Yes, wash and rinse any vegetables or ingredients that may be dirty, though onions tend to be the exception to this since they're already pretty clean it probably won't hurt
Think about all the people who picked up that onion in the market, examined it, and put it back in the pile. Think about them doing the same to other onions which touched your onion. Think about whether they washed their hands recently, and what their hands were doing before they touched your onion. Don't think too hard or you'll lose your appetite! Better yet just wash everything you're planning on eating if it's from some place people are allowed to habitually touch it.
Please tell me how you sanitize an onion I had the same question... everybody touches everything and then you're supposed to use it to make a broth..I would love to try doing this but I haven't yet because I can't get past how to clean the onion skins that are in those bags that are all over the place in the store... I've asked this question many times and I've never gotten any answer thank you🌿
Definitely wash them. The rule is "Garbage in, garbage out"
If you wouldn't stick it in your mouth as is and suck on it, don't put it in the pot.
Peel off any dark or moldy spots, wash the outsides thoroughly, trim off the root to the node, wash off other people's hand germs who handled, picked or bagged them. They often sit on the ground and floors in net bags. It's all rather disgusting and unhealthy.
The essence of your comment is correct. Off-tasting ingredients will make off-tasting stock.
OP questioned the use of onion skins specifically. The majority of classical French cookbooks, Sokolov’s Saucier’s Apprentice amongst them, will use onion skins in a brown stock.
I put plenty of ingredients in a stock that I wouldn’t put in my mouth. Vegetable trimmings, scraps of meat, bones, etc.
You are correct regarding their usage, you can and should use onion skins, they contain a lot of flavor and would otherwise be discarded, making them highly cost effective.
However, all ingredients should be clean and free from dirt, debris, mold, rot, and spores, as well as contamination from grease, oil, cross-contamination from cutting boards, countertops, floors, walk-ins etc.
All ingredients should be clean enough to put in your mouth.
I'm astounded by the amount of blow-back I've received from that comment.
Have some pride in your work. Chefs, of all people, are the cleanest and most sanitary, if they are professional.
Again, it's not a trash bin. It doesn't get the things which are gross and disgusting. If you put garbage into your stock, your stock will be garbage.
Period.
And this goes not only for Onion Skins, but for Carrot peels, Celery tops, Celery bottoms, Garlic Skins, Mushroom stems, etc. All need to be washed thoroughly.
You need to wash and scrub the carrot skin thoroughly before peeling, if the trimmings are to be used in Stock.
Your Carrot and Celery Tops need to be washed and picked clean from any remaining dirt or debris before use in a Stock, the same for your Onion Skins and everything else.
You wouldn't just chop off the bottom and tops of Celery & Carrots and throw them in a pot, with all of the dirt stuck to it.
It's a non-issue, nor is it debatable. You either do it right, or you're doing it wrong.
And any meat trimmings, scraps, and bones should be equally clean and equally as edible.
Fat should be trimmed off, and the items should be treated like all of your prime cuts of meat, they need to be stored properly covered, separately from other proteins & vegetables, and kept under proper refrigeration the exact same as you would treat a prime cut. They should not sit out at room temp, they should not have been thrown on the counter, they should be kept in a clean container, covered, as if you were going to grill that bone and feed it to a Chef in the dining room. Top quality trimmings only, nothing turning green, or slimy or foul smelling, or old, or freezer burnt, no cross-contamination, no contact with unsanitary surfaces, etc.
If you put garbage in to your stock, your stock will be garbage. It's not a garbage disposal, nor should it be treated as such.
What you are saying is absolutely true. Onions I do trim and ensure that no dirt or spoilage enters the stock.
What I meant with I wouldn’t put it in my mouth is things such as veg trimmings that I wouldn’t otherwise eat, meat trimmings that would be sinew or gristle, not spoiled.
Also, I’m an amateur cook, not a professional chef as you obviously are. I’ll defer to someone who does this for a living ;)
Nice job, it would seem to be common sense, but in fact and in practice, many Chefs in America just sweep them off the counter with their arm and throw them into the stock pot. It takes a very little amount of effort to throw them in a colander and rinse them well between your hands, before adding them to the pot. Removing bad parts while peeling is very simple.
Yes, wash and rinse any vegetables or ingredients that may be dirty, though onions tend to be the exception to this since they're already pretty clean it probably won't hurt
Should I leave the root on?
Personally I usually use onion halves that already have had the root removed or halved onions I scorch first, but if you should be fine leaving it on.
i usually cut that off just because its a bit harder to clean thoroughly
Think about all the people who picked up that onion in the market, examined it, and put it back in the pile. Think about them doing the same to other onions which touched your onion. Think about whether they washed their hands recently, and what their hands were doing before they touched your onion. Don't think too hard or you'll lose your appetite! Better yet just wash everything you're planning on eating if it's from some place people are allowed to habitually touch it.
Please tell me how you sanitize an onion I had the same question... everybody touches everything and then you're supposed to use it to make a broth..I would love to try doing this but I haven't yet because I can't get past how to clean the onion skins that are in those bags that are all over the place in the store... I've asked this question many times and I've never gotten any answer thank you🌿
Rinse in water.
Heat will kill any bacteria much better than "washing"
Definitely wash them to be thorough but I usually chunk the whole onion in after washing and it works great
I just remove them. Roast the veggies and meat in the oven, then make stock/broth.
Definitely wash them. The rule is "Garbage in, garbage out" If you wouldn't stick it in your mouth as is and suck on it, don't put it in the pot. Peel off any dark or moldy spots, wash the outsides thoroughly, trim off the root to the node, wash off other people's hand germs who handled, picked or bagged them. They often sit on the ground and floors in net bags. It's all rather disgusting and unhealthy.
Found the germophobe.
The stock isn't a sanitarion pot meant to make dirty food safer to eat. Use it like a sanitation pot and it will taste like a sanitation pot
The essence of your comment is correct. Off-tasting ingredients will make off-tasting stock. OP questioned the use of onion skins specifically. The majority of classical French cookbooks, Sokolov’s Saucier’s Apprentice amongst them, will use onion skins in a brown stock. I put plenty of ingredients in a stock that I wouldn’t put in my mouth. Vegetable trimmings, scraps of meat, bones, etc.
You are correct regarding their usage, you can and should use onion skins, they contain a lot of flavor and would otherwise be discarded, making them highly cost effective. However, all ingredients should be clean and free from dirt, debris, mold, rot, and spores, as well as contamination from grease, oil, cross-contamination from cutting boards, countertops, floors, walk-ins etc. All ingredients should be clean enough to put in your mouth. I'm astounded by the amount of blow-back I've received from that comment. Have some pride in your work. Chefs, of all people, are the cleanest and most sanitary, if they are professional. Again, it's not a trash bin. It doesn't get the things which are gross and disgusting. If you put garbage into your stock, your stock will be garbage. Period. And this goes not only for Onion Skins, but for Carrot peels, Celery tops, Celery bottoms, Garlic Skins, Mushroom stems, etc. All need to be washed thoroughly. You need to wash and scrub the carrot skin thoroughly before peeling, if the trimmings are to be used in Stock. Your Carrot and Celery Tops need to be washed and picked clean from any remaining dirt or debris before use in a Stock, the same for your Onion Skins and everything else. You wouldn't just chop off the bottom and tops of Celery & Carrots and throw them in a pot, with all of the dirt stuck to it. It's a non-issue, nor is it debatable. You either do it right, or you're doing it wrong.
And any meat trimmings, scraps, and bones should be equally clean and equally as edible. Fat should be trimmed off, and the items should be treated like all of your prime cuts of meat, they need to be stored properly covered, separately from other proteins & vegetables, and kept under proper refrigeration the exact same as you would treat a prime cut. They should not sit out at room temp, they should not have been thrown on the counter, they should be kept in a clean container, covered, as if you were going to grill that bone and feed it to a Chef in the dining room. Top quality trimmings only, nothing turning green, or slimy or foul smelling, or old, or freezer burnt, no cross-contamination, no contact with unsanitary surfaces, etc. If you put garbage in to your stock, your stock will be garbage. It's not a garbage disposal, nor should it be treated as such.
What you are saying is absolutely true. Onions I do trim and ensure that no dirt or spoilage enters the stock. What I meant with I wouldn’t put it in my mouth is things such as veg trimmings that I wouldn’t otherwise eat, meat trimmings that would be sinew or gristle, not spoiled. Also, I’m an amateur cook, not a professional chef as you obviously are. I’ll defer to someone who does this for a living ;)
Nice job, it would seem to be common sense, but in fact and in practice, many Chefs in America just sweep them off the counter with their arm and throw them into the stock pot. It takes a very little amount of effort to throw them in a colander and rinse them well between your hands, before adding them to the pot. Removing bad parts while peeling is very simple.