The onion, Allium cepa, is better known as the bulb onion or the common onion and is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium (not to be confused with Alum powder which is used in pickling). Garlic is the other well known member of the Allium genus Dehydrated Onion is considered by most to be a spice and onions are more commonly used fresh (where as more dehydrated garlic is consumed worldwide than fresh garlic). Our Onion Powder is made from ground, dehydrated white onions, most frequently the pungent bulb onion variety and you'll notice a potent onion aroma. In the U.S. the average person consumes 21 lbs of onions per year. It takes 9 lbs of fresh onions to make 1 lb of dehydrated onions. During the drying process onions go from an initial moisture content of around 86% for fresh onions down to approximately 7% once dried. The result is a very intense concentrated onion flavor. 75% of all the onions used as dehydrated onions in the U.S. are grown in California. All of our dehydrated onions come from California. Onion History The earliest records of domesticated onions date back to 600 B.C. in India. The earliest European settlers to our country brought bulb onions with them and they soon discovered the Native Americans using wild onions in a wide variety of cooked dishes. Early Pilgrim diaries from the mid 1600s tell of how bulb onions were some of the first things they planted once land was cleared. Today dehydrated onion powder, England, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Russia and Spain. Food Elitists vs Dehydrated Onions Many food snobs would have you believe that using dehydrated onions is done by either lazy or unsophisticated cooks and are a cheap alternative to "the real thing". We understand this point of view and typically choose to use fresh onions whenever possible when preparing our own meals - yellow, white or red all have their place in specific dishes. While fresh onions are pretty much impossible to beat I believe that there is a place for onion powder in any well stocked kitchen. Onion powder brings together other flavors and provides a subtle completeness that while harder to put your finger on does make many dishes taste better. When and Where to Use Onion powder provides terrific onion aroma and flavor, but not texture. Ideal for use in sauces and gravies, spice blends, canned foods, meats, spreads and soups. We like to use onion powder when we don't have fresh onions around and we can adjust the flavor of a dish by adding differing amounts of the dried onion. Other times we'll use onion powder to give a dish a more assertive flavor. Helpful Hints Add onion powder directly to any dish that has enough moisture to rehydrate the onions during cooking. If the dish doesn't have enough liquid then it's best to rehydrate before adding to the dish. To rehydrate just place the onion powder in a small bowl and add enough water to cover the granules. Let them soak up the water for about 15 minutes then drain off any excess liquid and add to the cooking process. Or you can also mix the powder with enough cool water in order to mix a smooth paste that can be added to the dish towards the end of cooking. Use Onion Flakes when you want the flavor and aroma of onion with some texture in your recipe. Onion granules provide an easy way to disperse onion flavor, but not texture. Granules are easier to measure than flakes and they won't cake like powdered onion. Dehydrated onion powder has a shelf life of 1-2 years if properly stored. The classic robust taste of onion is a must for every kitchen. We offer it in several easy-to-use dried forms - Onion Flakes and Onion Granules. We also carry a flavorful Toasted Onion Powder and a Roasted Minced Onion. If you're looking to convert a recipe from fresh onions to dehydrated onions go with 1 small onion = 1 teaspoon onion powder or granulated onion = 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes.
