I still remember my grandmother charring onions over the burner before adding them to the simmering broth. I remembered this image as well as the taste of my grandmother’s unique soup. Although charred onion was her secret spice, improperly prepared onion can have unpleasant consequences for our health.
Broth is a seemingly simple meat and vegetable broth that has become a permanent part of Polish cuisine. Many people cannot imagine Sunday dinner without this dish. To prepare it, just add meat, carrots, parsley, some celery, onion or leek and spices. That’s how it is in theory In practice, broth can be cooked in 100 and 1 ways.
When preparing broth, everything really matters – portion and type of meat added, proportions of vegetables, possible spices and cooking time. The longer and more slowly the broth is cooked, the deeper the flavor and aroma of the broth. Some people use slow cookers and cook the broth for several or even several hours.
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The addition of charred onion makes the broth extraordinary smoky aroma. It also improves its taste and clarity and gives it a characteristic golden color. To get the best out of the onion, it must be properly charred. Both too little and too much tan can spoil the taste of the broth, giving it an overly onion flavor or even a burnt note.
Theoretically, charring onions is not complicated, practically it is similar to broth. It’s easy to mess up. There are also many tanning methods, and the choice of the appropriate one should depend on the available equipment and comfort. How to char onions for broth?
Charging onions on gas
Owners of gas stoves can roast onions traditionally – on a burner. It is important to choose the right size of onion, yes, so that it does not protrude beyond the edges of the burner. To char an onion on gas, cut it in half and place it on the burner. After a few minutes it will be ready.
Charring onions in a pan
Nowadays, more and more people are giving up gas stoves in favor of induction ones. So how to char the onion for broth? Preferably in a pan. Cut the onion in half and place it in a dry, well-heated frying pan with a non-stick coating. Turn the onion every now and then so that it browns on all sides.
Charging onions in the oven
You can also roast the onion in the oven. This method can be used by owners of both gas and induction cookers. Just cut the onion in half and place it on a baking tray. Then put it in the oven preheated to 200-220 degrees Celsius and bake for a few minutes. If necessary, turn the onion over while baking so that it browns on all sides.
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Scorching onions with a hand torch
Although a hand burner is an equipment we associate with professional kitchens, it can also find many applications in ours – e.g. for charring onions. If you choose this method, remember to stay safe. Place the onion on a baking tray away from other items. Using a torch, they tan it for a few minutes until it turns golden brown.
The charred onion may be slightly browned. When you notice black fragments on it, it is already too late. Many dietitians and scientists have already spoken about charred food, mainly in the context of burnt meat, which contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that are dangerous to health, including benzene(a)pyrene and heterocyclic aromatic amines. Unfortunately, charred onions also release toxic substances, e.g. acrylamide as a result of the Maillard reaction between amino acids and sugars.
Acrylamide weakened antioxidant mechanisms in the body, at the same time exposing it to free radicals. Moreover, he has the ability combining with hemoglobin and DNA molecules. Long-term contact with the compound causes neurological damage and may also cause other chronic diseases, including stroke and cancer. Scientists estimate that with a daily intake of 1 μ/kg acrylamide in 1 case in 100 cancer may occur.
When adding charred onion to the broth, try not to burn it, but brown slightly. This is important both in terms of the taste of the dish and your health.
Source: Terazgotuje.pl, pubmed.pl
