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Different cooking methods produce different results, it's not just about onions. But the maillard reaction comes from frying them, theres also a textural element to the difference. Using fat promotes allows browing and even caramelization.
Try using less fat to fry them instead of 0 fat. If you're talking about deep frying, then try the microwave method from americas test kitchen.
(Im not a 100% sure I'm right but i'm fairly confident)
Ah, I didn't think of the maillard reaction. True, that's not gonna happen at boiling temperature
No, but you can boil/steam to extract flavor before frying. I do this when I make fried potatoes, and a lot of other things. I start the potatoes off in a bit of water with the alliums, butter, and spices added. I cover it loosely, and once the water boils off, the potatoes start frying.
This accomplishes a couple things. First, it keeps the potatoes from ending up hard (not raw, but hard), because the water draws some starch out and hydrates the potatoes. Second, it extracts the flavor from the allium (I favor shallots) and spices, mixing with the starch that ends up coating and browning. The starch being pulled out of the potatoes, but being left to coat them, also makes the end product more cohesive, with shallots clinging better to the potatoes.
maillard reaction
TIL
I'm not sure, but I know that when a family member had to do a low FODMAP diet, they couldn't eat things with onions in them. But onion infused oil was fine because the sugars in the onion were water soluble, but not fat soluble so the oil didn't contain the component they were avoiding. https://www.monashfodmap.com/blog/all-about-onion-garlic-and-infused-oils-on-the-low-fodmap-diet/
Not sure it's related but it's the first thing I thought of.
@SubArcticTundra Because the flavor goes into the water! That's why soup broth tastes good. Try chopping up half an onion, boiling for 10 minutes in a pot with enough water to cover them, then taste the water.
Steam / water doesn’t allow the temperature to get high enough.
I think you meant that the other way:
I've never heard of sautéing them in water I just throw them straight in the pan
"saute on water"?
How's that different than steaming or boiling
I think they mean pan streaming. And the difference is the flavor that is leached by the water will be limited, or the left over water would be used in a sauce.
Yes, that was the word I was looking for
I had a whole post typed up but my app crashed. Lol.
America's Test Kitchen has a video on this and it's pretty interesting: https://youtube.com/watch?v=rzL07v6w8AA
At 2:12 she caramelizes onions in a pan. I like ATK because they explain the science behind it.
edit: I'd suggest watching the whole video because it's pretty dang interesting. Hope this helps! :-)
Are you putting the onions in the water when steaming them, or are they properly elevated so that the rising steam is cooking them? Because, generally, boiling things or cooking them in water directly kinda mutes the flavor.
Instead of sauteing with water, use butter. Or nothing if you are confident they won't stick to the pan. Also a sprinkling of salt helps draw the moisture already in the food out and helps give it a crust.