blooming onion

Category: Grub Garage

Post 1 by billkd (Account disabled) on Monday, 28-Jun-2010 23:07:18

Hey all! You've just gotta love the large fried onion's served at steak houses. Ever had one? Don't they just rock? Oh and add the tangy sauce for an even better taste!

Post 2 by Grace (I've now got the ggold prolific poster award! wahoo! well done to me!) on Monday, 28-Jun-2010 23:47:26

Once when on an all day family outing
we stopped at a steak house for dinner
and someone in the group ordered one.
Must say it was so neat, never had
one before... tasty
and kinda like a fun food to share before
the main meal arrives.

Post 3 by billkd (Account disabled) on Tuesday, 29-Jun-2010 22:04:12

exactly.

Post 4 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Tuesday, 29-Jun-2010 22:35:25

Tried it once, it was ok but not the bomb everyone made them out to be.
Now those cheese-stuffed baked potato skins and a good dark brewsky, now that's an appetizer for ya

Post 5 by HauntedReverie (doing the bad mango) on Wednesday, 30-Jun-2010 0:13:36

oh man I love bloomin' onions. I should look up how hard it would be to make them at home.

Post 6 by Godzilla-On-Toast (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Wednesday, 30-Jun-2010 9:12:16

I remember in about 1998 or '99 there were at least three gizmos sold on TV that would allow you to cut an onion like they do for the Bloomin' Onion or similar things. I forget the names of them, but I have to wonder if any of those still exist on some website someplace that sells leftover as-seen-on-TV items.
But now I'm curious. What other places besides Outback Steakhouse can you find a similar treat?

Post 7 by BigDogDaddy (Help me, I'm stuck to my chair!) on Wednesday, 30-Jun-2010 12:35:59

loan star also has this appitizer.

Post 8 by HauntedReverie (doing the bad mango) on Wednesday, 30-Jun-2010 20:50:41

it was applebeeze or somewhere like it, maybe chilli's, and they called it the awesome blossom.

Post 9 by MizAngie (Veteran Zoner) on Thursday, 01-Jul-2010 19:47:14

I think Chili's and Daimon's has the onion loaf which is simular.

Post 10 by squidwardqtentacles (I just keep on posting!) on Tuesday, 06-Jul-2010 14:43:20

That's the best part of the meal at Outback Steakhouse!

Post 11 by ablindgibsongirl (the Zone BBS remains forever my home page) on Thursday, 22-Jul-2010 21:16:50

Onion rings aren't hard to make. Slice the onion in to rings dip in milk then flour and fry in hot oil. That'll give you french fried onions. You'll want to egg and crumb the rings for authentic onion rings, or use a beer batter. Not sure how to get the blossom shape though. I'd definitely recommend a deep fryer with basket for this. As for favorite appetizers, I'll go with the bacon cheese potato skins or the boneless buffalo nugets.I'll be so happy when I've got my little cast iron fryer back from storage.

Post 12 by turricane (happiness and change are choices ) on Wednesday, 28-Jul-2010 10:05:27

Blind Gibson Girl,
Bloomin onions are much more dificult to make than the traditional rings. Although I'm a lady who loves to cook, after I read the recipe, I was of the opinion that a steakhouse can do it for me. Here's what I remember of the process. Please let me know what you think.

1. you need to use a mandolin slicer or an extremely sharp knife. You know the kind that if you touch it you will automatically cut yourself.

2. the onion must be cut almost but not all the way through many times. many thin slices radiate from the central core and form the "petals."


3. two different batters are made. I don't remember these, but if you want to try them you can look on many websites for the particulars.

4. the entire onion is dunked in one batter. then it is allowed to dry. in order to do this thoroughly it must be hung from a wire or string.

5. then the onion is dipped in the seccond batter and allowed to air dry.

6. this dunking and drying process is done three times for each batter.

7. finally it is fried as a normal ring but because it is such a big tlump of whatever it takes forever.

8. i believe the recipes i saw said that in order to thoroughly dry it must rest at least an hour between dips.

9. the entire process takes 12 count 'em 12 hours from cutting to frying. this is because the onion must wait at least an hour between dippings.

10. finally if the onion isn't fully dry or falls apart, it will become a glob of stinking goo in the fryer.

11. when are you making these? the whole process sounds like hellish torture to me.

Post 13 by turricane (happiness and change are choices ) on Wednesday, 28-Jul-2010 10:07:24

chiles makes the awesom blossom.

i love the blossom or the bloomin onion or even onion loafs too. i just hate that sauce applebees uses. it makes my stomach feel as if a bondfire were burning inside.

Post 14 by ablindgibsongirl (the Zone BBS remains forever my home page) on Thursday, 29-Jul-2010 13:07:14

Yikes! I've seen some intricate cooking techniques but this goes top of the list. Dim sum and some japanese dishes would be easier to make. That's why I posted the onion rings receit much easier to make. That must be hellish torture indeed to be in a hot bustlling resteraunt kitchen with the head cook swooping about making sure of every last dish being on time. I guess the only reprieve here being the breaks while the onion dries. I'd love such a sharp knife, my good chopping knife needs honing and sharpening. Would a mandalin slicer do for cabbage and do they still make slaw cutters?

Post 15 by turricane (happiness and change are choices ) on Friday, 30-Jul-2010 8:56:26

oh yes a mandolin would work great for cabbage but I just take the lazy way out and grate it or use one of those circular cerrated thingamabobs with the handle. you smash them down on the cabbage. a great way to get my agressions out. kind of like kneading my bread. or, gasp, i am even lazier and buy the coleslaw already grated up in the produce section.