# Bad Onions



## Barbara L (Oct 5, 2010)

Is anyone else having a problem finding good onions in the grocery stores this year?  I mainly buy 3 pound bags of yellow onions, as they are cheaper (and I like them for general cooking purposes), but I sometimes buy Vidalias and others as well.

For the last few months a lot of my onions are spoiling faster, and even perfectly fine looking onions often have a brown center (ranging from beige to dark brown).  I haven't changed anything about the way I store my onions, so that isn't the problem.  They are coming from the store that way.  

Just this evening I cut open a beautiful looking onion and near the top it was light brown.  Fortunately it was just a small area and most of the onion was fine.

Barbara


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## Andy M. (Oct 5, 2010)

I do run into that from time to time.  I also find a lot of bad garlic and struggle to a good bulb or two.


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## Barbara L (Oct 5, 2010)

I expect it now and then, but I have been getting a lot more of them this year!

Barbara


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## Andy M. (Oct 5, 2010)

I usually buy yellow onions loose.  I pick over them carefully to get the firmest ones with no damages.  Still, when I cut them open I find a spoiled center from time to time.


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## Barbara L (Oct 5, 2010)

Yeah, I check each onion through the bag the best I can.  I've had the same problem with loose onions this year. Well, at least it isn't as bad as getting bad meat.  LOL

Barbara


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 5, 2010)

I had about one or two weeks of nice onions, now they are all iffy again!  Improper storage while shipping?


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## Barbara L (Oct 5, 2010)

Could be.  Same here, a couple weeks of good ones.

Barbara


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## DaveSoMD (Oct 6, 2010)

I have been having that problem also but for me I think it was where I wa buying my onions.  I stopped buying them at that store and switched to another. They are a  bit more expensive there but I have not had the problem since.  Try another store if you can and see if you have the same problem with their supply.


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## bethzaring (Oct 6, 2010)

it was a poor year for me for onions this year...the spring and early summer was wet, way too wet...and I had almost a total crop failure of garlic due to the wetness....maybe it was a poor growing season for others as well?


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## sparrowgrass (Oct 6, 2010)

That was my thought, too, Beth.


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## Laury (Oct 6, 2010)

I keep sweet onions (Vidalia, Walla Wallas, etc.) in the fridge.  They seem to spoil a lot faster than regular ones.


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## Andy M. (Oct 6, 2010)

Laury said:


> I keep sweet onions (Vidalia, Walla Wallas, etc.) in the fridge.  They seem to spoil a lot faster than regular ones.



The refrigerator is not a great place for onions.  They should be in a cool, dark, dry place.  A kitchen cabinet away from the heat is ideal.


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## sparrowgrass (Oct 6, 2010)

I  keep all my onions in the fridge. They do last a long time that way.  I live alone, and it ordinarily takes me a long, long time to use a bag of onions.  I keep them in the crisper drawer, and my one warning about that is don't put the apples in there with them, unless you like onion flavored apples.

Potatoes, however, go in a cabinet, not under the sink.  The under sink cabinet is too warm, and in my house, that cabinet is a little transfer station for the mouse subway.


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## Barbara L (Oct 6, 2010)

I have bought them at different stores. 

Beth, I was wondering the same thing, about a bad growing season.

Vidalias do tend to spoil faster than other onions--I think I read that it is because they are a sweeter onion.

Barbara


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 6, 2010)

I may need to rethink my storage of almost eveything.  I have a small, 2 door pantry, from Sauder and two wire shelving units.  I have appliances and potatoes, onions. garlic on the wire shelves and canned goods in the pantry.  I think I may switch some canned to the shelves and the veg to the pantry.  I have baseboard heat and the wire shelves are right on them.

Maybe most of my veg problem.


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## 4meandthem (Oct 6, 2010)

I pulled a shallot out last week that sprouting so I just put in the ground.Same goes for garlic and onions.

I have also noticed some brown rings in yellow onins.I don't save those though.

I will crack my garlic heads in half at the store if they are questionable.


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## acornhil (Oct 16, 2010)

*In search of strong tasting onions*

As with many veggies these days they seem to have be modified over the years to accommodate the grower/picking/shipping/processing requirements.  

Taste?  Oh, does that really count?

I have an old recipe we make for the holidays, English Chestnut Stuffing.  (Recipe at bottom of this message.)  We carefully observe the ingredient quantities and processing instructions.

What we have encountered is a lack of cooked onion taste in the dressing, which makes this simple dressing what it is.  I am convinced that this is due to the onion varieties sold here today in SW Ohio.  Small yellow onions that don't make your eyes water during processing equals no serious onion taste!

Has anyone encountered this wimpy onion syndrome, or better yet a good strong old fashioned yellow onion?  I'll have them shipped in if necessary!

acornhil

2 lbs (net) Italian chestnuts--after removing from shell and inner membrane.  Chestnuts should be selected carefully.  Firm, but not dried out and no breaks in the shells.
12-14 ounces of stinky--makes you cry--strong--yellow onion!
1/4 lb butter--soft (forget about margarine)

Finely grind chestnuts or process until fine in food processor
Do same for onions.
Combine and add the butter
Mix by hand until butter is absorbed.
Make into balls and stuff into neck of a large turkey.


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## moltogordo (Nov 28, 2010)

Actually, in my neck of the woods (Prince George, northern BC) onions are excellent (even in the supermarkets) and so are their prices right now.

Probably a long way to drive for them, though.


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## Alix (Nov 28, 2010)

moltogordo, its too far for ME to drive, so I know Barbara isn't coming! I was born in PG, welcome to DC.


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## taxlady (Nov 28, 2010)

I've been seeing that with the onions for the past 3/4 of a year. As to garlic, I find the stuff at the health food store is better. Maybe that's because it's local. I feel up every outside clove on every bulb. I also buy a large jar of chopped garlic at Costco, but it isn't good for everything.


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## bakechef (Nov 28, 2010)

Most of the onions that I have bought regardless of the variety, or store purchased have been really strong smelling, they seem quite fresh when I pick them out, but when I start cutting them and cooking them, the smell is wicked pungent.


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## Bolas De Fraile (Nov 29, 2010)

bakechef said:


> Most of the onions that I have bought regardless of the variety, or store purchased have been really strong smelling, they seem quite fresh when I pick them out, but when I start cutting them and cooking them, the smell is wicked pungent.


I grow a lot of onions, garlic and shallots, I plant about 3 types of each for their different flavor and strength. I cant remember the variety name, but one type of onion blew my socks off, it made the best cheese and onion sandwich.
Storage, make sure they are dry, then place on shelves in a cool place.


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## Barbara L (Nov 29, 2010)

Bolas De Fraile said:


> I grow a lot of onions, garlic and shallots, I plant about 3 types of each for their different flavor and strength. I cant remember the variety name, but one type of onion blew my socks off, it made the best cheese and onion sandwich.
> Storage, make sure they are dry, then place on shelves in a cool place.


Whatever the problem with onions in the Carolinas has been this year is not to do with how we store them at home--they are bad right from the store (visible when they are cut open or peeled).  Thankfully they seem to be getting better in my area now. Hopefully that problem is behind us.

Barbara


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## Rocklobster (Nov 29, 2010)

I keep mine in a large plastic pail with a tight fitting lid.


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## bakechef (Nov 29, 2010)

Barbara L said:


> Whatever the problem with onions in the Carolinas has been this year is not to do with how we store them at home--they are bad right from the store (visible when they are cut open or peeled).  Thankfully they seem to be getting better in my area now. Hopefully that problem is behind us.
> 
> Barbara



It's nice to know that I'm not the only one having problems.  When Vidalia's were in season, they seemed OK, but pretty much everything else has been hit or miss, mostly miss


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## Zhizara (Nov 29, 2010)

The onions I've been buying lately have been good, unlike a few months ago.  The have also been more pungent than I'm used to.


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## babetoo (Nov 29, 2010)

i have had problems with the bad inside of onions. ticks me off especially if it is the last one, and the good parts are not enough for the recipe. i don't buy the bags,just me, unless company is coming. i hate paying for something i can't use.


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## Bolas De Fraile (Nov 30, 2010)

Do you have the tins of Eazyonions over there.


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## Barbara L (Nov 30, 2010)

I've never heard of Eazyonions.  We can buy dehydrated onion flakes, onion powder, onion juice, canned pearl onions, and Frenched fried onions. 

Barbara


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## Bolas De Fraile (Nov 30, 2010)

Tinned Eazy fried onions are a Spanish Product, it is chopped onions cooked opaque in olive oil then tinned, they cost about £.60 a tin.

They are the best cheats product.


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## Bolas De Fraile (Nov 30, 2010)

Barbara L said:


> Whatever the problem with onions in the Carolinas has been this year is not to do with how we store them at home--they are bad right from the store (visible when they are cut open or peeled). Thankfully they seem to be getting better in my area now. Hopefully that problem is behind us.
> 
> Barbara


Barb I was not referring to home storage, I think your onions may be from a previous season.


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## MSC (Nov 30, 2010)

We too have had the occasional bad onion this year, more often than past years and wonder if it's happening because the growers are getting lazy on their drying procedures before getting the onions to their suppliers.  No evidence to support this, but wonder if there's increased demand for onions in general and sweet onions in particular and they're being sent to market before they should go.  "Cutting corners" does seem to be on the increase...


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## casuesmith (Jan 25, 2011)

I have had the same problem with potatoes, as well as onions and garlic. I have decided to stop buying produce from the store that now sells 25% of all groceries and spend a little more money. Not really saving when you have to throw away part.


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## betterthanabox (Jan 25, 2011)

I have had quite an issue with bad onions this year. I have had a lot of mold. I pick really beautiful bags of onions, they look great on the outside, when you start to remove the paper-y layer there is nothing but mold! The inside has been fine, but I am not too keen on eating something with the outside covered in mold. I have changed stores, they are all like that as soon as I get them home, so it is not a storage problem on my end. I think they are just bad right now.


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## CWS4322 (Jan 25, 2011)

I grow my own onions, so haven't had that problem. But the GARLIC. I will only buy garlic from California or Argentina (love the garlic from Argentina). A lot of the local stores sell garlic from China. It molds within 2-3 days, lacks flavor, etc. Why garlic needs to be imported from China is beyond me. There are lots of garlic growers in Ontario.


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## betterthanabox (Jan 25, 2011)

I tried for about a half hour to find Garlic Powder that was from somewhere other than china, and couldn't and I went to 2 stores! Anyone know how to make your own garlic powder?


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## ChefJune (Jan 26, 2011)

Barbara L said:


> Yeah, I check each onion through the bag the best I can. I've had the same problem with loose onions this year. *Well, at least it isn't as bad as getting bad meat. LOL*
> 
> Barbara


 
...ROTFL  and not nearly as expensive!

I've noticed that problem here, too.  Even sometimes with Greenmarket onions. I wonder if it has to do with the level of the water table?


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