Does anyone cook onions on the grill and, if so,

[babylonsister]

how to you prepare them so they're thoroughly cooked? How long does it take approximately?
Another question: what veggies or fruit do you use for shish kebobs? How do you keep the veggies/fruit from not burning up before the meat is cooked?
Thanks!

[Tab]

1. It depends

It depends on how you want your onions to taste. I like them a little charred with the grill flavor - which is, short of using a pan, about the most you can ask for. How long it takes depends on the grill.

For shish kebobs, classic favorites are red peppers, sometimes green peppers, onions, tomatoes (chunked and/or grape, but grape tomatoes often will fall apart as they're just not that big, depends what you're cooking and how long it will take). For salmon kabobs, I like to use lime slices as well as pineapple chunks.

Most of the stuff, at least for me, tends to be fine, and doesn't burn up before the meat is done. Of course, it depends on how large you chunked your meat, but I've never had a problem. If anything, sometimes the meat is done before the veggies are where I want them.

It's not an exact science. Feel free to take some kebobs, slice up whatever you have in the fridge, and grill it, and see what tastes good.

Some stuff, obviously (like asparagus) don't lend themselves to kebobs, because of their physical shape, but generally anything that can be chunked or sliced and grilled, is worth a try.

Another thought - for other foods (asparagus, corn, whatever), some you can grill direct (some people like to put italian dressing or something on for flavoring first), others you can wrap a few times in aluminum foil with butter or olive oil and herbs and salt or pepper and cook. I like to shuck corn, place it on a couple of sheets of aluminum foil, add butter pats and salt, wrap it up, and grill - when it burns a bit and carmelizes it tastes really good (note: some people really like the carmelization, for others it's too weird). I mention a couple of sheets of aluminum foil because with just one often the butter leaks out and starts the grill flaming and it burns before you want it to.

- Tab

on edit: if you meant sliced onions, just cook 'em until they're charred the way you like them, but the problem with sliced onions is they can break apart when you flip 'em and fall through the grate, so it kinda depends on the onion and how thick it is sliced and how carefully you flip them. Alternatively, buy yourself one of those little grill cages and then it won't be a problem (the ones with the handle where you can close down the top). If you meant whole onions, I wouldn't bother - it'd take forever unless you wrapped them and left them on for a long time. I don't know anyone who grills whole onions, although it'd be interesting to try.

[mike_c]

2. I generally cut them in half, brush with olive oil...

...and sprinkle on some salt, then grill cut face down until well browned/blackened. Flip them over carefully-- they'll be loose and will fall apart easily-- and grill the other side. Handle carefully, and it helps to do a couple of extras in case on falls apart.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. If you like grilled onions, here TWO ways I do them

One is to slice them thickly and soak them in balsamic and olive oil...place them on the grill...the outside slices get charred but the inside gets opaque.

The other way which is a killer! Is to slice the top and bottom of a whole onion off...core out a pocket in the top of the onion and squeeze a clove of garlic into it....place it on foil, drizzle it with olive oil then wrap it tightly...place on hot grill and let it steam for about 30 minutes! Yummy!

[Tab]

4. That sounds different

I think I'll try it... thanks!


On edit: I meant the second way - with the garlic and the onion whole and holed.

[babylonsister]

5. Thanks, all! nt