The Genius Reason Bobby Flay Grills Onions With The Skin On
In search of perfectly grilled onions? Well, search no further because Bobby Flay has a trick you will want to try. If you have sliced-up onions to cook on the grill, you've probably experienced how they quickly lose their shape. It's not their fault. The anatomy of an onion slice is rather delicate, and when the direct heat hits those concentric onion rings, they soften, fall apart, and may even slip through the grates when you try to flip them over with your tongs or spatula. It's a waste of a lot of hard work and delicious onions.
Flay couldn't agree more which is why instead of peeling that paper-thin skin from the onion that can stick to your fingers when you are prepping it, the Iron Chef revealed in a Food Network Instagram post that he keeps it intact. This means as you cut your onion, each slice will have the peel wrapped around it as it cooks. Flay says that this trick will keep your onions from becoming a deconstructed mess as they grill, and this method will produce a beautiful, caramelized end product. How does it work?
Just 5 minutes per side
After slicing up your onion, you will want to brush each round with a little olive oil so they don't stick to your grill. Once they are oiled up, feel free to sprinkle a little salt and pepper on them before placing your onions on the grill and watching them transform into different shades of char. The cooking process will be fairly quick with each slice needing about 5 minutes per side. When they've achieved the texture you are aiming for, take the onions off the grill and remove the peels. Your tastebuds will thank you for this last step.
Whether you are making these caramelized onions with perfect grill marks to top a burger or you are or chopping them up to add to a version of Flay's eggplant salad, you are going to appreciate how easy to handle and work with them, thanks to the podcast host's hack. So, the next time you are slicing up these tear-inducing babies, resist the urge to peel that outer layer and you will have grilled onions worth bragging about.