Braised Onions
It’s easy to braise onions on a pellet grill. The process starts by caramelizing them in a cast iron skillet to develop their rich, sweet flavor. Once the onions are browned, the cooking liquid goes in, and they’re smoke-braised. The result is soft, flavorful onions that can be served as a side dish or used as a base for other recipes.
Equipment
- Z Grills 1000D3E Wood Pellet Grill
- Z Grills Apple Wood Pellets
- Cast Iron Skillet (with high sides)
- Metal tongs
Ingredients
- 8 small onions, peeled and halved
- 3 tablespoons bacon drippings or unsalted butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1-2 sprigs fresh thyme
- ½ cup vegetable broth, low-sodium
Instructions
- Preheat your Z-Grills (preferably with branded apple wood pellets) or other wood pellet grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Transfer the skillet to the pellet grill, close the lid, and heat for 7-8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, brush the onion halves with the melted bacon fat or butter, then sprinkle the cut sides with salt and black pepper.
- Transfer the onion halves to the hot cast iron cut-side down, close the grill lid, and smoke for 10 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the grates and reduce the grill temperature to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. In the meantime, add the garlic and thyme to the skillet, along with the broth.
- Return the skillet to the grill grates, close the lid, and braise for 40 minutes.
- Remove from the grill, plate, and serve.
Notes
Change up the flavor of this recipe by swapping vegetable broth for another broth/stock of choice. Chicken and beef work well.