# Freezing Onions



## Callisto in NC (Nov 20, 2007)

I have some red onions that are about to go south.  Can I chop and freeze them and successfully use them?


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## Andy M. (Nov 20, 2007)

I wouldn't freeze them raw.  You could saute them then freeze them or saute them with some mshrooms and freeze them.


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## Jeff G. (Nov 20, 2007)

Callisto in NC said:


> I have some red onions that are about to go south.  Can I chop and freeze them and successfully use them?



Raw--nope...frankly.  Onions are pretty cheap--toss them out when they go bad.  

You could cook them and freeze them, or get a dehydrator and dry them...


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## jkath (Nov 20, 2007)

I have frozen them with much success, but I've used a foodsaver with the proper bags.


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## Barb L. (Nov 20, 2007)

Freezing raw onions would be fine for soup, stews etc, for cooking with.


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## Callisto in NC (Nov 20, 2007)

Jeff G. said:


> Raw--nope...frankly.  Onions are pretty cheap--toss them out when they go bad.


Cheap?  Red onions?  $2 a pound isn't cheap to me.  I'm a single mom and every penny counts.  

I do have one of those Reynolds devices that suck the air out of the bag.  It can't hurt to try that.


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## miniman (Nov 20, 2007)

I got a lot of small onions and shallots off my allotment this year. I peeled them and just put them in a bag whole to drop into stews etc. I've used some and they were great. 

If you don't want to freeze them raw, make up an onion sauce and freeze that or make a basic bolognaise to freeze for a day when you don't have time to cook.


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## Jeff G. (Nov 20, 2007)

Callisto in NC said:


> Cheap?  Red onions?  $2 a pound isn't cheap to me.  I'm a single mom and every penny counts.
> 
> I do have one of those Reynolds devices that suck the air out of the bag.  It can't hurt to try that.



I guess I really don't toss that many.  I generally use mine before they go bad.  I might lose 4 or 5 a year.  If you have a cool place store them in a mesh bag or in a basket..  They will last a long time.  Warmth is the enemy of storing onions.. so is moisture..


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## Caine (Nov 20, 2007)

One time, in band camp, no, I think it was in the restaurant supply store, I found a 2 pound bag of chopped onions for something like $1.49 on sale. I took the bag home, split the chopped onions into 1/2 cup portions and put each 1/2 cup into sandwich bags, put them all into a big ziplock bag, and froze them. Then, when I needed chopped onions for a recipe, I just pulled out the required quantity. In small batches they thaw out in less than an hour on the counter, so even with very little planning time, I was still good to go. 

Oh, and I never noticed the difference between cooking with prechopped, previously frozen, thawed out onions and fresh ones. Just be sure to drain and dry them thoroughly before throwing them into hot oil!


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## Loprraine (Nov 20, 2007)

I've never frozen them raw ( not saying it wouldn't work ).  I have caramelized them and frozen them, they turn out fine.


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## Callisto in NC (Nov 20, 2007)

Jeff G. said:


> I guess I really don't toss that many.  I generally use mine before they go bad.  I might lose 4 or 5 a year.  If you have a cool place store them in a mesh bag or in a basket..  They will last a long time.  Warmth is the enemy of storing onions.. so is moisture..


I'm in the center of North Carolina near Lake Norman, hot and moist is all I get.  It's in the mid 70s today and it's the middle of November.  Our weather is not conducive to being able to store much.



			
				Loprraine 	 		 	 said:
			
		

> I've never frozen them raw ( not saying it wouldn't work ).  I have caramelized them and frozen them, they turn out fine.


I've never had luck carmelizing.  The time I tried, I nearly burnt the kitchen down.  I have also never thought of using carmelized onions with my ground beef.


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## stassie (Nov 20, 2007)

I brown onions and freeze then all the time. Over winter, I often do stews in the crockpot, and it's so easy to just pop in a lump of frozen, browned onion with the meat etc before I leave for work. If I had to chop and brown the onion in the morning, I'd either be late a lot or do it less often


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## Callisto in NC (Nov 20, 2007)

stassie said:


> I brown onions and freeze then all the time. Over winter, I often do stews in the crockpot, and it's so easy to just pop in a lump of frozen, browned onion with the meat etc before I leave for work. If I had to chop and brown the onion in the morning, I'd either be late a lot or do it less often


Interesting.  I've never browned my onions for my meat dishes in the crock pot.  Learning something here.


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## Jeff G. (Nov 20, 2007)

Callisto in NC said:


> I'm in the center of North Carolina near Lake Norman, hot and moist is all I get.  It's in the mid 70s today and it's the middle of November.  Our weather is not conducive to being able to store much.



Duhh..  I should have just looked at your signature, my apologies.  Yes, I can see why your onions go off on you..  

Good luck with the freezing...


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## Aurora (Nov 20, 2007)

I freeze raw chopped onions all the time and they work wonderfully for flavoring soups, stews, casseroles and many other dishes.  It depends greatly upon the final use of the onions. You will not have any luck in thawing them and using them like fresh onions on chili or hamburgers but for cooking they will flavor just fine.  Freezing the onions will tend to burst the cells of the onion and so they will not have the same texture of fresh but the flavor is unchanged.


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