[koukouvagia]

I'm hoping someone can give me some insight here. I tried to sautee these onions. They're going into a meatloaf and I wanted them to be soft and slightly caramelized. They've cooked for about 20 minutes on a medium low heat in some olive oil. But they're not browning, even if I turn the heat up. So I turned them off and they started turning green.

Is this because they were processed too finely? Or because they're in this type of pan? I'm weirded out, do I have to throw these out?

 

[chrislehrer]

What's the pan made of? That's an acid reaction. Happens sometimes with garlic that turns blue. If it's not the pan I'm guessing that the onions are very old or very acidic for some reason.

They shouldn't hurt you, but might taste musty. You could try to boost the caramelization with a little sugar, but I don't think it'll do much.

 

[koukouvagia]

What's the pan made of? That's an acid reaction. Happens sometimes with garlic that turns blue. If it's not the pan I'm guessing that the onions are very old or very acidic for some reason.

They shouldn't hurt you, but might taste musty. You could try to boost the caramelization with a little sugar, but I don't think it'll do much.

Yea I chucked them and chopped up more onion. I was annoyed and didn't bother caramelizing them, just put them in raw, meh should be fine. Thanks!

 

[brianshaw]

LOL. I just saw this thread. Weird onions! I was going to suggest finely chopping and using raw. They will cook (as you already know). Coincidentally, I saw someone on some cooking show recently admonish that nothing raw should ever go in meatloaf. My reaction (Bull…) was so adamant that my wife had to remind me that it’s just a tv show.

 

[koukouvagia]

LOL. I just saw this thread. Weird onions! I was going to suggest finely chopping and using raw. They will cook (as you already know). Coincidentally, I saw someone on some cooking show recently admonish that nothing raw should ever go in meatloaf. My reaction (Bull…) was so adamant that my wife had to remind me that it’s just a tv show.

Speaking of nothing raw going in meatloaf, my Mom asked me if I was putting hard boiled eggs in it. Must've been something done in the 60's I guess haha. I know a lady that prides herself on placing a whole carrot down the center of a pot roast so when you slice it you have an orange circle in the middle of your slice. People do weird things.

I will say that I prefer putting cooked onion in meatballs and meatloaf, but only because I like the flavor that it adds. I have no problem with putting it in raw however and often do so. In fact, even when I use cooked onion I then add raw scallion as well. More onion more better.

 

[chrislehrer]

I think the only concern about raw stuff in a meatloaf is that you don't have any control over the water content. Onions are probably okay, but mushrooms or spinach could really have dramatic effects on the texture and such if not cooked in advance. Same as for stuffings: you don't just ram spinach and mushrooms up a chicken's butt and hope it'll roast properly! (How's that for an image? )

 

[butzy]

I think that first batch of onions would have been fine to use.
I find it difficult to caramalise onions that are finely processed (gone through kitchen machine of blender). I normally chop medium- coarse, then brown and then process.
I read somewhere that processing uncooked onions could turn them bitter, but I haven't really noticed that. Maybe another of those kitchen fables

By the way, good to see you again @koukouvagia

 

[chrislehrer]

Processing raw onions is a problem, actually. Basically the thing is that onions have a couple of essential oils which, when combined, produce a sulfuric acid compound. This is why cutting onions with a really sharp knife lessens the crying: you don't crush the cells. If you process the onions, you crush everything and get sulfuric acid everywhere. You may be right that this is also related to the onions turning green: as I mentioned earlier, the blue garlic thing is definitely an acid reaction, and this may be the same.

 

[butzy]

So:
Green onions
Blue garlic
Pink ginger (annecdote, years ago in Japan, I got ordered sashime and I thought that pink stuff was smoked salmon and I love smoked salmon. Put a big piece in my mouth and tasted pickled ginger)