The One-Teaspoon Trick That Gives Caramelized Onions A Much Sweeter Flavor

How do you make caramelized onions? The debate is fierce in kitchens across America, with home chefs passionately defending their chosen method. Some claim caramelized onions are made with only the onions themselves sauteed in butter or olive oil and salt and pepper until they become sticky sweet. If they don't take at least an hour, purists say you can't call them caramelized onions. Others are happy to use tricks to caramelize onions faster or add extra ingredients — like a teaspoon of brown sugar. It's a little hack that cuts down caramelization time and makes the onions taste so much sweeter. We learned how to use it at home in an interview with Chef Ruwan Nalindra, executive chef of Vakkaru Maldives.

Brown sugar adds notes of toasted caramel and nutty, roasted flavors to caramelized onions, plus it adds a little extra color. It caramelizes faster than onions, too, so you'll get essentially the same flavor without waiting for the onions to do all the work. If you like to add a little vinegar to your caramelized onions, brown sugar is an especially great addition. "Sugar will help to reduce the sharpness of vinegar and balance the flavors with sweet tanginess," says Nalindra.

When making caramelized onions with brown sugar, you don't add it right away. Let the sliced onions sauté on the stovetop for 10 minutes before mixing in anything else. Nalindra explains you should add brown sugar when the onions are about ¼ of the way to turning golden brown. "Basically, once the onions have softened and released their moisture," he notes.

There are dozens of delicious ways to use caramelized onions when they're made with brown sugar, and all of them are showstoppers. They'll add an extra layer of smoky-sweetness to French onion soup, turn sloppy joes into gourmet dining, and take tartlets to the next level. Nalindra explains you should pair caramelized onions with dishes that are savory, tangy, and hearty. "A perfect simple fit recipe would be a beef burger with caramelized onion and nice melted cheese," he says.

Before you top a burger with brown sugar caramelized onions, take it a step further and add a splash of bourbon as a finishing touch while they're still in the pan. It's one of the ways to cook with whiskey that you have to start trying, because brown sugar and bourbon go so well together. The flavors in bourbon create harmony with the molasses and caramel notes already present in the sugar. The alcohol will cook off as you finish the onions and leave you with caramelized onions that are rich, buttery, and sweet. Some Redditors suggest using Applejack brandy instead, but bourbon recommendations include Jim Beam, Four Roses, Knob Creek, and Evan Williams.