Some dishes call for carmelized onions. You can do it in a pan, but it'll take all day. Some chefs use a shortcut. Simply add something already burnt to the pan as you sauté it. That's called a catalyst (see, cooking is a science). Burnt onions work. I just add a burnt toothpick. Just make sure you remove it before serving.
All day? Perhaps you didn't mean it literally. Caramelised onions recipe | BBC Good Food And if American onions are different from UK onions (LOL), How to Caramelize Onions
