Fun fact time: I have never had caramelized onions.  I know what they are, I know people love them, and I’ve listened to many a chef on Food Network talk lovingly about making them just right.  Despite all that, I have never eaten them or attempted to make them.  I don’t have anything against onions, I use them all the time.  I always have some in my kitchen and will throw them into any meal.

The biggest thing stopping me from making my own caramelized onions?  Time.

If you have ever made caramelized onions, you know that it takes quite a bit of time.  You have to cook them for a long time, at least an hour, over a very low heat.  That’s how you get the onions to release their sugar and caramelize.  I don’t know about you, but on most days I don’t have over an hour to slowly cook onions no matter how delicious the outcome.  Plus, now that it’s summer the idea of standing over a hot stove for an extended period of time doesn’t sound too appealing.  Have no fear though, I have the solution to our problem.

The slow cooker.

I always forget about the slow cooker during the summer because I always equate it with soups and chili’s and their ain’t nobody who wants to eat soup when it’s 90 degrees out.  But the slow cooker does so much more than cold weather favorites and today it’s going to do all the work for you when it comes to caramelized onions.  While this method actually takes much longer than the traditional way, you don’t have to do anything but turn the slow cooker on.  Nothing could be simpler than that!

Caramelized Onions

• 3-4 large yellow onions, I used 3 very big onions each a little over a pound
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt

1. Peel the onions and cut each onion in half, longways (cut from the top down to the root) then cut the onions into half moons.  Place all of the onions into your slow cooker.  You want to leave just a little room at the top.
   

   I actually switched to my bigger slow cooker because I had so many onions!

2. Drizzle 2 tbsp of the oil over the onions and toss to coat. If you need more add in the last tbsp of oil.  Sprinkle the salt over the top and stir to combine.
3. Cover the slow cooker and cook the onions on LOW for at least 10 hours.  If you can stir the onions occasionally, but this isn’t a necessary step.
4. At the end of 10 hours, turn off the slow cooker and let the onions cool.  Drain off any liquid and store in an airtight container in the fridge.  You can also freeze the onions in ice cube trays to be used later.
   

   Just freeze and then pop them out whenever you need them!

See wasn’t that simple?  Now go put caramelized onions on everything and enjoy the caramelized goodness!