What it is.
To caramelize is to cook sugar, or a food with sugar in it, until it turns golden brown and tastes sweet and nutty.
Recipes caramelize onions, carrots, fruit, glazes and the sugar on top of a crème brûlée.
Why it works.
When sugar gets hot enough, about 160°C (320°F) for table sugar, it breaks apart and forms hundreds of new flavors. Some are sweet, some nutty, and some a little bitter.
Onions do it slowly. They are mostly water, so the water has to cook off first. Their sugars and proteins then brown together. Deep brown onions take about 30 to 45 minutes.
Sugar alone moves fast. A minute can take it from amber to burnt.
What to look for.
- Color goes from gold to amber to deep brown.
- A sweet, nutty smell.
- Onions turn soft and jammy.
- A sharp or smoky smell means it is starting to burn.
Common mistakes.
- The onions burned at the edges and stayed raw.
- Use medium-low heat and give them time.
- Brown bits are sticking to the pan.
- Add a splash of water and scrape them up. They are flavor.
- The sugar tastes bitter.
- It went too far and cannot be saved. Start again and pull it sooner.
