Twelve-Hour Onion Dip (aka the BEST onion dip ever)

I’m going to ask you guys to work for this next one. You’ll need to invest several (twelve?) hours of your precious time for this recipe.

Still there?

I know, I know…who has that much time to invest in a DIP recipe?! Trust me, it’s not as bad as it seems, and the result is SO.WORTH.IT. The active cooking time is maybe 30 minutes? The rest of the time is spent with the pot in the oven. You only have to check on it occasionally. This sort of recipe is perfect for me on the weekends. I wake up, throw everything in the pot, and then let it slow cook in the oven (or slow cooker!) all day long. It’s ready for me in the late afternoon/evening. I can go about my day without feeling strapped to the stove, and I end up with something that is totally downright delicious and bursting with that slow-cooked flavor.

I made this dip over the long weekend so my husband and I would have something to munch on in between meals. I prepped the onions on Saturday morning, threw them in the oven for the day, and ended the day with an awesome snack that was perfect for munching on while re-marathoning the entire House of Cards series (once was not enough!).

Part of the reason I was so willing to invest the time was (1) I’m a big fan of onion dip. Even the premade stuff. It’s just YUMMY; and (2) my kitchen appliances are still new fun toys. Which meant that all I could think about these past couple weeks was using my oven and cooktop…as you’ve heard me say many times over, I’d been without them for a couple months. I know most people don’t want anything to do with their oven during this time of year (and all the recipes on here as of late have centered around no-oven cooking for obvious reasons), but for me, it was all I could focus on. Soups, roasts, and brownies were topping my list of must makes. The onion dip was the perfect excuse to crank up my new oven and PLAY! Wee!

Like I said, this dip is so worth the extra effort. I mean, it takes guts to declare anything the best version of itself, but I’m confident in that declaration. This dip is killer. Most of the time is spent on the onions, which really are the most important component in ONION dip. Given that onion dip is one of my favorite snacks of all time, taking it to the next level was pretty much inevitable.

It’s no secret that caramelized onions are one of the best things on earth. I find that even self-proclaimed “onion haters” (ahem, crazy people) like them in their caramelized form. So, I thought, why not make a deliciously caramelized onion in the oven, letting it roast low and slow for hours and hours so that the flavors are deeply developed and the sugars are super-duper caramelized? Ya know, taking it to that next level. And then let’s get all fancy and call it onion “confit,” because that just sounds impressive. Really, it’s just a slooooowly caramelized onion. But confit still sounds impressive!

In my opinion, every social gathering or party spread should have a dip. They are always crowd pleasers and are usually pretty easy to put together. This one, despite the long roasting time, is no exception. It is MOST DEFINITELY a crowd pleaser, and it was MOST DEFINITELY a good choice for breaking in my new oven (and the perfect accompaniment to Frank Underwood’s mastermindery)!

 

 

Twelve-Hour Onion Dip (aka the BEST onion dip ever)             (makes roughly 4 cups of dip)

 

For the Onion Confit:

4 large sweet onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup low-sodium beef or chicken stock (to make vegetarian, sub in vegetable stock)

¼ cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper, to taste

 

For the Dip:

The onion confit

1 cup sour cream

1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used lowfat)

1 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons whole grain mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Salt and pepper, to taste

 

Chips, crackers, and/or veggies, for serving

 

For the Onion Confit: Preheat the oven to 250°F. Heat an oven-safe Dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter is melted, add the onions and season with salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and translucent but not browned, about 10 minutes.

Add the stock, wine, vinegar, thyme, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Cover will a tight-fitting lid and place in the oven for 10-12 hours. You want to check on the onions every now and then, occasionally stirring. The resulting confit should have a jam-like consistency and be deeply caramelized and sweet. Allow to cool.

 

For the Dip: Combine all the ingredients for the dip in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until everything is well mixed and the desired consistency is achieved (if you like a chunkier dip, add the onions last and pulse only a few times to incorporate). Transfer to a serving dish, cover, and place in the fridge for at least an hour to let the flavors develop. Serve chilled or at room temperature with chips, crackers, or veggies.