Grilling Season is Now! {Recipe: Marinated Grilled Sweet Onions} (2024)

FAQs

How do you season a grill with onions? ›

Get the grill and new GrillGrates screaming hot. Rub the onion vigorously along the raised rails- much like a scrub brush. You want some aggressive pressure. Go over the rails several times and be rewarded with a dark layer on the rails that will deliver non-stick grilling and easier release of grill debris and carbon.

Best Onion for Grilling

You can cook any onion you prefer on a grill, but my personal preference is a large, sweet onion like the Vidalia onion. These taste amazing when grilled, and they stay sweet and crisp with an added caramelization when grilled. If you can't get a Vidalia onion, any other sweet onion will do.

Grill the onions for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until char marks form and the onions are tender.

Worried about onions falling apart or having trouble turning them? Try these ideas: Cover the grill grates with tinfoil and poke small holes in the foil to allow heat through. Run wooden or metal skewers through each slice or wedge.

Mix brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a bowl. Store in an airtight container or keep in the freezer in a resealable plastic bag.

Kosher salt is always my go-to and helps draw out the moisture as the onions so they soften as they cook. I add the salt at the beginning of the process. I add fresh thyme to my onions because I love the herbal flavor it imparts. It's really the perfect partner for the caramelized flavor.

Caramelized onions are not synonymous with grilled onions. Both have their place and grilled onions can be delicious, but grilling is about high heat and caramelization happens slowly over low heat.

Yellow Onions: The general cooking onion. Usually relatively cheap and plentiful, they're the go-to onion when cooks get cooking. The flavour is strong but mild, with an onion flavour that isn't overpowering. They often have a bit of sweetness to them, they caramelize nicely and they hold up well when cooked.

Sweet Onions – Walla Walla and Vidalia are the most common kinds of sweet onions. These onions lack the sharp, astringent taste of other onions and really do taste sweet.

Cooked onions should be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated as well. Like most leftovers, cooked onions will last up to four days in the fridge. Another bonus of refrigerating onions is that the cold slows down the enzymes responsible for those pesky onion tears.

What kind of onion is best for caramelizing? ›

You can caramelize any kind of onion, but yellow or Spanish onions tend to offer the most balanced-sweet-savory flavor profile and are the most versatile for different dishes. Sweet onions, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla work too, but keep in mind that their flavor will become even sweeter once caramelized.

The Vidalia is a type of sweet yellow onion. They're different from other types of yellow onions because of their high sugar content and low sulfur content. Most onions contain about 5 percent sugar, while Vidalias contain a whopping 12 percent.

Remove the outer peel. Personally, I prefer cooking them in rounds since they more tender and caramelized. Brush with oil: To ensure the onions caramelize and don't stick to the grill, brush them with olive oil or another neutral oil. Add seasoning: Sprinkle the onions on both sides with any seasoning you like.

An onion's natural acidity and fluids can loosen dirt, stuck-on food, and grease, and have your grill looking nearly new in minutes. The natural juices also have antibacterial properties that sanitize the grates. Plus, using an onion to clean a grill can be a safer alternative to chemical cleaners.

Use wooden skewers. They can be cut to fit the onion, so each onion is skewerd individually. Running the skewer through the center of the onion will keep the tender, middle part of the onion (the best part!) from falling out through the grates. Cook low and slow.

An onion's natural acidity and fluids can loosen dirt, stuck-on food, and grease, and have your grill looking nearly new in minutes. The natural juices also have antibacterial properties that sanitize the grates. Plus, using an onion to clean a grill can be a safer alternative to chemical cleaners.

First, heat the oil up on a high temperature, then once it's started popping and bubbling, lower it to a medium heat. Add the spices and then reduce the heat one last time to low. This will help the spices release their flavors slowly. Once they become aromatic, add the onion and cook until the onion is golden brown.