Mirepoix via Confit Experiment.

[Porthos]

Several years ago I cooked up a massive amount a mirepoix, portioned it and froze it. It was to help streamline making the barley dish we serve as part of the ren faire feasts.

 

Fast forward to 2016. My younger daughter, her hubby and their toddler live with us. My daughter has a texture issue with onions. If they have been cooked long enough to have NO crunch left she likes them. My SIL doesn't like celery that has any hint of crunch left. So, using the idea of onoin confit in the crockpot I am going to try making mirepoix confit in a mix of butter and olive oil in enough quantity to portion and freeze. Has anyone else ever tried this? If so, what were your results? Any pitfalls to avoid?

[Martin Fisher]

I make caramelized mirepoix, but in a pressure cooker.
http://www.salon.com/2010/05/29/mirepoix_pincage/

[Lisa Shock]

You could also roast it. If you bake bread, pizza, or other things at high oven temps, you could roast with the residual oven heat left after your other dish(es) are finished and the oven is 'off' but still really hot. I like both ways, the crockpot style is a moist cooking style and retains some volume while the roasted type retains the flavor of the individual pieces better, IMO. As for pitfalls, be prepared to stir the mix every once in a while, and you might want to cook for a while with the lid off, once it's heated through, to let water evaporate off -if you don't, you'll mostly have boiled mirepoix.

[Porthos]

Thank you both for the feedback.

 

2 hours ago, DiggingDogFarm said:

I make caramelized mirepoix, but in a pressure cooker.
http://www.salon.com/2010/05/29/mirepoix_pincage/

 

I rarely use my pressure cooker (only every few years) and have misplaced the pressure regulating cap. I may give it a whirl sometime in the future.

 

1 hour ago, Lisa Shock said:

You could also roast it.

 

That will be an experiement when southern California weather decides to act like it's fall. I am not using the oven for anything right now. I don't want to add to the heat load that the air conditioner is trying to cool down.

[Porthos]

The Crockpot mirepoix experiement has begun. Two gigantic onions, a head of celery and about 1 1/4 pound of carrots (not quite the classic 2:1:1 ratio).

 

Edited November 16, 2016 by Porthos
First picture was just too large. (log)

[kayb]

I've never done mirepoix like this, but I do caramelized onions on a fairly regular basis.

[Porthos]

After 5 hours I declare this a major fail.  The veggies are soft but the volatile essences have cooked away, leaving a soft, rather flavorless mass of cooked veggies.

Edited November 16, 2016 by Porthos
Typo (log)

[Okanagancook]

bloody hell

 

[gfweb]

1 hour ago, Porthos said:

After 5 hours I declare this a major fail.  The veggies are soft but the volatile essences have cooked away, leaving a soft, rather flavorless mass of cooked veggies.

 

Crock pot strikes again.

[Lisa Shock]

my condolences...thanks for taking one for the team!

[Porthos]

I have learned to not fear failure. Failing means I still trying and still in the game.