Outback Steakhouse – Bloomin’ Onion® – Order Online.
Outback Steakhouse Bloomin’ Onion
Outbacks Bloomin Onion is a pillar on which the Australian-themed steakhouse stands. And, just to give you a glimpse into how popular it really is, over eight million blooms are ordered every single year, according to the restaurants website.
The fried onion from down under is the ultimate shareable. Its also charming with its flowerlike shape, and you cant forget about the fact that it comes with one of those orange dipping sauces that people go crazy for and that pairs well with virtually anything. For these reasons and more, the original Bloomin Onion has become something of an Outback legend.
Each massive onion weighs in at just about one pound when cooked, and is sectioned into about 200 petals, per Outback. It will also set you back about $9.99, depending on where you live. Thats what I paid when I stopped into my local Outback in Columbus, Ohio, to savor the iconic Bloomin Onion again for the first time in many years.
The Look: Underwhelming, to put it nicely—and not at all “on another level,” as its branded serving platter would suggest. The fried onion spanned almost the entire width of the plate, and at first glance, it did exude a proper golden or light-brown hue. However, inconsistency was a glaring problem here. Some of its petals (although I hesitate to call them that–strings may be more fitting) clumped together in spots. And underneath its top layer, I discovered a complete catastrophe. Onion pieces at the bottom appear to have been sliced too thin, and therefore became black and burnt when introduced to the fryer. Because of this, the appetizer seemed more like a chicken carcass rather than an onion dish as I picked through it. Drips of grease garnished the edge of the plate. 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
The Taste: Again, I resort to the word inconsistent. A few of my first bites from the center of the bloom were crisp and well seasoned. But, this salty spices werent well dispersed and the breading also fell off the onions quite easily. As for the onions themselves, most achieved that desired texture of not too firm but also not too soggy.
Not surprisingly, the pieces from the burnt-looking underbelly did, in fact, tasted too charred, and these segments were also exceptionally greasy. One constant was that the spicy dipping sauce did complement the appetizer well, and did a glorious job concealing any and all of the fried onions own shortcomings.
Texas Roadhouse Cactus Blossom
Texas Roadhouse opened its doors in 1993, about five years after Outback, and promptly added its own version of a Bloomin Onion to the menu. Imitation is the best form of flattery, right?
The southwestern-themed steakhouse dubbed its fried onion the Cactus Blossom and it shares many similarities to Outbacks. One noticeable difference is price: despite its advertised “Texas-size,” you can order it for just $7.99. In addition, the restaurant doesnt make the appetizer so central to its whole personality–its heavenly fresh-baked rolls and cinnamon butter seem to steal the show more often than not. But, the fried appetizer still receives its fair share of love, and you can even purchase your very own “Hot Blossoms” t-shirt. I stopped into a bustling nearby Roadhouse location, which seemed surprisingly busy for a Tuesday night, and quickly ordered a Cactus Blossom to see how it stacks up against its predecessor.
The Look: Fundamentally picture perfect. This fried onion really did come out looking just as aesthetically pleasing as it appears on the menu. It seemed slightly smaller than Outbacks, but still plenty big to share. The petals themselves, however, were wider in comparison. All were very evenly breaded and fried to a splendid shade of golden brown. Any kind of seasoning or specks of spices were harder to detect in this version, but still the presentation was nearly flawless.
The Taste: All-around satisfying–not too greasy and not overly salty or seasoned. Each petal pulled apart easily without bringing its neighbors with it. The breading was fairly heavy, and could have been a little more crisp, but overall had a subtle peppery flavor that wasnt overbearing, leaving the onion to be the star of the show. Each piece was nice and crunchy, not slimy like other fried onion appetizers tend to get (the onion made up for the lack of snap in the breading).
Texas Roadhouse was more generous with the sauce, too, and although it looks identical to Outbacks, the dip has a much different makeup. As opposed to the Aussie restaurants ranch-based dressing, this one is actually a Cajun horseradish sauce, which offers a tiny bit of spice and acidity, but doesnt punch you in the face like other horseradish sauces might.
While neither colossal onion can be considered healthy by any means, it did surprise me that the Texas Roadhouse rendition easily surpassed the Outback original in nearly every nutrition category–and not in a good way. The Cactus Blossom is served up with 630 extra calories, an additional 18 grams of saturated fat, more than double the carbs, and 860 milligrams more sodium. And, that doesnt even include the Cajun sauce, which tacks on another 260 calories.
Based on these two samples, I have to give the upper hand to Texas Roadhouse and its slightly cheaper, albeit less healthful Cactus Blossom. Its symmetrical, pleasing appearance, paired with its tasty breading and well-cooked onions, made for the quintessential fried onion dish.
Outback may have been the first to bloom, but the rival blossom strikes me as a clear improvement on the original.
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Blooming Onion | Better Than Outback’s Blooming Onion Recipe
FAQ
Where do you get the Bloomin Onion?
Does Texas Roadhouse have the blooming onion?
Does Chili’s have blooming onions?
Who else makes blooming onion?
Who makes Bloomin’ Onion?
The best start to a steakhouse meal you can find. Our Bloomin’ Onion® is our icon of appetizers. Created in 1988 by Outback founder Tim Gannon, it’s our secret family recipe that never fails to delight. Now That’s An Onion! Approximately 15 growers take care of our Blooms grown in Idaho, Oregon, Texas and California.
How can one consume onions?
In the raw version, we consume a greater amount of potassium, calcium and phosphorus. We can think of creative ways to use onions, such as: salt seasoned with onions, pickled, in salads and as an ingredient in guacamole. Consumption of sautéed onions is common in sauces, as an accompaniment to meats, quiches and other dishes. An interesting way is to use it with rice at the time of cooking, to give a special flavor to the main dish. Fried, it can be part of the main course or an appetizer, like the famous onion rings. However, attention: the use of flour for breading and oil for dipping contribute to the increase of cholesterol.
Where are Bloomin’ Onions grown?
Approximately 15 growers take care of our Blooms grown in Idaho, Oregon, Texas and California. The Bloomin’ Onion® is a colossal onion with a 4.25” diameter that weighs approximately 1.24 lbs. raw and 1 lb. cooked. Guests order over 8 million Bloomin’ Onions a year. Approximately 1 out of every 4 appetizers ordered is a Bloom.
Where did Bloomin’ Onion come from?
Then again, Foodbeast reported that the Bloomin’ Onion was inspired by “a New Orleans dish,” so its origins aren’t totally clear. The Bloomin’ Onion has been around for more than 30 years. Wherever the Bloomin’ Onion concept came from, it’s been on the Outback Steakhouse menu since 1988.