Canning

[monpetitchoux]

How does one go about canning (really, it's jarring) caramelized onions? Just simple caramelized onions so that we can just pop open a jar whenever we need some and don't have the time to make from scratch? Is it possible since this is, I think, a low acid product? Would freezing be a better option? But the problem there is that we are both low on freezer space (since we save bones for stock). And frozen caramelized onions aren't spoonable.

[Suzanne]

I don't know about the Bay Area, but in New York City it is against Health Department regulations for a restaurant to use "home-canned" products, which extends to stuff canned on-premises. Fears of botulism, I suppose. So the only options here are making smaller batches of them often, or making bigger batches and freezing. How much do you need at a time? Can you make a big batch and freeze it portioned in heavy-duty plastic bags? Those are easy to thaw, and don't take up much room if you can lay them down flat.

I've just heard of a way of making them in a crock-pot, but that is more for home cooks. Would that help you, though?

[marmalady]

I do a roasted garlic 'confit'; whole peeled garlics roasted slowly covered with olive oil, that I then jar and keep in the fridge for about a month. Don't know if that would suit your purpose for the onions, if that's too much oil. If you're doing them for service, I would think that a big batch would keep in the cooler for 4-5 days anyway.

[bouland]

Rather than canning, I'd vaccuum pack the onions and freeze them.

[Pete]

I think there is a problem with both canning and freezing caramelized onions. I think that both methods would create caramelized onion puree. The freezing would cause the onions to break down into mush. With canning, since it is a low acid product, it would need to be processed (boiled in the jars) to make sure it is safe. I make a caramelized onion jam that I can. It works out great, because the onions are already pretty brocken down so I am not concerned about wanting whole pieces in the product.

[Suzanne]

Not necessarily, Pete. I made caramelized onions (saute slice) at home a while ago, and froze them in 1-cup batches. They did soften some, but were still distinct shreds, not mush. (BTW, I added some fresh thyme when I first cooked them, and boy, was that yummy!)

Anyway, it seems to me that the extra time and effort needed for proper canning could probably be spent more productively.

[chiffonade]

Caramelized onions can beautifully - I do it every year to give as gifts.

You should check with the health department about using canned products in your restaurant cooking.

If the kitchen is certified, it may be OK, but you don't want to take any chances of a) poisoning someone or b) getting your permit yanked. Check with the health department to see if goods canned in an already-approved kitchen are OK to sell, either directly to the public or in use for dishes prepared for the public.

[kuan]

My "Joy of Cooking" says that the Department of Agriculture recommends that you not can, among other things, onions. The others on the list are Cabbage, Parsnips, Cauliflower, Celery, Cucumber, Eggplant, and Lettuce! I think if you caramelize pearl onions you'll be okay if you pickle them.

Kuan

[chiffonade]

Originally posted by kuan
My "Joy of Cooking" says that the Department of Agriculture recommends that you not can, among other things, onions. Kuan

I forgot to mention that the confit of onions I make to give as gifts calls for one entire bottle of balsamic vinegar. I think that's pretty close to pickling

[monpetitchoux]

I think I should have specified that I was interested in home canning, just as Chifonade does for gifts. I work in a pastry kitchen, so onions have no place in my desserts. And, friends, you are right about canning taking up lots of time better spent making fresh. But like the rest of you, I don't have much time to cook by the time I get home (I have a 2 hour commute each way and work 10 hours daily, so I'm gone from home a total of 14 hours). I thought that preserving caramelized onions would jumpstart me to a good home-cooked meal at the end of a tiring day. Afterall, one can't eat restaurant food everyday, and that includes family meal.

So it's not possible to can caramelized onions without vinegar, huh? Chiffonade and Pete, will you please share with me your onion recipes? I think my friends would like something other than marmalade (no matter how exotic the citrus).

[W.DeBord]

I do some canning Monpetitchoux it is great for gifts (and a fun when you have a big garden), I also love to make candies and other sweets as gifts too. When I'm too busy and I buy food gifts it's embarassing sending someone 12 cookies...they don't realize it but that cost 48. plus 10. shipping (for good ones). So homemade gifts really are a value.
Anyway I relate greatly to your post (we have that type of comute around my parts too), I used to average 3 hours a day in the car.

Honestly I don't think you can look to canning as helping easy your load for nightly or weekly dinners. The items that can "well" aren't wide ranging. Mainly their condiments.

I personally look to freezed items for relief, variety and nutrition. I make big batches of sauce and typical stuff like lasange and freeze them into nightly portions, etc...Friends and relatives I know use crockpots (although I don't really know about that) and swear by them (aparently there are many items that cook well in them)....

I suppose that was a dumb post all pretty obvious.......oh well.

[foodnfoto]

There is a good book about canning called Putting Food By by an auther I can't remember. I used it for years to accomodate the overflow from our kitchen garden. It has all the info you might need about canning different fruits and vegetables, equipment, time involved and so forth. My copy is completely water-wrinkled and stained with no covers to speak of. You can put up a lot of food in an afternoon and the convenience and taste are well worth the effort.

Onions are one of those low-acid foods that grow botulism very nicely in the proper environment. I believe you would need to use a pressure canner (basically pressure cooker large enough to accomodate canning jars) to process these safely. Otherwise, you would need to process your jars for about 9-10 hours in a conventional canner. By that time, I believe your onions would be mush (or onion confit-whichever you prefer.)

Good Luck.