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I've seen some recipes, like this one, but they don't specify which type of onion to use.

What kind of onion is good for onion rings? E.g. is it better to use yellow or red, sweet or tart etc?

amphibient
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1 Answers1

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You can use any onion variety you want; it depends on your tastes (and availability). White onions have a shaper, more pungent flavor, while yellow onions have a nice balance of sharp and sweet (and become sweeter the longer they're cooked). Sweet onions (Vidalia, Texas, Maui, Walla Walla) are not as astringent and have a softer and, well, sweet taste. As for reds, they're similar to yellow flavor-wise, but slightly milder.

Giorgio
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    It is quite amazing how different onions can be depending upon where you come from. On the whole I agree with Dorothy, however, here in the Canary islands I have found that the white onions are a bit bland, but a good choice for quality. Yellow onions seem to be harsh and often bitter, and red onions are strong in flavor and also texture. I do agree that yellow onions tend to caramelize far better than the others. – dougal 5.0.0 Feb 12 '17 at 05:27
  • I used yellow, was really good. Sunflower oil – amphibient Feb 12 '17 at 08:46
  • I'd like to experiment with shallot rings :) – Paulb Feb 12 '17 at 14:33
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    @Paulb you should, and with Spring onions. A place I used to go (okay it was a bar) had an onion ring 'loaf'; after batter dunking, a huge amount was loaded into the basket of the deep fryer and cooked up into the loaf. – Giorgio Feb 12 '17 at 14:44
  • @dougal4.0.0 mostly, it's the soil. For example, Vidalia onions aren't some special breed: they were an existing breed planted in low-sulfur soil. – RonJohn Dec 18 '17 at 01:26