Caramalised Onion Chutney - Recipe

[British Red]

Well, there was some demand for this - so here it is. This is a rough and ready "too many onions" recipe. It also is set up for large quantities and need a very large pan. Feel free to halve the quantities involved.

First you need 12 large or 18 medium red onions. You can use white onions but I have found red give the better flavour.

Before you start, sharpen your largest chef's knife. Everything in this needs to be cut fine. Really if you haven't got a 10" or more razor sharps chef's knife anyway...go buy a Big Mac :wink:

Slice each onion as finely as you can. No, finer than that!

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Then cut into fine "strips", I cut into something where no length is longer than an inch and the other two sides are as fine as I can get them

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Put all these into a pan that has a small amount of veg oil in it. Smalll means small - a couple of tablespoons is plenty. The pan should hold at least 7 litres (quarts) as more is to come and you need room to stir.

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You will also need, two pints of "dark" vinegar. This means red wine, malt, or balsamic. I use half balsamic (for sweetness) and half red wine or malt.

"Sweat" the onions stirring regularly until they have softened.

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You also need two pints of unrefined sugar, thrirty peppercorns (crushed in your pestle and mortar) and half a dozen bay leaves.

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Add the vinegar, sugar and spices to the softened onions

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Stir the whole shebang together

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Bring to the boil

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Lower the heat to a simmer. Now here you need patience. For this amount it will take about three hours to reduce. You need to drive off all the free liquid. If you do a half amount - halve the simmer time.

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This recipe started with about 5 litres (quarts) of liquid and onion

After an hour we had 80% (four quarts)

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After two hours we are down to 60% (three quarts)

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After two and a half hours we only have 40% (two quarts) and its getting gloopy. At this point hold your nerve and watch closely. As it reduces in volume, it begins to caramelise and take on that lovely "slightly burned onion on a burger" flavour. It needs to do this. Stick your jars on to warm now.

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When you have a thick jammy relish, take your jars out (about 15mins of warming is fine). Stick a jam funnel in one and begin ladeling in your warm relish

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I had an "event" here. An unevenly warmed jar shattered as the hot relish hit it! A good reminder that hot sugar and glass are a dangerous mixture.

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When you have filled your jars, seal with new lids and wait for them to "ping"

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A lovely, jammy, "burned onion on hot dog" taste awaits - but leave for at least a month to mature

Red

[MartinK9]

Now that looks good, thanks for sharing

[Shewie]

Excellent once again Red

One of my favourites this one too.

[British Red]

Mine too Shwie - mainly because its so simple :)

[stooboy]

That looks like something i could try and would enjoy eating, would some of the old Jam and marmalade jars i have for the recycling be any good if washed out proper of do you need the special "canning" jars you have and if so where do you get them in the uk?

Stoo

[British Red]

Any jar will do so long as they have a tight fitting lid. You can get replacement lids (and new jars) from Lakeland

www.lakeland.co.uk.

They also do proper Kilner jars and spring "le parfait" type jars - and sell replacement seals for both :)


I'm delighted people enjoy this sort of stuff. I'll shortly be expanding into pressure canning (meat) etc. Happy to put up some piccs of that too as people are interested!

Red

[Shewie]

Could be a winner to give out at Christmas time, it goes so well with cold turkey on boxing day :approve:

[Mesquite]

Nice one Hugh... I may well give that a go.

Just one query on the recipe though. You said 2 pints of unrefined sugar. Is that measurement right or should it read 2 pounds?

[British Red]

Thats why there are a lot of jars mate. Four (small) jars has gained "come round for a drink" invites to many a local. Many are farmers and own shoots - and woods.

Pure coincidence of course ;)

Red

[British Red]

Nice one Hugh... I may well give that a go.

Just one query on the recipe though. You said 2 pints of unrefined sugar. Is that measurement right or should it read 2 pounds?
Two pints by volume mate - its a "no scales" recipe :)

[Jack_D]

Thanks again BR - fantastic recipies so far - looking forward to the next instalment. Have you ever added anything else to this one or is it best just to go for simple.

Cheers

Jon

[British Red]

I keep this one simple. I've just done a batch of sweetcorn relish - that has all sorts in it - peppers, garlic, celery, mustard, turmeric. It produces that sweet, bright yellow corn relish that goes great on burgers. I love the tsate and look in winter - it feels like sunshine :)

I can bung that one up next if anyone would like to have a go at it?

Red

[Jack_D]

Would like to see that one if you have time to do it - Thanks BR

Jon

[Tony]

Excellent stuff BR, i think i'll try this one first :D Yep, more please :D

[Stingray]

More...more....:D

[chickenofthewoods]

Brilliant! I've been after a decent recipe for this for ages. :)

[firecrest]

Im afraid in order for me to trust this is a good recipe you will have to send me some of the finished product for testing first ;)

mmmm

[Front Room Woodlander]

I have made this with great success also. The only difference I added fresh chillis to mine for a little spice.
This relish makes a most excellent sausage when combined with venison and pork fat. Which in turn has been warmly accepted gift by landowners (wives) and gamekeepers.

[firecrest]

well Im going to have a go at making this today so it better be good !!

[Shewie]

well Im going to have a go at making this today so it better be good !!


Me too Lindz

Picked up the onions this morning and washed out some jars last night. I have faith in Reds recipe though, they're normally pretty good.

[British Red]

Me too Lindz

Picked up the onions this morning and washed out some jars last night. I have faith in Reds recipe though, they're normally pretty good.

Its dead easy trust me. Don''t overwarm the jars - or they cool too quick and shatter - 100C is plenty. When it starts to go jammy, keep tasting (having blown to cool first) to ensure its not over caramalised!

Its a good recipe that I borrowed and adapted - I'm sure it will go well :)

I've photographed the sweetcorn relish and will post it up when I get a minute

Red

[firecrest]

Ok its nearly there, i reckon less than a half hour now. Im a right in guessing its done when the liquid is all but gone?

Im also waiting for my jamacan patties and jerked potato wedges to be done. (yes I have been watching caribbean cooking made easy!)

[firecrest]

Ive not had onion chutney before so I dont know what to compare it to. Its nice but the onions taste a little burned or fried (I did take care not to burn it though) slightly sweet but then I used much less quantity and guessed how much sugar. Its a fair attempt though, probably nothing like how its supposed to be, but its edible, nice with cheese and got rid of all them onions from the allotments

[British Red]

Sounds about right to me firecrest. Slightly like well fried onions in a sweet chutney sauce is how mine tastes. Appeals to those who like the taste of them long strings of onions on a hot dog or burger I find (thats the caramelised bit) :) You can regulate the amount of "burned" taste by how long you cook it at the gloopy stage.

Glad you tried it :). If you like sweet and mild, have a try at the sweetcorn one I'll bung up when I get a minute

Red

[firecrest]

Glad to hear it was correct then :)
Id like to have a go at mango chutney Im a big lover of my popadoms

[British Red]

Nothing easier firecrest - I've put a mango chutney pictorial up for you

[Melonfish]

wow, fantastic! i shall be giving this a go myself.
as a side note i had to replace my keyboard as i drooled so much into the other it broke :D

[Tengu]

I tried this last night.

its red coloured, not brown, and it smells just of onion

Didnt I fry it enough?

Im sure it will taste great though

[British Red]

I tried this last night.

its red coloured, not brown, and it smells just of onion

Didnt I fry it enough?

Im sure it will taste great though

Sounds like not enough or not hot enough simmering mate. If it tastes okay, don't worry!

[stooboy]

My conconcoction has been on the simmer for an hour now, and looks brownish, what temprature do you put the jars in the oven at? 100?

[British Red]

I go 120 C just to be sure - but thats plenty - don't go too hot

[stooboy]

Thanks British Red, ive got 4 jars worth, did a half mixture.

Tell you what, its not one for folks who suffer runny eyes of onions, I am usually ok but after the 3rd onion of 6, I was in full tears.

I also made the mistake of not reading the recipe through and added the oil, and vinegar all at once and added to heat, and then after measuring out the sugar (FYI for those that asked pint of sugar is just under 500g bag) I read the bit about "add the vinegar, sugar etc to the softened onions", so swiftly removed the vinegar, and softened, so hopefully that’s not made it a disaster we shall see tasted ok at the end. :)

[British Red]

Nah, chutneys, chutney - if it tastes okay - its okay :)

I reckon you have to do a recipe three times to get it tight - once to really screw up, once to make mistakes, once to get it right. I got tired of beating myself up when it didn't work right first time...its never perfect first time

I was doing lavender wine jelly today - not sure if I got the pectin ratio right so if you've fouled up - you have some company :D

Red

[tiff]

I just joined this forum to say thanks for this thread. I've been looking for a straightforward recipe that didnt use too many different ingredients, and one that I could do in bulk. Also, Lidl have got bags of red onions on offer for 39p down from 69p, the nets contain 6 or 7 medium onions. I dont grow onions so bought these this morning and now making the chutney to give as presents at Christmas.

[British Red]

Glad you enjoyed the thread tiff - hope you enjoy the chutney too!

[johnnytheboy]

Where do you guys get the jars from???

[British Red]

Lakeleland for small amounts, Ascott Smallholding supplies are cheaper but only do larger quantities

Red

[stooboy]

Where do you guys get the jars from???

I used old food jars that had metal lids, the seal seems to have went good on them when they cooled. find out in a few weeks when i try it out. honey, jam and marmalade jars are good :)

Stoo

[locum76]

Cheers for the heads up on Ascott BR. It looks like it could be useful to me.

[stooboy]

tbh Ive got the bug i have been collecting jars from all the family, once Ive a crewed a few more BR sweetcorn relish will be next :)

[British Red]

Cheers for the heads up on Ascott BR. It looks like it could be useful to me.
GTood place for "practical no frills stuff"

For sure re-use jars stooboy. I find if I can build up a "stock" of similar size ones though, replacement lids are cheap as anything - the jars last practically forever!

Red