Preserving Onions
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Canning onions Freezing Onions
Dehydrating Onions Onion Recipes
   

 
   Freezing Onions

Whole Onions

Bulb onions - store well in a cool, dry place. Freezing is not recommended.

  • Choose mature bulbs , Clean thoroughly.
  • Water blanch for 3 to 7 minutes or until center is heated.
  • Cool promptly, drain and package, leaving a half inch headspace. Seal securely, Then freeze.
    These will be suitable for cooking not eating as is.
  • Green onions may be chopped and frozen without blanching,
     

 
A good way to salvage stored Onions that are starting to sprout or are damaged is to puree and freeze them. Cut away the damaged sections and outer layers - puree them in a blender and then pour the puree into ice cube trays,. Once frozen transfer them into freezer bags. They're good for cooking soups , gravies , etcetra - I've even used them to mix into the stuffing of a Thanksgiving Turkey.

 
Canning onions

Most Canned Onions are pickled to a certain extent with some sort of brine and or spice. When Canning onions using a pressure cooker, they generally loose their shape and texture as well as discoloring.

  • It's best to use onions with a 1-inch diameter or less.
  • Wash and peel onions.
  • Cover with boiling water.
  • Bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
  • Pack the onions into hot jars, leaving an inch of headspace.
  • Add ½ teaspoon salt to pints, 1 teaspoon to quarts
  • Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims.
  • Adjust lids and process both pints and quarts at 10 pounds pressure for 40 minutes.

 
   
Dehydrating Onions

When drying onions, or any food for that matter, the temperatures should be consistent not too low or too high. Low temperatures may result in the growth of bacteria , high temperatures will result in the food being cooked - not dried. Under dried will spoil, Over dried will lose its flavor.

Food should be dehydrated between 120 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. You can begin drying your food at higher temperatures, but turn the temperature down after an hour or so. In the final of drying the temperature should be turned down on a lower setting.

Peel your Onions and then slice them into thin rings that are between 1/4 and 1/8 inch thick or you can also chop them up,  and put them in a dehydrator at about 130° F until they're nearly dry. To keep the pieces from browning, bring the temperature down slightly  for the last hour or so and keep testing for dryness. If you don't own a dehydrator, try drying onions in your oven. Spread them on a cookie sheet and leave them in a barely warm oven for several hours, checking periodically.

When the onions are dry, remove them from the dehydrator, cool them and store them in sealed containers in a cool, dry place.