Grilled Onions

A well-designed burger bar invariably includes an endless array of toppings, including onions.

Incredibly easy to grill, onion rings transform from their usual astringent self into something sweet and smoky. The change is so profound that I have friends who only eat grilled onions and prefer them to their raw state.

The best onions for grilling

My favorite onions for grilling are sweet onions, especially Vidalia. They are large and get cuter when grilled. To win.

Abundant yellow onions are also a good choice. Grilled red onions are better raw in my opinion, but still turn into a sweeter, less astringent version of themselves under the heat of the grill.

Tips and tricks for grilling onions

While grilling onions is easy, it can be challenging if you don’t keep a few things in mind. You know, rings and stuff. Here are a few tips and tricks for successfully grilling onions:

• Grill the onions next to the hamburgers. They take 8-10 minutes on the grill, which means you can dish them up and add them to your burger bar before the patties are done.
• Be sure to slice the onion rings into rings 1/2 inch thick. Because of the thicker slices, the onion absorbs more heat on the grill.
• Use skewers to grill the onions! The skewers hold the onion slices together. There’s nothing worse than chasing a vegetable over the grill grates, or worse, down them.
• Skewers can be either round or flat. I prefer flat ones as their oblong shape prevents whatever is on the skewer from spinning. If you only have round skewers, use two. Inserting two round skewers through a slice of onion, offset by an inch or two, keeps the onion perfectly flat and allows for effortless flipping on the grill.
• A lot of people say to soak wooden skewers, but I’m not worried if they burn a little. The skewer in the onion won’t become, and that’s what keeps the onion together. If the ends burn off, don’t worry.

How to grill onions

On the grill, the onions take about eight minutes to grill over direct medium heat, 350°F to 450°F. turn them over once. The onions should have grill marks but not burn.

While onions primarily absorb direct heat, it’s always a good idea to set up a 2-zone fire with direct and indirect heat if you need a safe zone to continue cooking. On a gas grill, skip a burner and on a charcoal grill, be sure to leave an area with no lit briquettes.

Lightly brush the sliced ​​and skewered onions with extra virgin olive oil and season generously with Kosher salt. If you want to add an extra kick, sprinkle the onions with some ground cayenne pepper or ancho chilli powder.

If the grill is too hot, move the onions to the indirect heat area so they can continue cooking away from the burning coals. If parts of the onion have turned black, remove them. These chunks are bitter and not worth eating, the remaining onion is sweet and will add a bit of texture to your burger.

Taking the extra time to grill your onions will transform your burger, trust me.

More recipes to top your burger

• Ketchup
• ham jam
• Blue Cheese Sauce
• Thousand Iceland Dressing
• Caramelized Onions