Vidalia Onions-Free

5 lbs of free Vidalia onions

Vidalia onions are only grown in an area defined by law in and around Vidalia, GA. Vidalias are a sweet onion. I will cook with any onion, but getting five pounds on Vidalia Onions is a real boon. At $1.99/lb, this is a  free $10 bargain. Since this is onion season, the price may be lower right now. Okay, May is Vidalia onion season, but I got these on June 11th, so these were probably harvested shortly before that. At any rate, these get rarer and more expensive as time goes by.

Today, my Excalibur dehydrator will make its maiden voyage. Okay, so it is pretty stationary--losing its virginity, perhaps? I will not be surprised if the odor of onion pervades my home, clean clothing, and my hair. People may avoid me!

It will be interesting to see how small the jar to hold all these will be. My guess would be a half pint jar will be sufficient--1 cup. We will see how close my prediction is to reality. I also predict these will last me until Vidalia season next year.  In my cooking of most meats and meat dishes, I add just a bit of onion to add flavor. In my efforts to make things last longer, I have frozen onion that otherwise would have just spoiled in the refrigerator if I did not use or put it up some way.


Look at the size of this onion. It weighs more than 1 pound, is almost 6 inches across, and is 15 inches in circumference and 3.5 inches thick. In the first picture, this onion is in the back. I put the two quarters on top of it to give you a frame of reference, then I found my tape that I had been search for! This is not just an overgrown onion or an anomaly. Many Vidalias are this size.


huge Vidalia onion



Yes, I am being frugal by adding only a bit for flavor. Rarely, do I get the urge to cook a hamburger with onions. Even then, I feel I am being frugal by eating not what I want but what I need. I look at it as being practical instead of trying to deny myself because of parsimony. I know I will get another onion.

I quit buying bags long ago because the "savings" to me is just a false economy. One bad onion discovered immediately raises the price per pound. Several onions gone bad later keep raising the price. I buy an onion, use a bit, dice and freeze the rest--until today.

Probably, the garlic on the counter should be dried, too. If I am going to smell onion-y, I might as well add a little garlic to the mix! Okay, here goes! Maybe some celery will accompany the onion and garlic.

While I am chopping, you can check out this article about the origin of the Vidalia.  Here is more information, including exactly where the Vidalia onion can be grown and be called Vidalia.

Hmmm, less sulfur in the soil means a sweeter onion?  I wonder if soil can be amended to make it have less sulfur? There is a project for research another day.

Your turn
Have you ever eaten Vidalias? If anyone has dried onions, how did they turn out?  Does the odor permeate your home while they are drying? The smell of bananas did when I dehydrated them in the winter. It was a lovely upon arising each day.