To think you cook onions first and then add the rest?

[Ribrabrob]

Boring thread alert but I’m curious

Whenever I cook any meal that contains onions, I always always cook the onions first and then add the meat if it’s a bologneiss, chilli etc (I’m vegetarian but use Quorn which I do the same with). Especially in a meal such as a curry - the onions are key for flavour.

I thought this normal and it’s how I was taught at school, but I’ve been watching lots of cooking videos on TikTok and it seems to me a lot of people aren’t adding onion first and will add them later on a dish. For example cooking mince, adding garlic and then later adding the onion. I just find this strange. I just think there’s nothing worse than a crunchy onion in a chilli for example.

Aibu to think onions should be cooked first? Aibu to think it enhances the taste of a dish and that not properly cooked onion in a bologneise will just ruin it? What do you do?

Onions first, and lots of chefs books I have do onions first

You are bang on BUT. When using mince remove onion's from pan and brown mince. Strain the fat and readd onions

Onions taste completely different of6 fried for 20 mins. Less acidic and sweeter so it makes sense to do then first.

I’ve always done onions first.

Absolutely onions first. It gets so much flavour into the dish if the onions are cooked down first.

Onions first that way the pan is full of lovely oniony butter to cook the meat in.

Onions first for me too.
Although I agree with the chorizo thing. If I'm using lardons I'll add them too.

I once knew an Indian chef and he said one of the most important aspects of getting a curry to taste right is the order which they add the spices - some need toasted, some need to be added to wet ingredients etc.

I cook the onion with the mince.

Onions first, they need to soften.

I agree. Sweating the onion and caramelising it also adds flavour.

Depends on the dish, but for any meat with a highish fat content, brown first and render the fat off. Remove meat, and pour off most of the rendered fat. Add finely chopped aromatic vegetables e.g. onions, carrots, celery, leeks, turnip, mushroom, etc depending on the dish.

Caramelize (closed lid, no stir frying) on a low steady heat. Add garlic very late, or it burns and spoils the dish.

Deglaze with wine or stock and add meat back. Add other liquids/veg, allow to simmer. Add herbs at the very end. Taste and season with salt and pepper, and sometimes pinch of sugar, citrus juice, etc.

Always onion first, you are right

The Range home shop (uk). Has anyone been to the range and got loads of nice stuff?
I alway see people posting really nice stuff from the range but don’t think my local one is that great, not many nice things.
Are any of you in Kent and can recommend a good branch of the Range?
Thank you 😊 x

I do onions first, but if garlic is called for add that at the same time. I add the meat after the onions have softened.

When DH does a stir fry he does the garlic and ginger first to flavour the oil. Then the meat then the veg (spring onions and pepper).

I always fry the onions off first except if I’m cooking beef mince then I cook the mince and onions together. There’s so much fat in beef mince already that it doesn’t need any extra from the fried onions and it still tastes just as good.

Asian here: ALWAYS onions first (for a curry, followed by garlic and/or ginger)...

Always onions first, cooked until brown to give flavour.

Also agree that garlic goes in later otherwise it burns and is horrid.

Onions first and garlic only once the other veg is in and the pan has cooled slightly
..garlic can be burned by a rue but an onion will just cook faster in it

I think pretty much every recips I've seen has onion first. Then garlic as it burns quicker then whatever.

@ClashCityRocker

Onions first for me too. Although I agree with the chorizo thing. If I'm using lardons I'll add them too.

I once knew an Indian chef and he said one of the most important aspects of getting a curry to taste right is the order which they add the spices - some need toasted, some need to be added to wet ingredients etc.

And browned onions, rather than softened, for curry.

I was so used to onions lightly coloured for French and Italian food that I have to grit my teeth to get onions suitable for Indian.

And don't get me started on the number of recipes that ask fro garlic, fry then add onion. Only if you are a proper idiot. And love the smell of burned garlic.

I brown meat (high heat, onions would burn)
Remove meat
Then slow cook onions in butter/meat fat
Then other veg
Then meat back in and add liquids/tomatoes

I used to do it the other way round - onions first then remove them and brown meat - but it’s much easier fishing the meat out of the pan than all the little bits of onion...

To the PP who doesn’t understand why you brown the mince- it’s because of the Maillard reaction. It’s what make meat taste good and not like boiled death. I remember the first time I saw my MIL make “bolognese” by boiling the mince, onions, and dried garlic powder with a beef stock cube and a jar of passata. I don’t even eat meat but I do know you need to get some browned bits going or there’s literally no point you might as well have quorn and save a poor cow’s life (or skip the meat and the extruded lab-created myco-protein entirely and have pasta with any number of amazing and authentic vegetarian sauces but that’s another thread entirely).

Yanbu. Timings for recipes which need caramelised onions always wildly underestimate how long it takes.

If you are ever having a cooking day then it is well worth caramelising a massive batch of onions and freezing them to use in stews etc. Freeze in a thin layer so you can easily break off the amount that you need.