Onion Confit

[Marlene]

How did you translate the 3 large onions in the original recipe to whatever amount of confit?

It wasn't a problem. I used six large onions in the confit, much thinner sliced and diced than I would have in the soup normally. The confit reduces down so much there seemed to be about the same amount of onion in the soup either way.

[fifi]

I am now trying this with bacon. I have sliced a whole package of bacon (14 oz.) and 6 big white onions and put them into my crock pot (the one that runs too hot, I haven't returned it yet) with some bay leaves and thyme sprigs. I will be interested to see how it goes. Hey... Anything with bacon can't be bad.

[PaulaJK]

Take your onion confit/marmelade,etc.....mix w.

2 tab of cream and 2 egg yolks and you have a wonderful

filling for an onion tart.

[balmagowry]

When I see Vidalia onions on sale cheap, I will buy a ten-pound bag, slice up the lot of them, and reduce them into a confit that keeps pretty well in the fridge for a week or two.

Ooooh ooh ooooh... I wonder how well it would freeze...! Imagine having little bags or cubes of onion confit handy at all times, along with the frozen herbs and the frozen glace de viande and the frozen stock and one of my personal favorite staples, the frozen plum tomatoes... I think I'm going to have to try it. (Unless of course I discover down-thread that someone else has already Been There Done That Discarded the Result in Disgust.)

[woodburner]

When I see Vidalia onions on sale cheap, I will buy a ten-pound bag, slice up the lot of them, and reduce them into a confit that keeps pretty well in the fridge for a week or two.

Ooooh ooh ooooh... I wonder how well it would freeze...! Imagine having little bags or cubes of onion confit handy at all times, along with the frozen herbs and the frozen glace de viande and the frozen stock and one of my personal favorite staples, the frozen plum tomatoes... I think I'm going to have to try it. (Unless of course I discover down-thread that someone else has already Been There Done That Discarded the Result in Disgust.)

I've been using mine for about 3 weeks now, with no degradation of taste or flavor that I can see. My recipe made about 1 quart or so, and it's just about gone.

Personally I see no reason to take up freezer space with it. It's soo good, and so easy, I'm just going to continue making it fresh.

It pairs with cheese and bread very well.

woodburner

[balmagowry]

I've been using mine for about 3 weeks now, with no degradation of taste or flavor that I can see. My recipe made about 1 quart or so, and it's just about gone.

Personally I see no reason to take up freezer space with it. It's soo good, and so easy, I'm just going to continue making it fresh.

You must be one of those Very Wise People who always plan ahead and never miss an opportunity to start a fresh batch when something is running low. I totally agree about making it fresh, but it does takes all night.... I'm picturing that moment that might occur on getting home late and whisking together an impromptu supper: "... and a little dollop of onion confit would be Just The Thing to add here and... you don't mind waiting a few hours, do you?"

[woodburner]

I've been using  mine for about 3 weeks now, with no degradation of taste or flavor that I can see. My recipe made about 1 quart or so, and it's just about gone.

Personally I see no reason to take up freezer space with it. It's soo good, and so easy, I'm just going to continue making it fresh.

You must be one of those Very Wise People who always plan ahead and never miss an opportunity to start a fresh batch when something is running low. I totally agree about making it fresh, but it does takes all night.... I'm picturing that moment that might occur on getting home late and whisking together an impromptu supper: "... and a little dollop of onion confit would be Just The Thing to add here and... you don't mind waiting a few hours, do you?"

Well, the easiest thing about it is, it cooks, while I sleep. That really doesn't require planning, just getting some rest.

Honestly, we have really enjoyed the confit, and I think you'll agree after whipping up a small batch. I think the driving force with it has been my wife. She has literally flipped over it, and that's a "good thing".

No onion after taste, very light in the tummy, and just pull it from the refrigerator, warm it up and layer atop a slice of french bread.

toasted

with boursin.

white wine of course.

woodburner

[Marlene]

I've been using  mine for about 3 weeks now, with no degradation of taste or flavor that I can see. My recipe made about 1 quart or so, and it's just about gone.

Personally I see no reason to take up freezer space with it. It's soo good, and so easy, I'm just going to continue making it fresh.

You must be one of those Very Wise People who always plan ahead and never miss an opportunity to start a fresh batch when something is running low. I totally agree about making it fresh, but it does takes all night.... I'm picturing that moment that might occur on getting home late and whisking together an impromptu supper: "... and a little dollop of onion confit would be Just The Thing to add here and... you don't mind waiting a few hours, do you?"

I don't normally plan ahead my meals either, but I agree with Woodburner. This is just too easy as it's cooks in the slow cooker while you sleep

[forever_young_ca]

Inspired by this thread I made my onion confit in the crock pot. This morning with some left over puff pastry, cream and bacon in the fridge, I made a variation of an Onion Tart.

When the onions cooked in the crock pot they ended up with a bit of a bite, not totally soft. I further cooked them stove top adding some balsamic vinegar, port, thyme and brown sugar.

I hope this works as it is my first attempt at posting an picture.

That was two hours ago and it is now all eaten

[woodburner]

That looks very nice. Great job!!

Can you explain, what you consider "bite"?

I added a bit of brown sugar also, which I feel helped me in reaching a marmlade consistency.

woodburner

[Marlene]

That looks awesome ca! I'll have to try the brown sugar idea!

[forever_young_ca]

Can you explain, what you consider "bite"?

The onions were not totally soft. They still had a bit of a crunch to them even though they looked soft - and this was after 15 hours in the c/pot. However, after another hour stove top as well as cooking in the tart, they were soft as can be.

[woodburner]

Can you explain, what you consider "bite"?

The onions were not totally soft. They still had a bit of a crunch to them even though they looked soft - and this was after 15 hours in the c/pot. However, after another hour stove top as well as cooking in the tart, they were soft as can be.

I'm glad I asked.

That was exactly my experience, and fix.

It also appears that I'm about the only one who used a cast iron skillet for cooking my confit.

(The crockpot was listed as MIA, and was lost for good after the war. )

woodburner

[hillvalley]

24 hours after I put my very first batch of onion confit ala woodburner, the onions are a beautiful brown but sitting a pool of liquid. Right now they are simmering away on top of the stove. Hope this does the trick. pics to follow

[forever_young_ca]

24 hours after I put my very first batch of onion confit ala woodburner, the onions are a beautiful brown but sitting a pool of liquid

I used 1/4 cup evoo, 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup homemade beef stock. The crock pot was about 3/4 full of onion to start with. My crock pot is about 30 years old so the only settings are lo, high and off. During the 15 hours of cooking I alternated between lo and high and lid on and off. I found that I had to leave it on high with the lid off to get the liquid absorbed.

After 15 hours in the crock pot I was not happy with the "crunch" so I dumped them into a cast iron pan along with some b/vinegar, brown sugar and my husband's left over vintage port . I cooked them another hour or hour and half and they came out beautifully.

Next time I think I will forget the c/pot and just use my cast iron skillet. ALthough the advantage of the c/pot is that it cooks while you sleep.

[woodburner]

24 hours after I put my very first batch of onion confit ala woodburner, the onions are a beautiful brown but sitting a pool of liquid. Right now they are simmering away on top of the stove. Hope this does the trick. pics to follow

For some reason I never took any issue with the liquid. I remove what I need from the mother jar, that sits in the refrigerator using a slotted spoon, or fork.

Somebody mentioned way early on, that the onions will release more liquid than what can condense, and evaporate as steam.

At least I think it was something like that.

woodburner

[balmagowry]

Well, the easiest thing about it is, it cooks, while I sleep. That really doesn't require planning, just getting some rest. 

Well, sure - unless you happen to need it NOW, TONIGHT... B.B. (Before Bedtime)!

IAC, I happily undertake to make it fresh whenever I can reasonably expect to want it tomorrow (that'll be every day, right?); but I also reserve the right to freeze a small batch against last-minute emergencies. That way everybody will be happy - especially everyone who's eating the confit.

[balmagowry]

That was two hours ago and it is now all eaten

How beautiful! I'm surprised it lasted even that long.

Next time give us a little warning, and we'll all invite ourselves to dinner.

[s'kat]

I'm just getting ready to go to bed, with the enchanting scent of softening onions in my crockpot. They've been going for about five hours now, and I anticipate turning down the temp when one of my beautiful felines does her usual nightly- wakely-routine at about two-ish.

I actually dreamed of making confit a couple of nights ago. Ridiculous, but I can't wait!

[fifi]

I am now trying this with bacon. I have sliced a whole package of bacon (14 oz.) and 6 big white onions and put them into my crock pot (the one that runs too hot, I haven't returned it yet) with some bay leaves and thyme sprigs. I will be interested to see how it goes. Hey... Anything with bacon can't be bad.

Reporting back in...

I have an awful confession. I didn't really like the version with bacon.

I cannot believe that I just said that I didn't like something with bacon!

OK... It wasn't bad. Just not as good as the version with the butter and EVOO. I found two things about it that I didn't like. One was the texture that the bacon added to the silky soft onion. Also, it seemed to mask the oniony sweetness that I got with the other version.

Just so we don't get into an onion debate (I used the same ones as in the other batch) and declarations that I should have used that bacon that is smoked over dried apple blossoms by elves in a hollow tree... I used the same bacon that is so superior in my smoothered green beans and the texture and taste is just fine there.

[s'kat]

I should have used that bacon that is smoked over dried apple blossoms by elves in a hollow tree...

That is the only bacon acceptable for onion confit use in my book.

Surprising results, fifi. You would think that the onion-bacon pairing would be natural on any level. Thanks for taking a hit for the troops.

[Marlene]

I agree fifi. I like my second batch without bacon much better than the first batch when I used bacon in it.

[fifi]

WHEW!

Thanks, guys. I thought I was losing it.

[Toliver]

I have an awful confession. I didn't really like the version with bacon.

fifi & Marlene,

Ignoring the bacon itself, when you made the confit with the bacon how did the onions themselves taste? I am curious if you could have cooked the onions with the bacon and then removed the bacon and set it aside to be used for some other use.

Did the onions have better flavor thanks to the bacon, or did the bacon take the onions down the wrong path, so to speak?

[Marlene]

As far as I'm concerned, the bacon took the onions down the wrong path - so to speak I was just not happy with the taste, whereas the second time the confit was outstanding!