What does onion do to ground beef?

Onions, garlic, salt, and pepper add flavor to your ground beef. Adding the green onions as garnish also gives it more flavor.

Do you put onions in beef?

You can fold the onion and other ingredients into ground beef. Ground beef with onion is a flavorful combination called for in a number of recipes. Sometimes -- as with sloppy Joes or beef casseroles -- you can just toss diced onion into the pan with the meat while you cook it.

Should I cook onions or ground beef first?

For this reason, onions are the first thing we start cooking whenever they appear in a recipe. (Unless we're cooking meat. Then we sear the meat first, remove it from the pan, and then start cooking the onions and everything else.) To cook them, we put a pan over high heat and add a dribble of olive oil.

What happens when you add milk to ground beef?

The calcium-rich properties of milk react with enzymes in the meat to gently soften the proteins. Whole milk (not reduced fat), buttermilk, and yogurt all get the job done – with a special nod to buttermilk and yogurt for their optimal tenderizing acidity levels.

Can you cook raw onions with raw beef?

Oklahoma burgers are made by pressing sliced, raw onions directly into the beef patty. As the meat cooks and crisps up, so do the onions. In addition to boosting the texture and flavor of your burger, this saves you time otherwise spent cooking the onions separately.

What is the best onion to cook meat with?

Yellow Onions This is one of the best onions to use when cooking almost anything. Use them when making meat dishes (roasted chicken, pot roast, rack of lamb etc.) or as a base for many sauces, stews and soups. Yellow onions are also higher in vitamin C as compared to other onion varieties.

What kind of onion is used for beef?

You can use yellow onions in pretty much anything, but they work really well in dishes that require long cooking times or as the base in stews, stocks and soups, and they're great in meat dishes.

What can I add to ground beef for flavor?

ingredients 2 tablespoons oregano. 1 tablespoon chili powder. 1 teaspoon cumin. 1 teaspoon garlic powder. 2 teaspoons onion powder. 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon salt. 1 lb ground beef. 1 ⁄ 2 cup water.

How long to cook onions before ground beef?

Add onions or other chopped seasoning vegetables about 2 to 3 minutes before the beef is ready, or cook them separately. When the pan is hot, add about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to break the ground beef up into smaller pieces as it cooks.

Why do you put onions in meat?

Onions: the key to tender meat! However, onion is actually a superhero in terms of achieving ultimate tenderness. Food Director Amira Geory backs this trick, saying: “Adding raw onion to marinades not only adds flavour, but it also tenderises the meat.

What is the function of onion in meat processing?

Onion bulbs are rich in flavonoids, and the total flavonoid concentration is higher in the outer layer of onion peel than in the inner layer of edible parts (14). Onions are frequently used as additives in meat processing and have been shown to have an inhibitory effect on PAH formation during meat processing (11).

What can I add to ground beef to make it taste better?

The magic lies in the seasoning – a simple yet potent mix of garlic, onion, cumin, and cayenne, creating some of the most tasty ground beef. But what truly sets this recipe apart is just how easy it is.

Beef-Stuffed Onions Recipe (Sogan Dolma) • All that's Jas (2024)

BY: Jas · PUBLISHED: Mar 14, 2013 · UPDATED: Jan 26, 2023 · This post may contain affiliate links.

JUMP TO RECIPE PRINT

One of the classic comfort foods of the Balkans is beef-stuffed onions (aka sogan dolma), delicious little bundles of flavor. It's a perfect meal for long winter, heartwarming and nourishing.

NOTE: This post was originally published in March 2013 and has been updated in January 2020 for photos and content.

Table of Contents

1) Beef-Stuffed Onions

2) What's in Bosnian Sogan Dolma?

3) How do you fill onions with beef?

4) Can I freeze them?

5) Can I make them ahead of time?

6) What if I can't separate onion layers?

7) Recipe Notes/Tips

Beef-Stuffed Onions

You know you're Bosnian when you first chop up some onions and then decide what to cook for dinner. You can't get any more Bosnian than that. 🧅

The majority of Bosnian meals contain the word "stuffed" in it: stuffed peppers, stuffed zucchini, stuffed grape leaves, stuffed fillo dough, stuffed cabbage leaves, and even apples. You name it, and we stuff it! 😆

But when you stuff beloved onions, you get a mouthwatering specialty. The dish originated in Turkey and was spread through Eastern Europe by the Ottoman Empire. It is now a staple of the Balkans, with slight differences in recipes.

This is it folks, the crème de la crème of stuffed things. I mean, isn't it ingenious using the layers of onions as shells? Onions lose their strong flavor by being cooked in vinegar water, becoming mild and sweet.

What's in Bosnian Sogan Dolma?

Besides using onion layers as a vessel for the filling, you will also need these ingredients for beef stuffed onions:

Vinegar
Ground beef
Rice
Egg (optional)
Garlic cloves
Tomato paste
Sweet paprika
Fresh parsley
Salt or Vegeta
Black pepper
Vegetable oil
Lemon
Sour Cream

How do you fill onions with beef?

Stuffing onions is not as hard as it seems.

We first boil whole onions until soft enough to be pried off, layer by layer.
Each layer is then filled with the meat mixture and cooked again slowly at low heat.
We serve them drizzled with lemon juice, topped with a dollop of sour cream and a loaf of homemade bread on the side.

Can I freeze them?

This meal freezes well, so it makes sense to make a bigger batch.

Can I make them ahead of time?

Definitely! You can stuff them and keep in the refrigerator for a day before cooking. If you cook them ahead of time, warm them up on low heat before serving.

What if I can't separate onion layers?

If separating the layers seems daunting to you, you can cut them lengthwise (from end to end), stopping in the center of the onion (halfway through) before cooking, then cook in vinegar water as per recipe.

To fill these layers, separate the 'shells' (*this is easier than separating whole rings).

Fill onion shells with meat mixture, placing a small amount at one end of the open shell and then rolling towards the other end. Repeat until all stuffing is used.

Don't worry if some of the onion layers break. If you need to, use two to cover up the meat mixture. Follow the recipe steps for cooking on the stovetop to finish.

Recipe Notes/Tips

Onions of the same size and shape ensure even cooking time.
To pry out the onion rings, gently push the center in, and the outer layer will pop out. To help the process, loosen the thin skin between the layers with your finger (*or see above for a different method). Once the rings are separated, peel off the inner skin (called epidermal cell wall). See step-by-step photos above.
Instead of vegetable oil, use olive oil or oil of choice.
Cover the stuffed onions with beef stock instead of water. If using water, season it with salt, pepper, and paprika.
You can also add a light roux to the onions for the last 10 minutes of cooking if you prefer a thicker sauce.

More stuffed dishes to try:

BOSNIAN STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS
PALESTINIAN STUFFED SAVOY CABBAGE ROLLS
POTATO STUFFED BELL PEPPERS
EGG-STUFFED MEATLOAF
SERBIAN STUFFED CUTLET
STUFFED BUTTERCUP SQUASH

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Beef-Stuffed Onions

By Jas

This classic Bosnian dish of layers of sweet onion stuffed with ground beef is perfect for long winters but adored year-round.

4.9 from 7 votes

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Course

Cuisine Bosnian, The Balkans

Yields 4 servings

Calories 476 kcal

EQUIPMENT

Dutch oven or non-stick pot
casserole dish

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

▢ 4-5 medium onions, white or yellow
▢ ¼ cup white vinegar

For the filling:

▢ 1 pound ground beef
▢ ⅓ cup rice
▢ 1 egg
▢ 2 garlic cloves, minced
▢ 1 tablespoon tomato paste
▢ 1 teaspoon ground sweet paprika
▢ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
▢ 1 tablespoon salt or Vegeta
▢ ½ tablespoon black pepper
▢ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

To serve:

▢ Sour cream
▢ Lemon wedges

Instructions

Cut off the ends of onions and peel off the papery layers. Place the onions into a Dutch oven or a large pot, cover with water, and add ¼ cup vinegar. Bring to a boil and cook until soft but not falling apart, about 15 minutes. Remove the onions from the water and let them cool enough for handling.
Separate onion layers without tearing by gently squeezing out ring after ring (see recipe notes for tips). Set aside the larger rings and chop the smaller, inside rings.
In a medium bowl, combine 1 pound ground beef, ⅓ cup rice, one egg, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon salt or Vegeta, and ½ tablespoon black pepper. Mix gently with clean hands until just incorporated.
Fill onion rings with meat mixture until all stuffing is used.

OVEN-BAKED OPTION:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a casserole pan with two tablespoons of vegetable oil. Place some of the chopped onions on the bottom of the prepared pan and layer with stuffed onions.
Pour enough water to come up about an inch from the top, cover, and bake for about 40 minutes, turning the onions over once halfway through the baking.

STOVETOP OPTION:

Grease a large pot with oil and cover with some of the remaining chopped onions. Layer the stuffed onion rings into the pot by placing them tightly next to each other. Top with more chopped onions (you don't have to use them all) and add enough water to cover the onions.
Cover the pot with lid and cook for 30 minutes over medium-low heat until soft and rice is cooked.
To serve, transfer the stuffed onions onto plates and pour with sauce. Serve drizzled with lemon juice and a dollop of sour cream alongside crusty bread.

Notes

Onions of the same size and shape ensure even cooking time.
To pry out the onion rings, gently push the center in, and the outer layer will pop out. To help the process, loosen the thin skin between the layers with your finger (*or see the post for a different method). Once the rings are separated, peel off the inner skin (called epidermal cell wall). See the step-by-step photos in the post.
Instead of vegetable oil, use olive oil or oil of choice.
Cover the stuffed onions with beef stock instead of water. If using water, season it with salt, pepper, and paprika.
You can also add a light roux to the onions for the last 10 minutes of cooking if you prefer a thicker sauce.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on products used.

Nutrition

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Beef-Stuffed Onions Recipe (Sogan Dolma) • All that's Jas (2024)

Beef-Stuffed Onions

What's in Bosnian Sogan Dolma?

How do you fill onions with beef?

Can I freeze them?

Can I make them ahead of time?

What if I can't separate onion layers?

Recipe Notes/Tips

More stuffed dishes to try:

Beef-Stuffed Onions

EQUIPMENT

Ingredients

For the filling:

To serve:

Instructions

OVEN-BAKED OPTION:

STOVETOP OPTION:

Notes

Nutrition

FAQs

What does onion do to ground beef? ›

What is the function of onion in meat processing? ›

References