All About: Onions

Handling Onions Tips Yield Substitutions Nutrition

Just for a moment consider a world without onions. How would we make soups, stews, or pasta sauces, and what would we put on our hamburgers? This pungent, aromatic vegetable is indispensable when it comes to cooking. So indispensable that during the Civil War, General Ulysses S. Grant reportedly halted his troops and sent an urgent message to the War Department: "I will not move my Army without onions." The next day three entire trainloads of onions were on their way to the front.

The onion belongs to one of the largest food families. Garlic, chives, scallions, and leeks are all members of the genus Allium. The lily is part of the family as well. There are over seventy species of onions that are native to North America, including one that the Native Americans called "Chicago." The most used onion in the United States is the "seed" or "common" onion, which was brought from Europe by the Colonists. It is grown primarily in Texas, California, and Oregon. Other popular onions include the "Spanish" onion, the "Bermuda" onion, the "Italian" red onion, and the "pearl" onion. A group of onions known as the "sweeties" are becoming very popular. The most famous is the "Vidalia" onion. This onion is protected under Georgia law, which specifies exactly where it must be grown. Some of the other "sweeties" are "Walla Wallas" from Washington State, "Maui Sweets" from Hawaii, "Carzalias" from New Mexico, "1015s" from Texas, and the "Oso Sweet" onion from South America.

Select onions that are firm and heavy for their size with papery, dry skins. Avoid onions that have soft spots, dents, cuts; are moist; or that have begun to sprout.

Handling Onions

How to Store

Store onions in a cool, dry place with lots of air circulation. The drier you keep onions, the longer they will keep.

How to Cook

Onions are one of the most versatile vegetables. Aside from their ability to add flavor to many dishes, they can be roasted, boiled, creamed, stuffed, or deep fried on their own. To make caramelized onions, sauté finely sliced onions over medium heat in a small amount of Crisco Canola Oil until softened. Sprinkle with a little brown sugar, stir well, and continue to cook, stirring often until the onions are a deep brown color. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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Tips

  • Remove onion smell from your hands by rubbing them with a lemon wedge and salt, then wash hands well with soap and warm water.
  • Add more flavor to soups, stews, and casseroles by sautéing the onions in a small amount of Crisco Oil before adding them to the recipe.
  • Make bitter, sharp, raw onions "sweeter" by placing chopped or sliced onions in a bowl of cold water and letting them stand about 15 minutes, stirring about every 5 minutes. Drain well before using.

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Yield

4 medium size onions = about 1 pound
1 pound of onions = about 2-1/2 cups chopped

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Substitution

Frozen, dried, and canned onions are available.

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Nutrition

Onions have no fat or cholesterol, are a good source of vitamin C, and also contain vitamin B6, potassium, and other nutrients. Half a cup of raw onions provides about 30 calories. Onions also contain organosulfur compounds and other naturally occurring phytochemicals that have been linked to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

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