Dehydrated Onions

Here is a wonderful way to have onions year around. Any onion is acceptable. I did regular white onions. Once I dehydrated them they were so good we ate them right off the plate. This is a simple recipe and the most time consuming part  is the cutting. If you have a mandolin it will cut your time in half just try to keep them in disk form for drying.

Ingredients

Onions
Food Dehydrator or oven @170
Goggles and gloves


I use goggles to keep from crying and gloves to keep from smelling like onion.







Start by peeling the outer skin off your onion. Slice the onion into thin about 1/8" disk.

Now place them in between some paper towels to dry them out.

Place your onion onto the dehydrator and dry until crisp and no more moisture is in the slices. Every dehydrator is different. It could take 4 to 8 hours. Some dehydrators have a thermostat so if so let it be set at 140 degrees. Do not dry in the house if you are using a dehydrator the smell is pretty strong.



You could oven dry your onions. I do not advise this as you need to leave the oven open slightly and this is dangerous if you have small children or pets.


When you store your onions the most important thing is to make sure the onions are completely dry. Place your onions on a plate and let them sit out for a couple of days. They may disappear because they are delicious!

You want to make sure there is no more moisture in the slices so if you do not see any moisture on your plate they are dry. You can place them in a mason jar with a tight top. Also I have a Seal Save and I do bag some to keep for soups and other recipes down the line.

Onion Marmalade

 I got turned on to this onion marmalade when I attended my first food swap. the girl had it on her table and it was accompanied by some cheese and crackers. I do not think I left her table the whole swap.

I have a lot of pictures that I took when I first starting canning I noticed that I did not take them in the jar. But that is not holding me back from posting the recipe.

 I use the regular white onions because the amount of sugar you add makes them sweet enough. You can use any type you like for this recipe. The way I cut my onion is personal. I glove up when ever I am using garlic, jalapenos or onions. I do not want the smell on my hands and when I rub my eyes it is not a pleasant reminder I was canning that day.  I peel back the outer skin and use it for a kind of holder when I cut it see the picture. It works really.




Heat oil in a large skillet, add onions and cook until soft and translucent on medium high heat. Once softened, lower heat to medium or medium low, and add the brown sugar continue to cook onions until brown and caramelized. This will take a while.

 I fill up a pan with the sliced onions. Remember that no matter how full it looks it cooks down.




While that is cooking down in another pan Take the rinds (thin sliced lemon ) and add the water and baking soda bring to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes or so stirring it while it is a brewing.

Peels simmering

  Ingredients for Onion Marmalade

1. 4 tablespoons olive oil
2. 6 onions, large diced
3. 1/2 cup brown sugar 
4. 3 tablespoons of grated orange peel 
5. 1/2 cup thinly sliced lemon peel 
6. 3/4 cup water with 1/8 tsp of baking soda for peels 
7. 3 cups granulated  sugar
8. 1 cup unsweetened apple juice 
9. 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
10. 1/2 cup finely chopped raisins or cranberries (adding this is a personal choice)
11. 7 sprigs fresh rosemary, stems removed
12. One box powder pectin = 6 tablespoons bulk pectin powder

1. Heat oil in a large skillet, add onions and cook until soft and translucent on medium high heat.
2. Once softened, lower heat to medium or medium low, add the brown sugar and continue to cook onions until brown and caramelized. If using raisin or cranberries add at this time. Caramelizing will take a while. During this time you can cook your peels in the water solution.
3. Once caramelized add the  remaining ingredients and simmer on low to medium low stirring occasionally until the jam reaches the gel point.
4. Pour hot jam into clean warm jars and boil in a water bath for 15 minutes. Let cool and store in a dark place.  App 6 to 8 half pints

brown sugar in

I promise that I will get pictures of this in jars next week.