I’ve never met an onion I didn’t like.
– Jim Bowie, Mountain Man, Fur-Trader, Old West Guide and Aspiring Chef
Ask your average American fly fisher what picture comes to mind when you say the word ‘onion’ and they’ll most often describe, I’d venture a dozen Montana spring mayfly ties of your choice, a big, fat, crispy, beer-battered onion ring or something akin to the bloomin’ onion of dubious steakhouse fame.
Maybe even a thick slice of sweet onion on a medium-rare, hot-off-the-grill cheeseburger.
Don’t get me wrong, we love a good onion ring around our campfire.
But they can’t hold a candle to a sweet onion, painted with a bit of olive oil, crusty and grill-marked right off the fire. Those grilled caramelized onions are even better with a spice-packed rub, crusted and crispy, adding a punch of flavor that tops anything else in the onion kingdom.
Prime time sweet onion season is already upon us, with 1015s already coming out of Texas. Vidalia onions aren’t too far behind and the Walla Walla crop is ensconced in the fields of the northwest.
[For those curious about seasons, the 1015 season runs from early March through mid-July, Vidalia season mid-April through late July and the Walla Walla season mid-June through early September in a good year.]
Regional wars have started over which onion is ‘the best’; we lean to the Walla Walla as the king (probably in part due to growing them in gardens for years) though like the hefty size of 1015s for the grill too.
Next time you fire the grill for your protein fix of the day, throw on a batch of these – they’re a keeper.
2 tbsp. chile powder
2 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tbsp. brown sugar (for those west of the Mississippi)
2 tsp. coriander
2 tsp. good salt
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. Mexican oregano (crumbled between fingers)
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/3 cup olive oil5 sweet onions of your choice (see above)
Fire the grill.
Rub a Dub. Mix the rub ingredients in a small bowl and prep the onions: peel and slice into 1/2-inch thick slices.
Rub it in. Coat both sides of each onion slice with oil; rub one or both sides of each slice with the spice rub.
Grill time. Grill over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes per side; the rub will darken a fair amount and crisp up nicely. If you’ve only rubbed one side, grill the ‘non-rubbed’ side until marked and the onion is done.
Serve hot off the grill with a dipping sauce or as a side to your grill protein of the day.
Enjoy.
