Caramelized onions are delicious on a hot roast beef sandwich, a Philly cheesesteak sandwich, atop a baked potato, or stirred into mashed potatoes... among other things. I decided I would caramelize and can some of my Vidalia onions.
Here's what I did...
First, I peeled my onions, then cut them in half and sliced them in about 1/4 inch slices.
Then, I started melting butter in my crock pot
(with the heat on high), about 2 Tablespoons of butter for every pound of onions... I had sliced 6 pounds of onions, so I melted one stick of butter...
(with the heat on high), about 2 Tablespoons of butter for every pound of onions... I had sliced 6 pounds of onions, so I melted one stick of butter...
Then sliced another stick of butter into pats to add on top when all the onions had been added to the crock pot.
I left the heat on high in the crock pot for about an hour, until the onions started sweating a little and the butter was mostly melted, then I turned it down to low and, stirring after a couple hours more, I left it to cook for about 10 hours, or overnight.
Next morning the onions were golden brown and caramelized, so I got to work on the canning process.
I heated half pint canning jars
in a pan of water set across two stove eyes with a dish towel lining the bottom of the pan to keep the jars from tipping over or knocking together.
in a pan of water set across two stove eyes with a dish towel lining the bottom of the pan to keep the jars from tipping over or knocking together.
I simmered the lids and rings and kept them hot until I was ready for them.
I began ladling the onions into the jars using a canning funnel
. Some recipes I have read say to drain the onions first but I like the juice too, so I left it in.
. Some recipes I have read say to drain the onions first but I like the juice too, so I left it in.
I wiped the jar rims with a damp cloth.
Using my plastic gadget
, I ran it down the sides to get rid of any air bubbles (a butter knife will do the job just as well).
, I ran it down the sides to get rid of any air bubbles (a butter knife will do the job just as well).
Then I put the lids and rings on, tightening them to finger-tip tightness.
Onions are a low-acid food and must be pressure canned unless they're made into pickles or relish using vinegar or other high-acid ingredients... there was nothing in these onions except onions and butter so I got the pressure canner
out.
out.I processed the jars at 10 pounds of pressure for 70 minutes. (Follow the directions that come with your brand of pressure canner).
After processing I removed the canner from the heat and let the pressure drop to ZERO on its own... don't rush it, you don't want broken jars!
I removed the jars from the canner using my jar lifter and set them to cool on a folded dish towel on the counter... and to listen for the PING of each successfully sealed jar.
Yummy! Can't wait to mix them into some mashed potatoes... or, seeing as I used Vidalias, and they are sweeter than most onions, my caramelized onions will be sweet... maybe I should call it onion jam... and maybe I'll just have it on toast for breakfast!
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, and kept them hot until I was ready for them. I simmered my lids and rings in hot water and kept them hot... and I got my trusty 
with some pintos for supper... Yummy! But I digress... back to canning the ham...
(the vinegar helps remove any greasy residue better than water alone)... removed my lids (using my trusty 
gadget) and screwed them onto the jars (finger tightness) then I processed the jars, following the directions in my canner's instruction booklet, at 10 pounds of pressure for 90 minutes.
and set them on the counter on a folded dish towel to cool and seal.
, leaving an inch or so headspace. I sterilized my jars in a pan of water on the stove and simmered my lids and rings, keeping them all hot until I was ready to use them.
will help remove grease better than water alone!)... then finger-tightened my lids onto the jars.
at the yard sale and found a like-new 
and several other items we just "had" to have. After stowing our purchases inside our compact car... and tied onto the top of our compact car, and holding some smaller items on our laps... we chose to take our treasures back home before picking strawberries, looking very much like the 
as we meandered our way through the back streets of town to unload our wares.
s, and coffee at the touch of a button.
, or other thickeners in home canning. Older grannies have done so for many years without harm, but it's not a recommended method.
(not to be confused with 
) and is a modified cornstarch that is said to work better in home canning. This product is not readily available at the local grocery store, however, (you have to order it online) and it's more expensive than good old cornstarch. I took my chances. Here's what I did...
.
and returned the juice to my saucepan (at least 4 cups of juice is needed, I think I had about 6 cups, so I went with that... if there's not at least 4 cups, water can be added until it measures at least 4 cups)
(3 oz. box)
and left them hot in the dishwasher (my dishwasher gets hot enough to sterilize jars)
gadget.
(a large pot with a lid will work too, as long as you can cover the jars with water)
