Fry Up Onions In Canned Tuna Oil And Thank Us Later
If you're a fan of oil-packed canned tuna, then you've probably poured the excess liquid in the tin down the train or tossed it into the trash can. However, rather than just getting rid of it, you can actually use up that leftover tuna oil to fry onions (or use the oil to fry eggs and other meals).
When you use this liquid as a replacement for the usual fat options like butter or olive oil, you get a more flavorful bite. That's because, as the tuna sits in the oil in the can, the flavors of the fish infuse the oil with a salty, briny taste.
There's no limit to how you slice or dice your onions for this trick, either. You can mince them, dice them, or leave them in long strips and you'll still get that hint of umami flavor imbedded in them. When you take them off the heat, these extra flavorful onions can work well piled into a sandwich, as ingredients in other recipes such as sauces, or just eaten straight.
Things to know about frying onions with tuna oil
A can of tuna doesn't come with tons of oil, usually just a couple of teaspoons. So, that's often the perfect amount for frying up some veggies, although you can also dilute it with another oil if you need more. Just note that if you do this, the taste of the tuna will also be diluted, making the umami flavor much more subtle.
Another thing to note is that not all tuna comes packed in the same type of oil. Although the main flavor note, regardless of the type, will be the umami, briny flavor of the fish, the type of oil can still impact your cooking. A few of the most common types of oil you'll find it packed in include vegetable, soy, sunflower, and olive oil. Olive oil can lend a more buttery, grassy flavor, while soy and vegetable oil are more neutral and let the salty tuna infusion taste shine through more.
Use oil from other canned fish
It's not just tuna that you can use the oil from, either — other canned fish also often come packed in oil. Like tuna, they'll impart subtle flavor into the liquid, which can then seep out into your onions. For instance, canned mussels have a briny, slightly sweet, earthy flavor to them. When you buy them packed in oil, you can infuse the food you fry with those tasting notes.
Another pick might be canned anchovies. This type of fish has a noticeable umami flavor, and the oil it's stored in can give an earthy, savory punch to onions and other fried foods. Another similar pick might be canned sardines, which also have quite a salty, umami taste.
You can even play around with using the oil from canned eels. Eels already have quite an oily flavor to them, and the oil is a mild choice if you want something more neutral. Whether you stick with regular tuna oil or go with something else, if you've got canned fish on hand, think twice before pouring that liquid down the drain!