling them
The choice is completely personal, based on your tastes, but normally a good extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper are an excellent solution. You can also choose to add spices, herbs, or other ingredients you like. Some people like to use butter and granulated beef broth to further accentuate the final flavor of the recipe. Here is a list of other ideas to draw from, regardless of the variety of onions used:
- Mustard and honey sauce;
- Balsamic vinegar;
- Barbecue sauce;
- Worcestershire sauce;
- Spice blend for grilled meats.
Part 2 of 3: Grilling Sliced or Wedge Onions
Step 1. Go to your local greengrocer to choose large onions that have a firm texture
Golden onions are often the most common choice, due to their size and flavor. Onions with a sweeter and less pungent flavor are ideal for grilling. Tropea red onions are also perfect for their natural sweetness.
In any case, as long as they are of sufficient size and are fresh, the choice can fall on any variety. In case you have decided to cook them whole, try to select onions that are as symmetrical as possible in order to obtain an even cooking without much effort
Step 2. Remove the stem part, then peel the onions
Remove any layer of outer skin that appears dry or has already detached from the rest of the bulb. Look closely at the subsequent layers for any dry or damaged parts and, if necessary, remove them. You should be able to figure out when to finish the job by reaching for the cooler, pulp-rich layers.
Step 3. Cut the onions
To slice them, hold them from the root side, then place them horizontally on the cutting board. Proceed to slice the onions into large slices about 1-2 cm thick.
- To obtain nice wedges, do not completely eliminate the lower part of the onion, where the root is present, because otherwise the layers would separate during cooking. Each wedge should be about 2-3 cm wide. From a good sized onion you should be able to get about 4-6 cloves.
- These are just simple tips. You can cut the onions as you like, in large wedges or as you like, until you decide to leave them whole. Remember, though, that small pieces are more likely to slip off the grill and fall into embers or onto the heat source. If you have chosen small onions you will need to use special tools to prevent this from happening.
Step 4. Season the onions with the selected ingredients
Add any seasoning you want, such as oil, salt, pepper, spices, herbs, etc. A short list of options has already been provided in the previous steps, as you will remember the standard dressing consists of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Whatever your choice, be sure to season the onions evenly.
Step 5. Preheat the grill using medium heat
Place the onion slices directly on the hot grill. Alternatively, you can use a baking tray or foil packet. Let the onions cook for about 3-5 minutes or until the classic dark marks left by the red-hot grill appear. If you have cut the onions into very thick slices, it may take up to 7 minutes to cook.
- If you opted to bake them in foil, arrange the onion slices on aluminum foil, then fold it in half on itself to protect them, then fold the sides to seal them.
- The use of skewers is ideal if you have cut the onions into wedges, to prevent the various layers from falling apart. In this case, be sure to soak the wooden skewers in the water before use, so that they cannot catch fire during cooking.
Step 6. Turn the onion slices using the kitchen tongs
Let them cook for another 3-5 minutes or until the classic grill marks have appeared on this side as well. If you have a desire to add more dressing or oil, do so now.
Taste the result. On the outside the onion is still crunchy, on the inside it is soft and its juices have caramelized? Great, that's exactly what you wanted to achieve
Step 7. Remove the onion slices from the grill, then serve them as a side dish for your dishes
Grilled onions are a perfect accompaniment to many preparations, as well as being excellent when added to sauces, curries, salads, casseroles or numerous other vegetarian dishes.
Part 3 of 3: Grilling the Whole Onions
Step 1. Remove any layer of outer skin that appears dry and has already detached from the rest of the bulb
Look closely at the subsequent layers for any dry or damaged parts and, if necessary, remove them. If the layer you are looking at does not satisfy you and you are not sure you want to eat it, delete it.
Do not remove the end of the onion where the root is present. This is the part opposite to that of the stem
Step 2. Prepare the onions
Start by removing about 1/3 of the top of the bulb, then proceed to extract the heart of the vegetable. To do this, insert the knife along one side of the central part of the onion, stopping before reaching the root (otherwise you will not have a whole onion). Repeat the incision all along the central part of the onion, until you can remove it. Remember not to pierce the bottom of the bulb where the root resides.
- Cut the inner layers of the onion, without going all the way to the outside, otherwise you will get wedges and not a whole onion. This device allows the dressing to flavor all the internal layers of the vegetable evenly.
- Alternatively, you can use the tip of the knife to make small incisions in the middle section of the onion. It is precisely in these incisions that you will have to insert the condiments.
Step 3. Season the onions as you like
Most people start with plain butter or extra virgin olive oil, and then add any other desired ingredients, such as salt, pepper, spices or herbs. A short list of suggestions has been provided in the first section of this article, but any ingredient you think would go well with grilled onions will be welcome.
Use a ready-made or self-made blend of spices and herbs. It will give the onions a full and intense flavor. In this step, keep in mind what you want to combine them with to choose whether to opt for a sweeter or more savory flavor
Step 4. Wrap the onions in aluminum foil, then seal them carefully
Place them directly on the grill in a spot where the heat is medium to high, then let them cook for about 20-30 minutes. Check for cooking sporadically to allow accumulated heat and moisture to remain trapped inside the foil pouch.
Cooking onions can take up to 45 minutes, depending on variety, size and degree of heat. If the onions are still not cooked after 20-30 minutes, don't worry, especially if they are large. If you have any doubts about the doneness, wait a few more minutes. If the onions aren't cooked perfectly, they may just have warmed in the center
Step 5. Remove the onions from the grill, then serve them as a side dish for your dishes
Grilled onions are a perfect accompaniment to a variety of preparations, including stews, curries and numerous other hot vegetable dishes. Plus, they can make for a complete meal with the simple addition of a little salad and good bread.
Advice
- When preparing to slice grilled onions, do not remove the end where the root is. Leaving them intact will make it easier to prevent the onion layers from separating during cutting.
- This article suggests using golden onions, but once you've learned all the secrets of grilling, you can use whatever variety you prefer. Each variety of onion has a distinct flavor, capable of giving a particular fragrance to the course it is combined with. The most common varieties of onions on the market and easily available in any fruit and vegetable shop or supermarket are: white, golden / copper and red.
- If the grill you are using has very large meshes or if the onion slices are too thin they could fall on the heat source. To prevent this from happening, you can make a small tinfoil basket. To do this, tear off a large aluminum foil, then fold it in half. Now fold each side up to a height of about 2.5 cm, then fold the corners of the basket down by pinching them with your fingers. Place the onion slices inside the foil container and place it on the wire rack for cooking.
- The longer the cooking time of the onions (both whole and sliced), the softer they will be at the end. Experiment using different times to find the texture that best suits your palate.
