Red wine caramelized onions are a classic for onion lovers and haters alike. Honestly, I don't like onions. They're bitter. They're stringy. And they make me cry. Which is unfortunate because I work in the restaurant industry! People like to say that you get over crying. That you can get the onion or the cutting board wet. That they're working on genetically modifying onions so that you don't cry. And some of these might work if you're only cutting up an onion or two. But, when you have an entire bushel to go through at a time? The only solution I've found that works is finding a buddy who cries less than you do. Although I do know people who swear by skiing goggles. And do bring these into work specifically for onions. Being the only woman in the kitchen most of the time? Breaking out the ski goggles isn't exactly the fashion statement that I want to lead with.
Whether you love or hate onions, though, red wine caramelized onions add a great pop of flavor. They're going to be a lot less bitter, especially if you add red wine. I don't particularly like to drink red wine. So, when I end up with a bottle, I keep it around for things like onions. I've had this bottle sitting mostly empty on my countertop for far longer than I want to admit! It's absolutely not drinkable any more. And practically vinegar. But this is perfect for caramelized onions where you're not going to notice the taste of the wine quite so much. For things like Trifle w/ Raspberries & Red Zinfandel, I'd recommend a wine that you would actually drink. But you can use old wine or even balsamic vinegar for caramelizing onions.
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Variations of Wine Caramelized Onions
I don't make all that many things that specialize in onions. Really just because I don't like onions all that much. Although there are plenty of ways of caramelizing, roasting, and grilling ingredients that are absolutely delicious that I do actually make quite a bit. Among those are roasting garlic and grilling peppers for various dishes.
Red Wine Caramelized Onions are a great way to use up old wine or to just spice up onions for a sweeter kick for burgers or sandwiches. Today, I made them for Venison Burgers w/ Limburger. Although quiche, pizza, or even jam or chutney are great options. I do a slow and steady version of caramelization. This takes at least 20 minutes. There are quicker versions, but you're going to have more issues with burning or perpetually needing to deglaze. Cooking on a low temperature for longer prevents this much fuss and muss! I also used yellow onions because that's what I had on hand, but you can substitute red onions or shallots for a slightly different flavor profile.
Slice or dice your onions.A lot of people like long, stringy pieces and not having to cry over cutting onions for quite so long. I am not one of them, though! I dice mine as finely as I can muster before I'm crying too bad to see what I'm doing. You can cut them as small or large as you like, though.
Add all of the ingredients to a sauté pan and simmer on low for about 20 minutes, or until translucent. Make sure to stir occasionally.When you add the wine will determine how sweet they are. You can sauté the onions until translucent before adding the wine. Although adding some sugar up front can help caramelize them faster. I've also been sitting on this bottle of wine for far too long! I don't really like red wine. I just keep it around to do things like this with. So, this wine's pretty much vinegar at this point.Adding everything at once also cuts down on steps. If there's a way to simplify things without compromising on the final product? I'm going to do it!
Serve immediately or refrigerate. Caramelized onions keep very well in the refrigerator.
Tips, Tricks, & Notes
I used yellow onions in this recipe. Although you can do this with any similarly-sized onion of choice.
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