What Should I Do With 8 Pounds of Vidalias?

[livius drusus]

Costco strikes again. I was planning on making a gigantor batch of caramelized onions in the slow cooker and I can easily use three or four onions a week in the course of regular cooking, but I need some ideas to ensure they don't go bad before I'm halfway through the bag.

[Anastasia Beaverhausen]

Onion straws/onion strings, whatever you wanna call 'em. With remoulade sauce.


Then ship some to me.


Maybe some pot roasts to freeze or give to friends/family?

[LadyShea]

Onion stock or soup?

I dunno man, onions store well but that's a fuckload.

[viscousmemories]

What will you do with a gigantor batch of carmelized onions?

[Leesifer]

Chop them up ready for any sauce/stew/soup and freeze them.

[irukandji]

back in the day when i was a tejas girl

people used to take a nylon pantyhose leg
and put the onions in, one at a time, with
a knot between each to separate them
and then hang them in a cool dark corner
of the kitchen or screen porch... they kept
for weeks.... evidently it kept them from
developing soft spots from the weight and
pressure of each other, preventing entry
points for mold....

and there you have it


ETA: further recollection imparted that we
didnt have vadalias, at least not what i can
recall, so the above mentioned technique may
only be effective with onions that have a sulfur
content beyond that minimal amount that makes
a vidalia a vidalia... so, it could be a crap shoot

[livius drusus]

Originally Posted by viscousmemories

What will you do with a gigantor batch of carmelized onions?

Add them to things! Like f'rinstance sammiches, soups, salads, pizza toppings, pasta sauce and pasta salad, frittatas, bruschetta, white bean spread, hummus, and if I'm ambitious, inside homemade bread.

They'll keep in a tupperware in the fridge for a couple of weeks, and I can always freeze any leftovers. I've never actually gotten to the freezing point because I don't usually buy 8 pound bags of onions so when I caramelize it's mainly just one or two, maybe three onions at a time, and then I use them in something right away.

[ChuckF]

Onion warriors. Vidaliator death match.

[ceptimus]

Are they small enough to pickle?

[livius drusus]

Oh no. Vidalias are yuge. Full grown ones, anyway, which these are.

[ceptimus]

Well in that case, you should carve one of them into a jack-o'-lantern.

Even if it doesn't look very scary, it will still probably make you cry.

[Gooch's dad]

Onion sandwiches for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks!

[livius drusus]

What, like raw?

[LadyShea]

I have seen people eat Vidalias like they're apples...they're sweet but JEEZ they're still onions.

[lisarea]

Could you or would you want to put up some onion chutneys maybe?

I love strawberry and onion, but I'm not sure how that'd work with Vidalias.

Also, when I make a pot roast, I save the liquor for later. Maybe you could make a smallish pot roast with lots of liquor and onions in it, which you could use for soups and gravy?

And also shut up, you guys. Raw onions are delicious.

[Gooch's dad]

Yeah, raw onion sandwiches. That's what Vidalias are for, IMO. Slice it up, put three or four slices between two pieces of bread with a bit of mayo--yum!

If everyone in the house has one, there really isn't a problem. My family ate them whenever Vidalias came in season. As an adult I discovered that they go great with a good strong beer.

[livius drusus]

[lisarea]

I used to make tofu sandwiches that were primarily delivery vehicles for onions.

You'd thinly slice some firm tofu, either marinate it in a peppery marinate or coat it with peppery spices, then sauté it and serve it on bread with mayo, a leaf of lettuce, a couple of fat onion slices, and maybe a little extra cracked pepper.

Also excellent with beer. I pick a hoppy IPA, but I always pick that, so.

ETA Gooch's dad: Did your parents grow up during the depression? My dad did, and that was what I normally attributed his onion sandwiches (and pepper sandwiches and the like) to. Necessity, though. That is the mother of invention, and you can quote me on that.

[Kael]

Raw onions are very good. I don't think I've ever had them as the principle ingredient on a sandwich, but they should be as crisp as possible in nearly every application.

I had a pizza once where the onions were all soft and soggy, made me want to throw up.

[livius drusus]

On a side note, it's actually a 10-pound bag. The 8 pounder was red onions which I declined in favor of these here delicious flying saucer onions.

[livius drusus]

Originally Posted by lisarea

Could you or would you want to put up some onion chutneys maybe?

I love strawberry and onion, but I'm not sure how that'd work with Vidalias.

I'm not sure how much use I'd get out of it. My mom gave me some tomato chutney she made and it's been taking up space in my fridge for like 3 years. I should have given it to you for Secret Santa, dammit.

Also, when I make a pot roast, I save the liquor for later. Maybe you could make a smallish pot roast with lots of liquor and onions in it, which you could use for soups and gravy?

That sounds damn good. I've never actually made a pot roast before. To be honest, I'm not even sure what animal it is. Please to describe your pot roast process.

[LadyShea]

A pot roast is beef, chuck is the most flavorful

Pot roast with gravy, potatoes and carrots is my very fave meal. My death row request it will be.

[Kael]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

I've never actually made a pot roast before.

[livius drusus]

We were more of a chicken household. Pot roast is one of those mystical Americana things I read about but wasn't sure if they really existed anymore.

[Kael]

Well it's damn good. We usually go simple - just put the roast in the crock pot with some potatoes, carrots, onions, whateverelseyoufeellikeusing, and some spices, then enough water to mostly cover everything. Put it on Low for most of the day, or High for 5-6 hours, and you've got a pot roast.