10 hours ago
The Genius Way Bobby Flay Grills Onions Without Them Falling Apart
If the arrival of grilling season has traditionally filled you with anxiety, don't worry: The Takeout's guide to the ultimate backyard barbecue is here to help. Additionally, you can learn from the King of the Grill himself, Bobby Flay. The chef and TV fixture is a wealth of grilling info, including that one thing your burger needs for that perfect dining experience.
Meats are the centerpiece of every meal table during grilling season; vegetables and other ingredients seem secondary at best. However, it's undeniable how grilled onions can elevate every outdoor dish at a barbecue. But anyone who has tried grilling onions knows the struggle of keeping the layers together. Onions tend to fall apart easily during the grilling process, and they can even slip between the grates, creating a mess.
Flay's simple solution to this problem is to leave the skins on. "When I grill red onions, what I do is I actually keep the skin on so that they stay in circles, and then I take the skin off after they're grilled," he shared in a Food Network feature where he demonstrated his Grilled Eggplant Salad recipe.
This genius trick not only keeps the onion slices intact throughout the grilling process, but it also makes them easier to flip, as the skin helps prevent breakage. Additionally, it ensures that the onion's natural juices remain sealed in during cooking, enhancing its sweetness for that rich, chargrilled flavor everyone likes.
Read more: 11 Best Smokers For Brisket, According To Reviews
As the easiest type of cooking, grilling can be everyone's go-to method for browning onions and bringing out their juices. But it's worth pondering if this cooking style affects the vegetable's nutritional value. Like most heat-based methods, grilling does cause onions to lose some of their key compounds. Onions are rich in vitamins, dietary fiber, sulfur compounds, and phytochemicals that promote good health. When exposed to prolonged heat, some of these compounds, particularly the antioxidant and anti-inflammation agents quercetin and pyruvate, are significantly reduced.
Steaming appears to have the most dramatic effect on these compounds, as it destroys pyruvate levels in as little as six minutes. Boiling for short periods (under three minutes) appears less damaging, but the longer the onion cooks, the more beneficial nutrients it loses. On the other hand, grilling walks the line between flavor enhancement and nutrient retention. While it does reduce some quercetin and sulfur content, grilling also increases the bioavailability of the remaining compounds by breaking down the onion's tough cellular walls. Moreover, grilled onions still offer about 1.5 grams of fiber per cup — only slightly less than the 2 grams found in raw onions.
To keep it healthy, use heart-healthy oils like olive or canola instead of trans-fat-rich vegetable oils when preparing onions on the grill. As experts Fred Pescatore and Jeff Harter pointed out in "The Hamptons Diet Cookbook," brushing thick onion slices lightly with healthy oil ensures flavor without adding excessive fat or calories.
Whether eaten raw, grilled, or cooked into dishes, onions always deliver an array of health-boosting benefits. However, the method of preparation is known to influence the nutrients that remain active and get absorbed in the body. You will get the highest concentrations of the healthy compounds in onions when you eat them raw. As a result, your body will enjoy multiple health benefits, including blood pressure and cholesterol level regulation, as well as anti-clotting and anti-inflammatory properties.
When cooked, the heat-sensitive compounds in onions are significantly reduced. However, its other components will still shine and offer health advantages on their own. For instance, its prebiotic fiber will still support gut health and promote good digestion. The same fiber will serve as food for beneficial gut bacteria that lower inflammation and boost immune defenses. Additionally, the antioxidants in onions, both raw and cooked, can help ward off certain bone conditions, like osteoporosis. So you don't need to cut down on your favorite quick-to-prepare caramelized onions.
Onions also promote better heart health. The flavonoids they contain, especially quercetin, have been found to diminish the risk of heart attacks and strokes by helping lower cholesterol and blood pressure. For people with diabetes, onions may help regulate blood sugar, particularly when consumed raw. Finally, research has shown sulfur compounds in onions can reduce the risk of certain cancers, including prostate and ovarian cancers.
For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more!
Read the original article on The Takeout.
