Onion Confit

[Marlene]

Third batch of onion confit now in the slow cooker . This time I used:

7 med - large onions

1/4 cup port

2 T EVOO

2 T butter

1 T beef demi glace

I didn't put bay leaves or Thyme in as I'm planning on using half of this batch for French Onion Soup later this week.

I used less beef demi glace than the previous times, and more or less followed Toasted's recipe

I'm going to cook it on high till I go to bed, then turn it down low over night.

I'll report back.

[woodburner]

I didn't put bay leaves or Thyme in as I'm planning on using half of this batch for French Onion Soup later this week.

I'll report back.

Marlene,

I would be interested in hearing about your onion soup recipe.

By the way, on Sunday I grilled up a couple of all beef hot dogs, lathered a layer of onion confit along the bottom edge of my toasted roll, and topped the upper half with my housemade sauerkraut.

I wish my belly was bigger than a two dog lunch.

It was soo good.

woodburner

[Marlene]

Over in my food blog thread, I talked about using the onion confit in the French Onion soup I made for dinner. I was asked to repost the information here.

Using This recipe, I used the onion confit and omitted the demi-glace and simmered it for hours.

It looked like this, simmering

Soup simmering

The end result was a French Onion soup that was much richer in flavour than anything I had made before and I would probably make this my preferred method of making French Onion Soup.

Woodburner. French Onion Soup recipe. I did not add any demi-glace to the soup itself when I used the confit.

It was amazing.

[Marlene]

The confit is almost done. It's been cooking away for about 17 hours. I used less demi-glace than I have before, and the texture is somewhat different, but not a lot. It does however, smell like french onion soup, which I think is caused by using the port

[balmagowry]

The good news is that I have joined the ranks of the confit-initiated, at last.

The infuriating news is that at exactly the wrong moment I started having one of my stupid sinus-inflammation things, so I can't report reliably on the results.

Sigh.

Anyway - it's a simple batch; looks wonderful and seems to smell wonderful too. Seven onions, usual mix of butter and EVOO, some thyme, some Tellicherry pepper, and a few crumbs of the Last of the Special Bay Leaves, for luck; delicious on first tasting; waiting for my sinuses to subside before I experiment with correcting seasoning. I think it can afford to cook a tiny bit longer, and I've deliberately stopped it at this point so I'll have a little more scope to play with flavors (at the moment my fantasies are teetering precariously between sherry and balsamic) if I want to.

I think I may be suffering from some kind of Involuntary Slow Food Syndrome this week; the yogurt took 48 hours and the confit took almost 24....

Yes, we know what happened with the yogurt and have discussed it on the appropriate thread. As for the onions - started them in the crock pot on high; kept them on high, stirring periodically, until they gave up their liquid; then set 'em to low and left 'em until they looked pretty much like the devastatingly beautiful pictures I've seen here. Left 'em going all night and most of the next day. Every once in a while I'd go visit them on the pretext of stirring them, but really so I could shove my face right into the pot and inhale that beautiful oniony steam. If I could have stayed there all day maybe I wouldn't be having sinus trouble now - that's about as therapeutic an experience as these nasal passages have ever had!

With the blessing I shall be back in sniffing order tomorrow so that I can play with my new toy in the afternoon and consume some of it in the evening. Will report - of course.

Edited March 27, 2004 by balmagowry (log)

[Brittany]

After reading the post on onion confit and having just purchased a 50 pound sack of onions. I decided at 8:30 last night to get out the crock pot and give this a go. This morning at 6:30 after being on low they are cooked down one half and are starting to brown some.

I have set the lid ajar and will keep going.

I also turn it on high, it is now 3:00 and they look like the pictures that have been posted. For a total of 18 and one half hours, I have since went to town and got some brats and are going to try them with the onion confit.

Charlie

Edited March 27, 2004 by Brittany (log)

[Camdon]

I remain a confit neophyte.

My journey into the glorious creation of caramelized onions began simply. I used a mix of oil, butter, and onions in a crock pot overnight. I ended up using green tea oil because I was almost out of olive oil and there were still meals to be cooked that day.

After loading up the mini crock pot that had been sitting unused in our kitchen for over a year I checked to see that it was on the right temperature setting. It turns out that a $6.00 mini crock pot from the megamart comes with only two settings, plugged or unplugged. Undaunted, I set it to plugged and commenced oniony daydreaming.

Flash forward 24 hours. It looks perfect. Well almost perfect. Just another hour and it will be even better! 13 hour after that... Ack! I forgot about the confit!

My onion confit can best be described as tasting like carbonized sugar with a subtle fireplace ash undertone. Yum! Sort of like crème brule without the crème and a drunk guy working the blow torch.

I'll try again with a real crock pot and a timer.

[fifi]

Welcome Camdon. Now that is a brave first post. I have to say that I think we all have done such things. Persevere, my dear. You will be rewarded.

And don't forget to report back.

[mags]

Have now read my way through this entire thread, and am grateful for everyone's speriments. I have a big party coming up this week, and while the bulk of it is being catered, caterer couldn't include much meat in the mix if she was going to stay within our budget. Since my partner -- who is picking up half the tab -- basically lives on meat, Marlboros, and Red Bull (and gets REALLY cranky if she doesn't have a sufficient supply), I thought it would be a good idea for me to supplement the catered goodies with some meat items.

The plan, therefore, is to make two kinds of canapes: Chinese-flavored pork terrine on Japanese rice crackers with hot mustard and apricot chutney; and thin-sliced fillet on toasted ficelle topped with a mustard-and-green-peppercorn butter, with a dollop of caramelized onions on top of the beef. My original plan had been to make some basic stovetop-caramelized onions -- just olive oil, s&p, and maybe some fresh thyme. But after reading through this thread, I'm thinking that onion confit would give me a much richer flavor. However, everybody seems to be using the confit HOT, and the canapes would definitely be room-temp.; WILL THE CONFIT NOT BE DELICIOUS????

I expect to use all EVOO, rather than a butter/EVOO mix.

[Dana]

I imagine that that it will be glorious. Your food will probably outshine the caterer. Let us know.

[woodburner]

The plan, therefore, is to make two kinds of canapes: Chinese-flavored pork terrine on Japanese rice crackers with hot mustard and apricot chutney; and thin-sliced fillet on toasted ficelle topped with a mustard-and-green-peppercorn butter, with a dollop of caramelized onions on top of the beef. My original plan had been to make some basic stovetop-caramelized onions -- just olive oil, s&p, and maybe some fresh thyme. But after reading through this thread, I'm thinking that onion confit would give me a much richer flavor. However, everybody seems to be using the confit HOT, and the canapes would definitely be room-temp.; WILL THE CONFIT NOT BE DELICIOUS????

I expect to use all EVOO, rather than a butter/EVOO mix.

It will be delicious.

Your canapes sound somewhat devine. Would some images be available, when all is said and done?

woodburner

[mags]

(laughing) I'll see if I can swipe my partner's digital camera. You have to understand, I am NOT a professional; please feel free to try this at home.

[mags]

Well, we're now at about the 12-hour mark of Mags' First Onion Confit, complete with demi-glace, bay leaves, fresh thyme, ruby port, and my brand-new Rival Crock Pot's maiden voyage. So far...it's not looking fabulous. The onions have indeed cooked down a WHOLE bunch, and taken on a not-unattractive purply-brown color, but most of that seems to be due to the port, rather than to any caramelization. They taste and smell like boiled onions, with that (to me) vaguely unpleasant, grassy flavor

I know, I know, others before me have doubted and lived to sing the Crock Pot praises, so I will persevere, for at least another three hours. But, though I quake to say it, I am horribly afraid that my evening is going to feature many hours of slicing onions and stirring them around in olive oil (I am tempted, however, to use the "cheater's caramelization" method that showed up early in this thread -- the "make a caramel stock" method, which sounded interesting.)

FWIW, the apricot "chutney," made in the microwave according to a Barbara Kafka recipe, has turned out pretty well. It's sort of sticky and dark and sinister-looking, dotted with bits of fermented black bean, and tastes like a somewhat-more-complex version of the "duck sauce" that arrives in little squeezy-packets with take-out eggrolls. I think it will work fine with the pate, particularly in combo with the hot mustard, but I do have God's own plenty of the stuff, so if anyone in the greater NY area is craving home-made duck sauce, give me a shout.

Edited April 26, 2004 by mags (log)

[Marlene]

I find with mine it takes about 18 hours. Turn your crock pot up to high if you haven't done so already.

I made some again last week. I put it on about 3:00 p.m. on high till I went to bed at 11:00. Turned it down to low for overnight. Got up at 7:00 and turned it back up to high. It was done a couple of hours later.

[woodburner]

I'd like to suggest we put together an agreed upon recipe for the confit, and enter it into the recipe forum, if it has not been done as of yet.

Reading through 9 pages of posts, could prove tiresome and unfruitfull for many.

Agreed?

If so, let's proceed.

woodburner

[mags]

I think that's a great idea, WB. I'm about to start on batch #2. Batch #1 eventually turned out well, but by no means great; the plan is to add a bit more oil this time (I was very stingy with the first batch) and a bit of brown sugar to kick the caramelization into action.

[woodburner]

I think that's a great idea, WB. I'm about to start on batch #2. Batch #1 eventually turned out well, but by no means great; the plan is to add a bit more oil this time (I was very stingy with the first batch) and a bit of brown sugar to kick the caramelization into action.

you got it mags.

it can truely be great, and your not the first to start over.

the madness must end.

woodburner

[Marlene]

Alright. I made several batches of confit and this is what works for me:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup EVOO

3T demi glace

3T sherry

1 T brown sugar

7 large onions sliced

Throw everything in the crockpot and stir it up. Put crock pot on high till you go to bed. Turn crock pot down to low for overnight. Turn crock pot back up to high for another couple of hours when you wake up. Time about 18 hours all told.

[woodburner]

Alright.  I made several batches of confit and this is what works for me:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup EVOO

3T demi glace

3T sherry

1 T brown sugar

7 large onions sliced

Throw everything in the crockpot and stir it up.  Put crock pot on high till you go to bed.  Turn crock pot down to low for overnight.  Turn crock pot back up to high for another couple of hours when you wake up.  Time about 18 hours all told.

where the f is fifi?

While I will concur Marlene, the lady from Texas has been in from day one.

Fifi?

woodburner

Edited April 27, 2004 by woodburner (log)

[Marlene]

Um, I don't think I suggested that mine should be the one. This is just what works for me.

[NulloModo]

I have just finished reading this thread from start to finish...

I am at work now, but I have had a confit simmering away in my crockpot since approx. 10pm last evening, I hope it is ready when I return.

I am not sure how I should use it first, maybe on some rare burgers with gruyere like was previously mentioned? I have some bacon and bleu cheese I must use... and I also really want to make a Fennel Graten this evening... I wonder if all of these desires can be accomodated in one meal....

[NulloModo]

Upon returning home - Disaster!

My onion confit had turned into a blackened mass of charred carmelized onion scented coal. Absolutely no moisture, just lots of crunchy black ash....

The very edges were beginning to char this morning, at which point I turned it down to low. I had left it on from approx. 10pm until 6am on High, perhaps I will try another batch and just do it on low from the get go....

[Marlene]

Upon returning home - Disaster!

My onion confit had turned into a blackened mass of charred carmelized onion scented coal. Absolutely no moisture, just lots of crunchy black ash....

The very edges were beginning to char this morning, at which point I turned it down to low. I had left it on from approx. 10pm until 6am on High, perhaps I will try another batch and just do it on low from the get go....

Noooooooo! How long in total was it on for. what did you use for ingredients?

No help for it. You'll have to try again

[NulloModo]

I used two large spanish onions, about a quarter cup of Dow's Port, four tablespoons of butter, some salt, and some pepper.

I tossed it all into my large crock pot last night at 10, on high, turned it to low this morning at 6, and came home at about 5 in the evening to find the charred mess.

In total then it was in for 19 hours.

[Marlene]

That's really weird. Mine takes about 18 hours using the same method. I don't know if it had anything to do with the lack of EVOO, but I can't imagine why it would. Although I don't think I've seen anyone use spanish onions either. Maybe they are "drier" than other onions? Darned if I know. It should have worked fine!