# Selecting Onions?



## Kathleen (Jan 20, 2021)

I've always felt like I am pretty good on selecting quality produce.  However, lately, most onions I get seem to have green centers or sprout within days of the purchase!  I store them in a dark, cool place.  There is no moisture near.  But they all seem to want to sprout.

Is there something more that I should consider?  Is there a way to select onions that are going to last a bit more than a few days before sprouting?  It's frustrating!


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## WhateverYouWant (Jan 20, 2021)

Fresh onions should be very firm, with smooth, shiny outside skin. While I rarely have an issue with onions sprouting, I do see it with garlic, and that seems more common in some seasons rather than others (Fall thru Winter never an issue; Spring and Summer more likely) in my No. Cal area. Dunno whether that is due to temp/humidity, or the various harvests during those seasons. Living in the mountains, my house is in the 60's during Winter, and in the 80's during Summer.

A dark cool place is good, but make sure they are not bagged in any way (not even paper).


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## blissful (Jan 21, 2021)

I have 20 bags of onions hanging in mesh bags in the cool basement. They are just starting to sprout this time of year. I use the sprouting ones first. If many many are sprouting, I'll chop them and freeze them. Depending on the variety, some keep better than others. Hopefully there will be at least 6 not sprouted by May, those I'll plant in the garden to go to seed, collect the seed for the following year to grow transplants.


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## bbqcoder (Jan 22, 2021)

I grow onions in my garden and found that white onions will sprout first, then reds, then yellows. I harvest my onions in July and usually an still eating some yellows that have not sprouted by June. I have another special yellow onion called potato  onion. They last the longest. I’ve had them last more than a year without sprouting.

I keep them in a cool dark room.


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## blissful (Jan 22, 2021)

BBQcoder, I heard about those, a friend grows them in missouri and she likes them too.
I'm growing the long keepers, Utah Yellow, and mostly Mako. Short keepers but big and sweet, Candy or Walla walla onions are good too. The short keepers sprout in Dec and Jan for me. Those are the ones that usually get chopped and frozen. Delicious.


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## dragnlaw (Jan 22, 2021)

For people who are not dedicated gardeners and with only the grocer's to pick their onions from, there is not really much choice.  

I've never gone into the grocer's and seen a list of any variety other than red - white- yellow - spanish, and sometimes we get Vadalia here.  

Like you *Kathleen*, I get frustrated with onions starting to not only sprout but the top layers, under all that shiny skin, are grey and mushy. So at this time of year, I try to remember, not to buy bags bigger than 2 pounds. 

Unless I'm using all of them for either onion soup or caramelizing. 

You have my understanding sympathy!


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## GotGarlic (Jan 22, 2021)

Kathleen said:


> I've always felt like I am pretty good on selecting quality produce.  However, lately, most onions I get seem to have green centers or sprout within days of the purchase!  I store them in a dark, cool place.  There is no moisture near.  But they all seem to want to sprout.
> 
> Is there something more that I should consider?  Is there a way to select onions that are going to last a bit more than a few days before sprouting?  It's frustrating!


I think it's part of their natural life cycle - their primary job is to reproduce, not to feed us 

Another thing you can do when they start to sprout is to slice or chop them up and freeze them. They'll be fine to use in recipes.


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## dragnlaw (Jan 22, 2021)

Of course it is their natural cycle, lol, never doubted that  

I get an equal amount of sprouting - which you can see right away.

but the grey mush under the skin is not visible, nor can you feel it.  Only noticeable when sliced. 

But I'll remember that *GG*, thanks - slice,dice,freeze - it's the way to go (at least when you do see it)!


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## FrankZ (Jan 22, 2021)

GotGarlic said:


> I think it's part of their natural life cycle - their *primary job is to reproduce, not to feed us*



They need to get their priorities right I tell ya!


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## Kathleen (Jan 22, 2021)

dragnlaw said:


> For people who are not dedicated gardeners and with only the grocer's to pick their onions from, there is not really much choice.
> 
> I've never gone into the grocer's and seen a list of any variety other than red - white- yellow - spanish, and sometimes we get Vadalia here.
> 
> ...



Grey and mushy just stomp my cornflakes.  Insult to injury!    Like you, I am striving to only get small bags these days.  



GotGarlic said:


> I think it's part of their natural life cycle - their primary job is to reproduce, not to feed us
> 
> Another thing you can do when they start to sprout is to slice or chop them up and freeze them. They'll be fine to use in recipes.



I've frozen them in the past when I think of it in time.  These days, I think of it too late.



FrankZ said:


> They need to get their priorities right I tell ya!



Right?  I mean, we paid for them to be here.


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## GotGarlic (Jan 23, 2021)

dragnlaw said:


> Of course it is their natural cycle, lol, never doubted that [emoji38]
> 
> I get an equal amount of sprouting - which you can see right away.
> 
> ...


My dear dragnlaw, I was speaking to Kathleen


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## dragnlaw (Jan 23, 2021)

I know *GG*, but it was a good suggestion for me too!


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## larry_stewart (Jan 23, 2021)

I never realized how many onions I used until my son started getting me a 25 + pound bag for fathers day ( might have been 40 or 50 lbs, either way its a lot).   I make onion soup, and freeze.   I also use the slow cooker to make a few batches of caramelized onions, and freeze them too for future use.  I'll chop some up in portion sizes and freeze for cooking purposes, And Ill pickle some for sandwiches. Whatever is left over, that dictates how many onion related dinners ill be eating of over the course of a few weeks   .   I have too noticed that sometimes I have onions that last forever, and other times they just sprout on me.   If its only one or two , I just let them crow and clip them when I need scallions.   If I see its happening to the whole lot, I use them up quickly.   I used to buy a 3 pound bag at a time which lasted about 1 - 2 weeks .  But since my son started getting me the large bag,   I now buy the 10 lb  bag since its type type of thing that if they're there, ill use them.  Cant remember the last time an onion got away from me to the point where I had to chuck it out.   worst case scenario, winds up in the compost.


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## dragnlaw (Jan 23, 2021)

OMG, Larry, that's alot of onions!


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## larry_stewart (Jan 24, 2021)

dragnlaw said:


> OMG, Larry, that's alot of onions!



Yeah, he didnt know what to get me and asked me what I wanted.  I told him to get me a 50lb bag of onions as a joke, and have been getting it ever since ( about 3 or 4 years now  )

He's now in China, but has my wife pick it up for him to give to me on fathers day .


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## Kathleen (Jan 24, 2021)

larry_stewart said:


> Yeah, he didnt know what to get me and asked me what I wanted.  I told him to get me a 50lb bag of onions as a joke, and have been getting it ever since ( about 3 or 4 years now  )
> 
> He's now in China, but has my wife pick it up for him to give to me on fathers day .



An awesome gift idea!  And a very funny story!


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## kb0000 (Jan 30, 2021)

Onions, shallots, garlic etc are living bulbs.  They don’t live forever, and they were picked months ago.   Carefully buy one onion at a time.  I’ve just gotten into Italian Red Onions, bu they seems to last longer that the others.


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## Aunt Bea (Jan 30, 2021)

The only good solution that I have found is to buy less.

I look for 2# bags of golf ball-sized yellow boiling onions.  The smaller onions are perfect for one or two people.

In the early spring, I sometimes switch to using green onions. I clean them, wrap them in a barely damp paper towel and keep them in a ziplok bag in the refrigerator.

When all else fails I use dehydrated onions and onion powder for a few weeks until a new crop is available.  I have to admit that has as much to do with the higher price of onions in the spring as the quality.

Good luck!


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## Termy (Aug 10, 2021)

Selecting onions, OK. 

Well sometimes the darker ones are best, the stronger ones are for me. I want the kind of onions that when I cut them the neighbors' eyes tear. 

Then I look for the red onions, the smaller ones are potent. 

No hijack intended but a tertiary issue - how do you pick your garlic ?

I choose the smaller ones because they are a bit more potent. Those big huge ones may be from China or whatever and they do not have the flavor. 

As far as freshness/quality, I feel them up. They can have a bunch of leaves on them but under that I want firm. No mushiness. 

The green stems/stalks whatever out the ends is them growing and that causes the green in the middle. They want to become new onions. 

T


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## karadekoolaid (Aug 10, 2021)

OK -looks like a blast from the (January) past, but I´ll weigh in with my 2 cents. 
I look for firm onions, that´s it - no blemishes, no softness, no bruises. Depending on what I´m cooking, I might select white, yellow or red onions: the red onions tend to be much milder.
In general, I don´t like HUGE vegetables; I prefer the smaller ones, because I think they have better flavour. The bigger, the better does not apply here. I go for the smaller, the tastier.


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## cookiecrafter (Aug 10, 2021)

karadekoolaid said:


> OK -looks like a blast from the (January) past, but I´ll weigh in with my 2 cents.
> I look for firm onions, that´s it - no blemishes, no softness, no bruises. Depending on what I´m cooking, I might select white, yellow or red onions: the red onions tend to be much milder.
> In general, I don´t like HUGE vegetables; I prefer the smaller ones, because I think they have better flavour. The bigger, the better does not apply here. I go for the smaller, the tastier.



Some produce companies/wholesalers etc freeze excess and sale at a better price or demand.  Bananas can be frozen when unripe (green).  Some grocery stores invest in crops and freezing is profits.


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## CharlieD (Aug 11, 2021)

larry_stewart said:


> I also use the slow cooker to make a few batches of caramelized onions, and freeze them too for future use...  .



Can you explain how exactly you make caramelized onions? Please.


As far as quality of onions. I am not sure what is going on, but both onions and potatoes last 10 or so years have been pretty lousy. I don't remember both of those being "bad" inside. Right fresh from the store I cut into a potato and they are black inside, right in the middle. Onions are as Kathleen described. I wonder what is going on.


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## GotGarlic (Aug 11, 2021)

CharlieD said:


> Can you explain how exactly you make caramelized onions? Please.
> 
> 
> As far as quality of onions. I am not sure what is going on, but both onions and potatoes last 10 or so years have been pretty lousy. I don't remember both of those being "bad" inside. Right fresh from the store I cut into a potato and they are black inside, right in the middle. Onions are as Kathleen described. I wonder what is going on.


Cut up 3-4 pounds of yellow onions and put them in a slow cooker. Sprinkle with some salt. Cook on low for about 12 hours, stirring occasionally. Some people prefer to do this outside because of the strong aroma.


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## larry_stewart (Aug 11, 2021)

Similar to what GG Said
I followed the recipe from the site below which worked out well and has been consistent over the past few years

https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-ca...cooker-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-193413


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## karadekoolaid (Aug 11, 2021)

I don´t possess a slow cooker, so I just slice the onions and cook them in abundant butter for about 40 minutes or so, stirring occasionally and tasting frequently


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## GotGarlic (Aug 11, 2021)

karadekoolaid said:


> I don´t possess a slow cooker, so I just slice the onions and cook them in abundant butter for about 40 minutes or so, stirring occasionally and tasting frequently


And that works, of course, for a smaller amount. The slow cooker method results in quite a bit more, so you can freeze some for later.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Aug 11, 2021)

This is how I buy my onions:







I then put them into sandwich bags by the half cup (a half cup equals one small or half of a large onion) and put each sandwich bag back into the original zip bag and freeze them. When I need onion I just grab a bag or two, depending on how much onion is called for in the recipe. 

I have an electric food chopper, so I do the same thing with celery and carrots, then grab one sandwich bag of each when the recipe calls for mirepoix or soffritto.


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## CharlieD (Aug 11, 2021)

larry_stewart said:


> Similar to what GG Said
> I followed the recipe from the site below which worked out well and has been consistent over the past few years
> 
> https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-ca...cooker-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-193413



Just to make sure, when you say slow cooker, are you talking about crock pot or something else?


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## larry_stewart (Aug 11, 2021)

CharlieD said:


> Just to make sure, when you say slow cooker, are you talking about crock pot or something else?



Crock pot.  Mine has basically 2 settings High and low.
Personally I dont like them, as Im an ' active cooker'. I like mixing, tasting adding....   I hate just dumping stuff into pot, walking away, and checking back 8 hours later.  Even when I try to do it, im still opening it up, mixing.... So I buried it in the basement for years.  Then someone suggested I try the crock pot for caramelizing Onions ( since I had an over abundance).  It worked really well, multiple times, and since my only goal is to caramelize/ cook down the onions, I didnt need to actively mess around with them.

I think hands on caramelizing on the stove top does come out a little better, but this is definitely more efficient especially with a bulk of onions.

As mentioned previously , they can be frozen successfully for future use.

I often add a ladle to my already completed onion soup, just to boost the onion flavor, and sometimes into my chili too.


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## CharlieD (Aug 12, 2021)

Thank you, Larry.


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## karadekoolaid (Aug 12, 2021)

larry_stewart said:


> Crock pot.  Mine has basically 2 settings High and low.
> Personally I dont like them, as Im an ' active cooker'. I like mixing, tasting adding....   I hate just dumping stuff into pot, walking away, and checking back 8 hours later.



Well that´s me , too. I can´t imagine just filling up a pot with food and then coming back to see if it´s ok. However, this works perfectly well for a lot of people, so fine. A bit like the microwave; I only ever use it for re-heating. Any stuff I´ve ever cooked in it has a wierd texture.
I can see the advantage for caramelised onions, however.


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## dragnlaw (Aug 12, 2021)

*5 lb + 2 sticks butter?*

Bought 10 lb of onions.  Finally found DIL's slow cooker.  Gonna head outside and slice up probably 1/2 (5lb) .  

Should I just put a blob of unsalted butter in - set to low for 8/10 hours and let it go?  

Think I will also find a plug in the garage for them.  (can't trust the rain for outside)  They are home on the weekend and I hate for them to walk into an onion cloud!


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## GotGarlic (Aug 12, 2021)

dragnlaw said:


> Bought 10 lb of onions.  Finally found DIL's slow cooker.  Gonna head outside and slice up probably 1/2 (5lb) .
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I don't put any butter in it, just salt. Set it for 8 hours, stir a few times and check it at the end of that time. If it's not brown enough, let it go a little longer.


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## bethzaring (Aug 12, 2021)

dragnlaw said:


> Bought 10 lb of onions.  Finally found DIL's slow cooker.  Gonna head outside and slice up probably 1/2 (5lb) .
> 
> Should I just put a blob of unsalted butter in - set to low for 8/10 hours and let it go?
> 
> Think I will also find a plug in the garage for them.  (can't trust the rain for outside)  They are home on the weekend and I hate for them to walk into an onion cloud!



I have a 6 1/2 quart slow cooker.  I use a medium shred disc on my food processer and can get 11 pounds of shredded onions in the pot.  For 11 pounds of onions I use 6 T. butter, so 3 T. for 5 pounds of onions.  For the large quantity of onions I caramelize, I put the crock pot on high for one hour, then turn on low, for the overnight process.  I also add 2 T. brown sugar,  1 T. salt, and 2 T. Worchester sauce, for 11 pound's onions.


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## dragnlaw (Aug 12, 2021)

Well, pooped out and hopefully will get to them tomorrow!

Thanks guys.


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (Aug 12, 2021)

Ooh!
I never thought of that *dragn* ... an Onion cloud indeed!
Good call, I was thinking of making jarred Caramelized Onions
as Neighbor's Christmas Gifts ... what do y'all think?
Just freeze them once they cool, maybe start  
the end of November to be ahead of the curve?
I saw Vidalia Onions at the market, in I think 5lb bags ... 
or just good ole yellow Onions?


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## bethzaring (Aug 12, 2021)

Kaneohegirlinaz said:


> Ooh!
> I never thought of that *dragn* ... an Onion cloud indeed!
> Good call, I was thinking of making jarred Caramelized Onions
> as Neighbor's Christmas Gifts ... what do y'all think?
> ...




I use sweet onions.


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (Aug 12, 2021)

That's pretty much all I buy now too, *Beth*.
I don't care for the Yellow or the White Onions
at the markets here.


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## karadekoolaid (Aug 12, 2021)

When I had a Conserves company, we used to make an onion "confiture" ( French for jam - just sounded better in French!).
Sliced about 10 kgs of onions at a time, and into a HUGE stainless steel pot, with a bit of vinegar, some sugar ( not too much), some green peppercorns... cooked for about 3 hours and stirred frequently. OMG with a BBQ.


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## taxlady (Aug 12, 2021)

Remember this thread by Bolas? Slow cooker onion base


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## summer57 (Aug 13, 2021)

karadekoolaid said:


> When I had a Conserves company, we used to make an onion "confiture" ( French for jam - just sounded better in French!).
> Sliced about 10 kgs of onions at a time, and into a HUGE stainless steel pot, with a bit of vinegar, some sugar ( not too much), some green peppercorns... cooked for about 3 hours and stirred frequently. OMG with a BBQ.




I make onion jam every year at Christmas for gifts, though usually these days, I make Bacon Jam which is pretty much the same thing.  But -- it has bacon! Carmelized onions and* bacon*!


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## dragnlaw (Aug 13, 2021)

Kaneohegirlinaz said:


> Ooh!
> I never thought of that *dragn* ... an Onion cloud indeed!
> Good call, I was thinking of making jarred Caramelized Onions
> as Neighbor's Christmas Gifts ... what do y'all think?
> ...



Thanks *Kgirl.*

I bought yellow.  I once made something (don't remember exactly what) with Viadalia's and they were actually too sweet and I didn't like it. Sorta' tasted like you had added 1/4 of sugar.


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## dragnlaw (Aug 13, 2021)

*Beth,* Thank you so much for the FP tip! 

Outside this morning, I peeled and halved the 5 lb.  Took seconds in the FP! which I also took outside.  The 5 lb. filled her slow cooker over the brim, so she must have a 4? quart cooker. 

Have pugged it in in the garage.


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