Caramalised Onion Chutney - Recipe

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
Well, there was some demand for this - so here it is. This is a rough and ready "too many onions" recipe. It also is set up for large quantities and need a very large pan. Feel free to halve the quantities involved.

First you need 12 large or 18 medium red onions. You can use white onions but I have found red give the better flavour.

Before you start, sharpen your largest chef's knife. Everything in this needs to be cut fine. Really if you haven't got a 10" or more razor sharps chef's knife anyway...go buy a Big Mac :wink:

Slice each onion as finely as you can. No, finer than that!

3907271605_8c6bbe3d0b_m.jpg


Then cut into fine "strips", I cut into something where no length is longer than an inch and the other two sides are as fine as I can get them

3908051196_2b6cc20bf4_m.jpg


Put all these into a pan that has a small amount of veg oil in it. Smalll means small - a couple of tablespoons is plenty. The pan should hold at least 7 litres (quarts) as more is to come and you need room to stir.

3908051952_d959a595f4_m.jpg


You will also need, two pints of "dark" vinegar. This means red wine, malt, or balsamic. I use half balsamic (for sweetness) and half red wine or malt.

"Sweat" the onions stirring regularly until they have softened.

3908053306_23e2fbf0a9_m.jpg


You also need two pints of unrefined sugar, thrirty peppercorns (crushed in your pestle and mortar) and half a dozen bay leaves.

3907273935_c665257c85_m.jpg


Add the vinegar, sugar and spices to the softened onions

3908053958_b957197c70_m.jpg


Stir the whole shebang together

3908054560_ec8d33db9b_m.jpg


Bring to the boil

3908055192_3450db0302_m.jpg


Lower the heat to a simmer. Now here you need patience. For this amount it will take about three hours to reduce. You need to drive off all the free liquid. If you do a half amount - halve the simmer time.

3908055926_c12ba02f3e_m.jpg


This recipe started with about 5 litres (quarts) of liquid and onion

After an hour we had 80% (four quarts)

3907277841_d5d3b4412d_m.jpg


After two hours we are down to 60% (three quarts)

3908057552_baa4dd6953_m.jpg


After two and a half hours we only have 40% (two quarts) and its getting gloopy. At this point hold your nerve and watch closely. As it reduces in volume, it begins to caramelise and take on that lovely "slightly burned onion on a burger" flavour. It needs to do this. Stick your jars on to warm now.

3907280325_ba7b39e9c7_m.jpg


When you have a thick jammy relish, take your jars out (about 15mins of warming is fine). Stick a jam funnel in one and begin ladeling in your warm relish

3908060160_25e353f2fb_m.jpg


I had an "event" here. An unevenly warmed jar shattered as the hot relish hit it! A good reminder that hot sugar and glass are a dangerous mixture.

3907281903_cde7e707bd_m.jpg


When you have filled your jars, seal with new lids and wait for them to "ping"

3907282677_78f7bbfc64_m.jpg



A lovely, jammy, "burned onion on hot dog" taste awaits - but leave for at least a month to mature

Red
 
  • Like
Reactions: CLEM and SimonL

stooboy

Settler
Apr 30, 2008
635
1
Fife, Scotland
That looks like something i could try and would enjoy eating, would some of the old Jam and marmalade jars i have for the recycling be any good if washed out proper of do you need the special "canning" jars you have and if so where do you get them in the uk?

Stoo
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
Any jar will do so long as they have a tight fitting lid. You can get replacement lids (and new jars) from Lakeland

www.lakeland.co.uk.

They also do proper Kilner jars and spring "le parfait" type jars - and sell replacement seals for both :)


I'm delighted people enjoy this sort of stuff. I'll shortly be expanding into pressure canning (meat) etc. Happy to put up some piccs of that too as people are interested!

Red
 

Mesquite

It is what it is.
Mar 5, 2008
27,803
2,892
62
~Hemel Hempstead~
Nice one Hugh... I may well give that a go.

Just one query on the recipe though. You said 2 pints of unrefined sugar. Is that measurement right or should it read 2 pounds?
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
Thats why there are a lot of jars mate. Four (small) jars has gained "come round for a drink" invites to many a local. Many are farmers and own shoots - and woods.

Pure coincidence of course ;)

Red
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
Nice one Hugh... I may well give that a go.

Just one query on the recipe though. You said 2 pints of unrefined sugar. Is that measurement right or should it read 2 pounds?
Two pints by volume mate - its a "no scales" recipe :)
 

Jack_D

Full Member
May 11, 2009
72
0
54
Midhurst
Thanks again BR - fantastic recipies so far - looking forward to the next instalment. Have you ever added anything else to this one or is it best just to go for simple.

Cheers

Jon
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
I keep this one simple. I've just done a batch of sweetcorn relish - that has all sorts in it - peppers, garlic, celery, mustard, turmeric. It produces that sweet, bright yellow corn relish that goes great on burgers. I love the tsate and look in winter - it feels like sunshine :)

I can bung that one up next if anyone would like to have a go at it?

Red
 

firecrest

Full Member
Mar 16, 2008
2,496
4
uk
Im afraid in order for me to trust this is a good recipe you will have to send me some of the finished product for testing first ;)

mmmm
 
Jul 26, 2009
353
0
My Front Room
I have made this with great success also. The only difference I added fresh chillis to mine for a little spice.
This relish makes a most excellent sausage when combined with venison and pork fat. Which in turn has been warmly accepted gift by landowners (wives) and gamekeepers.
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE