On Onions
Written By Ethan Buchannan-Valenti
Photographed by Molly Glasgow
Here at The Grey Barn I grow onions. If I were to grow only one crop, it would be onions. They create the flavor base for many of the world's finest cuisines. This year I grew five different onion varieties. Their flavors and uses are as different as a loaf of bread and a hunk of cheese. I'm damn proud of these onions.
Yellow Onions
Walla Walla, a yellow onion
The first onions in our farmstand this summer were Walla Walla’s, a sweet yellow onion named for their hometown in Washington state. Have you heard of Vidalia or Maui onions? These are the most well known sweet onions in the US. Like European wine, onions carry the name of their region but let’s get down to the real business of these onions - their best use is perhaps for onion rings, the sweet and delicate crunch steamed inside a crispy fried shell. And it’s guilt-free: you're still technically eating a vegetable. Try making your onion ring batter with a bit of champagne or seltzer for a lighter and crisper crunch.
Cortland onion, a yellow onion
These yellow onions are the onions of all onions. Highest in sulfur content, Cortland bulbs pack a punch that can leave any cook in tears. Yellow onions add terrific depth to any meal. Dice and saute a cortland onion with garlic as the base for your favorite sauce; cut them in half and toss them in a pot – skins and all – for a delicious stock component. Or, save those papery skins to make a beautiful natural dye. Chefs and home cooks alike can rely on the pungent kick and mellow sweetness of a yellow onion whenever the recipe calls for 'an onion'.
White Onions
White onions are the underdogs. The most overlooked. The most under-appreciated. And if I had to pick a favorite ... white would be second best. A milder onion, yet crunchier and more delicate in texture than your other options. Unlike a sweet onion, these bulbs still have a strong sulfuric kick. Unlike a true yellow onion, that pungency doesn't linger. Instead, it steps aside to let the other flavors in your meal stand out. I like to slice these thin and put them on top of a pizza where they will steam and crisp in the oven.
Gladstone, a large white onion
Red Onions
Our next onions are Cabernet reds. These beautiful specimens are perfect in a salsa, guac, or pico de gallo. Lower in sulfur content than a yellow onion, red onions have their own sweetness, which caramelizes wonderfully. In fact, try caramelizing a few tonight and serve them atop a Grey Barn burger. You will thank me. And if you plan on pickling any onions, reds are probably the way to go. Their color and crunch will surely satisfy the senses.
Cabernet onion, a red onion
Blush onion, a wonderful pink onion
Last but absolutely not least, the pink onion. Unknown to many chefs and new in the growing world, the crunch and flavor of a red onion intersects the delicate, delectable, candy-like characteristics of a sweet yellow onion here in this winner. Raw, caramelized, roasted, steamed, grilled, pickled – I use them for anything and everything. To me, the pink onion, “Blush,” is the best of all.
Want to read more about onions? Well … say no more ...
Onions need to dry down completely before going into storage - this means their neck (the stem and greens above the bulb) must lose their moisture. To do this, most growers move their onions from the field into an unused high tunnel or greenhouse to crisp them up and dry them faster. We didn't have that option this year, so instead, our onions are being brought into our main barn’s downstairs storage room, where the dehumidifier runs full blast 24/7. So far, this is working well to pull out the moisture – but without the sun doing most of the work, a lot of the necks are still green and don't look like they will ever dry up enough to make a seal. A seal forms in the field when the greens flop over the onions and create a protective barrier inside the onion.
Each layer of an onion goes from the roots to the greens, if the neck is still too wide it will create open 'wounds' that lead directly down into the bulb itself. If these wounds are left open and don't dry up to seal themselves off, unwanted moisture and disease has direct access down into the onion. This can cause the interior layers of an otherwise fine-looking onion to rot. A smelly, gross surprise for anyone in the kitchen.
The amount of daylight needed for an onion plant to begin forming a bulb varies by variety according to Johnny's and they have a great page describing this in more detail. This year I grew Gladstone as our white onion; Gladstone is an intermediate day. Therefore, they didn't have quite enough time to finish bulbing up before they needed to get out of the field, unlike the White Wings we have had success with in the past
Why do onions need to get out of the field? Lots of reasons. Once the onions stop growing, the uppermost leaves die out and allow the weeds underneath to spring up. This makes the onions much harder to find when it is time to harvest. This new canopy of leaves harbors a ton of moisture. Moisture is another key reason to get the onions out of the soil. Once onions are finished growing, they do not like getting wet. This directly conflicts with the purpose of producing a bulb – onions are attempting to dry up and protect their bulb through the winter. Although it has hardly rained this summer, we are approaching the time of year where a storm can come out of nowhere and dump a lot of water. Any onions left on the field when that happens are at a greater risk of rotting.
Onions, like most plants, are just trying to do their own thing – essentially, to flower and in turn produce seed. Onions are biennials, which means they grow normally for one year, store energy underground over the winter, and then produce a flower and seed head their second year. As farmers, we intercept the bulbs after they finish sending their energy and sugar downwards. Other well known biennial crops include carrots and kale.
Walla Walla's, like most sweet onions, don't store for long and I don't grow many because of that. We harvest them fresh, and sell through what's left as dry onions. We are down to our last box of sweet Walla Walla's for the year - once they're gone, anyone looking for a sweet onion should be directed towards the pinks.
Pink onions – I used to grow a variety called Rossa di Milano, an heirloom. Last year I grew it alongside another pink type called Blush, both organic. Flavor wise, I couldn't tell a difference, but the Blush is a hybrid variety which was bred to also be a better producer. I definitely saw a difference in their growth, size, and yield. I only grew Blush this year, and we've got tons of them!
There you have it! I still feel like I haven't done onions justice. All of these wonderful onions and each one is just so good.
