How to Dry Onions
Choose pungent onions., Trim off the leaves., Transfer the onions to a warm, protected area., Consider curing the onions in a braid., Trim back the tops., Store the onions in a cool, dry place.During the winter, for instance, you can usually keep...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose pungent onions.
Mild onions do not cure well, so when you want to air dry or cure onions for winter storage, pungent onions are a better choice.As a general rule, mild onions care usually quite large and have paper-like skins the are easy to peel.
When cut open, the onions are juicy and the rings are fairly thick.
Pungent onions are notably smaller in size and tend to have tight skins.
When cut open, the rings will be notably thinner and your eyes will likely begin to water.
Mild onions will only last, dried or cured, for a month or two at most.
In contrast, pungent onions can last all winter in ideal conditions.
The sulfurous compounds that cause tears to form in your eyes when you cut a pungent onion also slow down the rotting process.
Popular varieties of pungent onions include the Candy, Copra, Red Weathersfield, and Ebenezer. -
Step 2: Trim off the leaves.
Snip away any shriveled leaves with scissors or shears and gently clean off the roots by brushing off any large clumps of soil.
This step is only necessary if the onions have been harvested from your garden.
If you are buying them from the store, odds are, the leaves and dirt have already been removed.
Note that the onion should only be harvested after the leaves on the plant have begun to weaken and "flop" over, indicating that the plant has stopped growing.
Only fully matured onions should be cured for winter storage.
Note that you should also dry or cure your onions as soon as you harvest them for best results. , Place the onions in a single layer in a shed or pantry with temperatures ranging between 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius) and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius).Let the onions cure in this initial stage for a full week.
If the weather outside is still dry and warm, and you do not need to worry about animals getting into your onion crop, you can usually let them lay in the garden for the first few days.
Usually, though, you will need to move them into a garage, shed, or covered porch.
Be careful as you move the onions.
They can bruise if you bump them together too roughly.
You should also avoid touching them during this initial drying stage.
Do not place the onions in direct sunlight since doing so can cause uneven drying. , You can either finish curing the onions by laying them out flat, but you could also finish curing them by weaving the tops into a braid.
Braid the onions together by trimming off all the leaves aside from the three newest.
Tie or braid these remaining leaves to the leaves of other onions being cured and hang them vertically to finish drying.
Note that this is typically a matter of personal preference or space constraints since, according to research, onions do not do better or worse whether they dry braided or laid out flat.
Allow the onions to cure in this manner for a total of four to six weeks. , As the onions cure, you should trim back the tops two or three times as the stem shrinks.
Cut the rest of the necks off when the onions have cured completely.
The roots should also be trimmed off.
Trim the tops back two or three times during the curing process.
After the onions finish curing/drying, cut the necks off completely.
After the first week or two of drying, you should also use scissors to trim the roots of the onion to 1/4 inch (6 mm). , Place the onions in mesh bags, a bushel basket, or a flat cardboard box with holes punched into it.
Only place three onions or so into a small space so that they have plenty of air circulation.
At a temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius), pungent onions can last for 6 to 9 months and mild onions can last two weeks to one month. -
Step 3: Transfer the onions to a warm
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Step 4: protected area.
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Step 5: Consider curing the onions in a braid.
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Step 6: Trim back the tops.
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Step 7: Store the onions in a cool
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Step 8: dry place.During the winter
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Step 9: for instance
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Step 10: you can usually keep the onions in your basement.
Detailed Guide
Mild onions do not cure well, so when you want to air dry or cure onions for winter storage, pungent onions are a better choice.As a general rule, mild onions care usually quite large and have paper-like skins the are easy to peel.
When cut open, the onions are juicy and the rings are fairly thick.
Pungent onions are notably smaller in size and tend to have tight skins.
When cut open, the rings will be notably thinner and your eyes will likely begin to water.
Mild onions will only last, dried or cured, for a month or two at most.
In contrast, pungent onions can last all winter in ideal conditions.
The sulfurous compounds that cause tears to form in your eyes when you cut a pungent onion also slow down the rotting process.
Popular varieties of pungent onions include the Candy, Copra, Red Weathersfield, and Ebenezer.
Snip away any shriveled leaves with scissors or shears and gently clean off the roots by brushing off any large clumps of soil.
This step is only necessary if the onions have been harvested from your garden.
If you are buying them from the store, odds are, the leaves and dirt have already been removed.
Note that the onion should only be harvested after the leaves on the plant have begun to weaken and "flop" over, indicating that the plant has stopped growing.
Only fully matured onions should be cured for winter storage.
Note that you should also dry or cure your onions as soon as you harvest them for best results. , Place the onions in a single layer in a shed or pantry with temperatures ranging between 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius) and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius).Let the onions cure in this initial stage for a full week.
If the weather outside is still dry and warm, and you do not need to worry about animals getting into your onion crop, you can usually let them lay in the garden for the first few days.
Usually, though, you will need to move them into a garage, shed, or covered porch.
Be careful as you move the onions.
They can bruise if you bump them together too roughly.
You should also avoid touching them during this initial drying stage.
Do not place the onions in direct sunlight since doing so can cause uneven drying. , You can either finish curing the onions by laying them out flat, but you could also finish curing them by weaving the tops into a braid.
Braid the onions together by trimming off all the leaves aside from the three newest.
Tie or braid these remaining leaves to the leaves of other onions being cured and hang them vertically to finish drying.
Note that this is typically a matter of personal preference or space constraints since, according to research, onions do not do better or worse whether they dry braided or laid out flat.
Allow the onions to cure in this manner for a total of four to six weeks. , As the onions cure, you should trim back the tops two or three times as the stem shrinks.
Cut the rest of the necks off when the onions have cured completely.
The roots should also be trimmed off.
Trim the tops back two or three times during the curing process.
After the onions finish curing/drying, cut the necks off completely.
After the first week or two of drying, you should also use scissors to trim the roots of the onion to 1/4 inch (6 mm). , Place the onions in mesh bags, a bushel basket, or a flat cardboard box with holes punched into it.
Only place three onions or so into a small space so that they have plenty of air circulation.
At a temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius), pungent onions can last for 6 to 9 months and mild onions can last two weeks to one month.
About the Author
Carol Allen
Carol Allen specializes in lifestyle and practical guides and has been creating helpful content for over 2 years. Carol is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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