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

FAQs

What kind of onions are best for grilling? ›

When it comes to grilling, red onions are our first choice. Cut into wedges, they char nicely on the grill, and their interior texture goes jammy, instead of mushy, like white and yellow onions tend to do.

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.

Best Onion for Grilling

If you can't get a Vidalia onion, any other sweet onion will do. The sweet onions are the most kid-friendly as well if you're planning on serving these to your family. You can also grill white, yellow, or red onions, just keep in mind that each onion will taste a bit different once grilled.

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. They are fantastic thinly sliced and served in salads or on top of sandwiches.

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.

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.

3 med. onions would serve 4 people. They would be really yummy atop a thick juicy filet mignon!

Cooking onions longer at a lower heat results in soft and golden brown onions. This breaks down the natural sugars, so the onions taste extra sweet. We recommend using butter for the best flavor.

Should you cover the pan when sauteing onions? ›

The pan is covered so the lid traps steam, which condenses and drips back on to the onions. Some cooks cover the onions directly with a piece of foil or parchment, than add a lid as well. In sweating, the onions soften and release their moisture and flavor at a leisurely pace so the onions cook in their own juices.

For most of the cooking process, the heat should be low or medium-low to prevent the onions from burning before they have a chance to soften and caramelize.

Working from the far edge of the onion toward your body, slice down through the onion, leaving about 1/2 inch between each cut. Do not, however, slice through the onion at the root end. (An intact root end keeps the onion from falling apart.)

The Best Onions for Grilling

My favorite onions to grill are sweet onions, especially Vidalia. They are large and when grilled get, well, sweeter. Win-win. Readily abundant yellow onions are also a solid choice.

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.

The oils from the onion can discourage food from clinging to the grate. “It creates a nice film on the grill that prevents it from sticking,” Lopez explains. “So it's not only cleaning but it's also creating a nonstick surface.” So, next time you're preparing to grill, make sure you're stocked up on onions.

White onions are probably the strongest-tasting onion on this list. They're typically used in Asian and Mexican dishes, as well as potato and macaroni salads. You can also sauté them, making them ideal for French onion soup or any other food in which you want to add sweet or sour flavor.