As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait. Caramelizing onions is one of those things. Turning tear-inducing, pungent white onions into golden, rich and buttery bits of goodness is reason enough to caramelize your onions. The only thing that may hold you back is that you must cook them low and slow, but it is 100 per cent worth the wait. 

First, slice your onions to around quarter-inch thick. These onions are going to cook down a lot. Melt butter in a large pan (about two tablespoons for two large onions) and wait for it to begin sizzling. Put cut onions in the pan and stir, coating them evenly with butter. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and add a pinch of salt. Stir every few minutes.

You may see some bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, but don't freak out, it's a good sign. Check every 5 minutes to ensure they are slowly changing colour, but not burning. If the pan looks too dry, add some broth or water, and stir; this will deglaze the pan. You can also do this with white wine.

Continue cooking until the colour and texture of onions are where you want them to be for the application, about 20 minutes for French onion soup, 30 minutes for topping dishes like perogies, and 45 minutes for almost jammy onions that are perfect for spreading on burger buns and sandwiches.

So, go forth, and caramelized on!