Sweet Grilled Vidalia Onions

Distinctly different flavor
a great vegetable side dish

This is the time of year I am in heaven. Some of the early crops of summer are starting to come into the markets and home gardens are looking promising. Nothing is better than when I see vidalia onions appear on the shelves. Only from Georgia, only grown in 20 counties due to climate conditions and the type of soil needed to yield that distinct characteristic only found in a vidalia.

I mentioned to Lana, Never Enough Thyme, who I believe grew up near the growing part of vidalia country and now living a little bit further up in northern Georgia, I told her that I was into my second 10-pound bag of these southern truffles. That's how much I love 'em. They only appeared mid April and I am told will last until late May. I've said before that I could almost eat them like an apple, some do, but I prefer them in ways like this recipe or in our Vidalia Onion Pie, and in just about everything else I cook come to think of it....right Claudia?

Now the Deen family cooks a whole vidalia adding a beef bouillon cube to each one but I have never tried that one. This is the way we do it is our family, the recipe that is in our cookbook and the one we love to share. It is how I did it the last time I grilled steaks too. Hope you try it in the oven or on the grill.

Enjoy!

Whole Sweet Vidalia Onions

for each onion:
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup beer
sprinkle of brown sugar, optional

Cut the top from each onion and peel the outer skin. Carefully trim the roots from the bottom leaving the whole onion intact. Use a spoon, melon scoop or peeler to remove a little of the core from each onion going about half way down and about an inch in diameter.

For each onion, cut a square of heavy aluminum foil and mold around the sides. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and brown sugar. Add the pat of butter and the beer. Loosely bring the corners of the foil together at the top and twist together to seal.

Oven .... Place on a pan in a 375 to 450 degree F. oven for about 30 minutes to cook.
Grill .... Place on a hot grill for 30 to 45 minutes.

Let onions cool a tad and remove to a bowl if desired, the flavorful juice is just outstanding.

Note: Do not discard this juice, save if for other uses. I like to use it in a butter reduction when sautéing shrimp. Yum...