Prepare your canning jars and two-piece caps (lids and screw bands) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Some of my favorite ways to use mine are to make french onion soup or stews in the winter, or stirring them into my homemade pasta sauce. Either way, once you finish canning your jars, you will want to let them cool. I recommend placing them on a towel in a draft-free location.

In the US, safe canning recipes are determined by the national center for food preservation in coordination with agricultural extensions. They only have so many resources, and they can’t test every possible permutation. The cooperative extension at Clemson College tested a recipe for canning whole small onions, about 1 inch in diameter. However, what you need to know is that canning a low-acid food like an onion requires the use of a pressure canner. This will kill harmful microorganisms that cannot be destroyed via water bath canning alone.

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The only caveat is that all the ingredients must be safe for canning individually. You can’t add eggs, flour, or pasta to the soup, but since there is a safe canning recipe for onions, you’re able to add those if you wish.

No, you do not have to cook onions before canning them. In fact, leaving them raw is better in my opinion. You certainly could flash-cook them first, but it tends to make them mushier. Can I can raw onions? Then cut them into 2 inch wedges or chunks before filling your jars. You can leave small onions whole, or cut them in half. Methods For Canning Onions What’s the secret savory note in this decadent chocolate cake? You guessed it! Caramelized onions are the star of this sweet treat. Onion Sauce

Fill your pressure canner with 4 inches of hot water and place it on the stove over low heat with the lid off. Pressure canners get up to 240 degrees F (115 Celsius) – an absolute must when canning most vegetables.