Caramelized onions are an excellent way to elevate the flavor of a dish and bring out the strongest notes of the onion, but the process takes time. While Jeremy Scheck believes there’s no way to substantially reduce the time commitment without hindering the flavor and texture of the onions, he does have a recommendation for how to slightly shorten the process. “One thing I like to do that is a little different than most straightforward [guidance for caramelized onions] — which is cooking them on low heat all the way through — is to add water or wine, or really, any liquid that you want, at the beginning of the process and to simmer it and boil it off,” he told us. 

Adding a liquid early in the cooking process “allows you to start off at a high heat, without anything burning.” That small tweak gets the caramelizing process started faster without significantly messing with the flavor — and may actually even improve it. According to Scheck, “If you use wine, for example, you have the added benefit of infusing [the onions] with a different flavor.” That said, if you have the time for a full, traditional caramelization, Scheck advocates taking it: “I still think the longer you caramelize your onions, the better.” 

To learn more cooking tips, check out “ScheckEats — Cooking Smarter” which is available for purchase here. Keep up with all things Jeremy Scheck and ScheckEats on Instagram and TikTok.