The blooming onion is a whole large onion, cut in such a way that when it is battered and deep-fried, it opens up like a flower. They are also known as an onion bloom, onion blossom, onion flower, blooming onion or onion mum.
The onion is thoroughly dusted in spiced flour; it is essential to get in between all the petals to coat them evenly in flour. Once dredged in flour, it is then dipped into an egg mixture of egg and milk.
The process is repeated, dusted in flour and then back into the egg wash mixture. The thoroughly coated onion is deep-fried until golden and crispy.
The caramelized, crisp onion petals are peeled off and enjoyed with a dip of some sort, usually a mayonnaise-based dip that is spruced up with a bit of sour cream, horseradish, paprika.
If you’re looking for another serving of blooming onion, this article will cover the different ways you can reheat a blooming onion, no matter what equipment you have on hand.
How to Reheat a Blooming Onion
Reheating with An Air fryer
The air fryer is probably the most common way to reheat a blooming onion.
You can reheat the onion whilst you prepare other items for dinner and not worry about it burning. Just make sure to have the heat in a moderate setting.
Once set and warmed, place the onions in your air fryer and close the lid. After 10 – 15 minutes, check the onions and rotate them if need be. If they need longer on that side, then give it another 5 minutes or so.
Once warmed through, remove from air fryer and drain any excess oil on a piece of kitchen towel. The blooming onion should be crisp and golden, and warm in the centre.
Reheating with a Grill
Using a grill to reheat a blooming onion can be tricky. Still, it can also add a second dimension of flavour to the onion that it wouldn’t necessarily get straight out of a fryer.
The trick to reheating the blooming onion on the grill is to do it over a very lover heat. Remember, the grill is direct heat, so the batter will burn it unless you look after it and turn routinely by yourself or someone else does.
It’s ok to get a few charred marks on the batter and onion. This is the flavour you are looking for but avoid anything black and burnt. Keep rolling the onion on the grill until it is warm in the centre and has a lovely charred exterior.
Reheating with a Deep Fat Frier
Using the deep fat fryer to reheat the blooming onion is an option and will work, but it wouldn’t be our first choice. This is because the onion will soak you too much oil on the second fry and become very oil clogged and horrible.
The batter will absorb the oil if it isn’t at the correct temperature, and if the oil is too hot, the batter will burn, and the blooming onion will be cold in the centre. This is the reheating choice that I would instead leave as a last resort.
If you have no other means to reheat the blooming onion, set the fryer to moderate to hot heat around 160°C/325°F and ‘dip fry’ the onion until warmed.
To “dip fry’ is to dip the onion in and out every few seconds allowing the hot oil to heat the onion but not burn it. When you have completed warming the onion, remove and place it on some paper towel to drain any excess oil.
Reheat with a Microwave
For the modern, fast-paced lifestyle, the microwave is a true asset to have in any kitchen. Yes, it has its negative points, but the speed at which things can be cooked and reheated in the microwave is very convenient. The blooming onion is no exception.
- Simply place it on a microwavable plate with some paper towel to absorb any oil leached.
- Set on a medium strength and blast for 2 minutes.
Settings are different from machine to machine, but I set on highest heat setting and go for 2 minutes. The only negative thing when reheating a blooming onion or anything deep fried is that it won’t get as crispy once hot.
This is because the radial heat causes the onion to warm from the inside out, causing it to steam. Once hot, you can enjoy it with your mayonnaise sauce or whatever you choose.
Reheat with an Oven
The oven is one of the easiest ways to reheat the blooming onion. This is a convenient way, and you can carry on with other things in the kitchen while it warms.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6. Plate last night’s blooming onions on a baking tray with some paper towels under them.
- Place the tray in the oven and set a timer for 20 minutes. If the stove hasn’t got a fan setting, that isn’t an issue. You will have to cover the onions loosely with tin foil to prevent them from burning on the top.
- Once the time is up, remove the tray and check the onion centres to check if it is hot. Once hot, remove from tray and serve.
What’s the Best Way to Reheat a Blooming Onion?
Regarding the above options, I would have to say the oven would be my first choice since you can carry on with other things in the kitchen or house whilst they reheat.
There is also very little that can go wrong while they reheat. As long as you use your timer and don’t forget the onions, they will work every time. The bonus is also to be able to cook or reheat other things while the onions are reheating.
How to Store a Blooming Onion
Storing the blooming onion is a simple process, but it can result in a chewy dry blooming onion if done incorrectly. The best way is to store it in a sealed plastic or glass container with a paper towel on the bottle of the dish.
If you can, try to store the blooming onions in a glass dish as you can simply put the dish in the oven or whichever your chosen reheating method is. Leaving it uncovered will not only result in a chewy onion, but your fridge will smell of fried onions for days.
The onion is safe to keep in the fridge for up to 5 days; you need to make sure that the onion is completely cold before you cover and store it. If it isn’t cold, it will sweat and turn sour.
Why is a Blooming Onion Bad for You?
The deep frying, the batter and the dipping sauce make this blooming flower greatly calorific, so much so that in 2008 Men’s Health magazine rated it the worst appetizer in America.
With about 2710 calories per onion portion, it’s no wonder why it has been given a bad wrap health-wise. Those calories do not even include the dipping sauce or the extra toppings offered with it, like melted cheese, bacon and even fries.
To Sum Up
Whether you are a fan or not, the blooming onion is here to stay; with many variations and add-ons being produced, it’s best to start liking them.
So, when you have that dinner party and choose to make blooming onions make a few extra because they reheat well and make delicious snacks the following day. You can chuck them in a lunch box or snack on them when you get home from work.
Whichever way you choose to reheat the onions, make sure they are warm throughout, and if you can get it as crispy as the first time you cooked them, they will be extra tasty.