Homemade onion powder is much better than the one bought in the store. Even though it is cheap, bought onion powder contains harmful chemicals. If you read the ingredients on the label, you will find out that there is an anti-caking agent that you should not consume. Onions should be the only ingredient found in the onion powder.
When you learn how to make onion powder for yourself, you will never buy from the grocery store again.
How to make homemade onion powder
It is very simple to make onion powder, especially if you have a food processor, then it will be very fast and easy. The food processor will help you avoid the hardest part, and that is chopping. You can also use a food dehydrator, but it is not necessary.
Here is a list of all the things you will need:
- 2 or 4 onions (medium-sized)
- Baking sheets lined with parchment paper
- Knife and a cutting board
- Something that you will use to grind the dried onion flakes
Procedure
Peel and chop the onions. If you use a food processor, then control the size of the pieces by using the pulse option. Just make sure that all the pieces are the same size so that they can dry at the same time. If you chop by hand you will have more control over the size of the pieces.
Next, you should drain the onion. This will lower the time needed to dry the onion and will give you a fresh onion juice that you can store to use later. Use a wooden spoon to take the juice out of the onion. That way you will avoid crying eyes.
Add one tablespoon of onion juice when you cook soups or sauces. Before you mash potatoes, add a little bit of it and it will give to your dishes a flavor of onion.
Next, you should place a colander over a bowl to add the chopped onion. Press the onion with a wooden spoon. Grab a couple of onion pieces and squeeze them firmly. When you’ve finished, you can place the onion directly on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Notice that if you squeeze the onions with your hands, and the onions are very hard, then you will probably have ‘onion eyes’.
When you’ve finished, you will have ¼ cup to ½ cup of freshly squeezed onion juice. Put it in a clean jar, label it with painter’s tape and keep it in the fridge. It will last up to two weeks.
Spread the squeezed onion on a baking sheet. Make sure you make a thin layer. Place the baking sheet in your oven, preferably on the middle rack, and turn your oven to the lowest temperature it has. If it doesn’t go below 175 degrees, then use something that will hold the oven door open. A cork from a bottle of wine will finish a good job.
After half an hour, your house will have an amazing smell that will make you hungry. But, don’t take the onion out of the oven. Set the timer for one hour. After that, stir the onion a little. Crush a few pieces to check whether it is ready. If they crumble easily and have a beautiful golden color, then your onion is ready.
Remove the baking sheet and cool the onion completely. Then grind the onion. You can use a mortar and pestle for grinding the onion into powder.
Add a couple of grains of uncooked rice into the onion powder. This will have the role of the anti-caking agent because it will absorb any lingering moisture.
Keep your onion powder stored in a glass jar. If you store it in an airtight container, it will be good for several months.
Sprinkle the onion powder on your meals and you will be amazed by their taste.
