Interesting to mention Madhur Jeffrey, who I had indeed felt betrayed by in her descriptions of browning onions by time, which never seemed to match my experience. Her book World Vegetarian otherwise taught me to cook 20 years ago. Or maybe, that following directions closely to a good recipe could make up for a serious lack of experience.
Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)
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Re: Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)
#12[deleted]
Re: Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)
#13My theory about cookbooks: They are not designed for cooking or even cooks. Instead, the books are fantasy , to let the reader imagine that they could, will, might cook delicious meals and get praise, affection, love, and approval from their family, friends, and dinner guests. And for the onions, part of the fantasy is how easy the cooking will be -- brown the onions in at most 10 minutes.
You can tell because Goodwill is always filled with romance novels and cookbooks. They’re both very aspirational.
Re: Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)
#14dont over follow recipes. Get the ingredients and the amounts if you care to and then use your judgment. I mean read it so you know what they do, but there are likely small details that are missing or that are included but not relevant. It also may just not be optimized for your preferences.
Re: Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)
#15Similarly: Why do drum teachers and instructional videos lie about how to hold drumsticks? I was told for years to hold them at the balance point. This is wrong! You generally hold them a few inches lower than the balance point which allows you bounce the stick loosely in your hand so that it rotates in the air around the balance point.
Re: Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)
#16My theory about cookbooks: They are not designed for cooking or even cooks. Instead, the books are fantasy , to let the reader imagine that they could, will, might cook delicious meals and get praise, affection, love, and approval from their family, friends, and dinner guests. And for the onions, part of the fantasy is how easy the cooking will be -- brown the onions in at most 10 minutes.
It might be true of the more stylistic chefs out there for sure -- but I'll pull an America's Test Kitchen recipe rather than a random blog that shows up in google.
Re: Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)
#17I read this article some time ago. > In truth, the best time to caramelize onions is yesterday Yep. I took the article's suggestions to heart, and now when I have a recipe requiring caramelized onions I take the time needed, or prep them in advance. Now my mujadara is pretty darn good.
I suspect that many recipes benefit from being started a day or more early. I know bread does.
Re: Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)
#18In hot oil, small pieces of onion will turn into a crunch brown crisp in well under 5 minutes, and larger pieces can have the outside surfaces crisped.
I suspect the authors are not lying, but simply calling the above effects caramelization; not aware that what it means is for the onion to be evenly brown all the way through.
Re: Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)
#19Interesting to mention Madhur Jeffrey, who I had indeed felt betrayed by in her descriptions of browning onions by time, which never seemed to match my experience. Her book World Vegetarian otherwise taught me to cook 20 years ago. Or maybe, that following directions closely to a good recipe could make up for a serious lack of experience.
Elsewhere she quotes herself instructing one of her students in one of her cooking classes: "Continue stirring, they won't burn!"
Re: Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)
#20Sifting flour.
Sautéing spices “to release the flavor” and then adding them to stew where they’ll simmer for an hour or more.
Pretending “restaurant quality” is anything besides twice as much butter and salt as you’d dare use at home.
“One tablespoon of olive oil” to brown absurd amounts of meat at high heat.
Once you start recognizing recipe BS, you see it everywhere.