How should sautéed yellow onions appear?

Sautéed yellow onions should have a golden brown color with slightly browned edges, indicating they have been cooked properly. The texture should be flimsy, signifying that the onions have softened during the cooking process, allowing for the natural sugars to caramelize and the flavors to develop. This transformation is achieved through cooking at the right temperature and often requires a bit of patience, as the onions need to be stirred occasionally to ensure even cooking and to prevent burning.

The ideal result reflects a balance between achieving a pleasing appearance and the right texture, making them perfect for incorporating into a variety of dishes, such as soups, stews, or as a base for sauces or toppings. The other options depict undesirable results like overly stiff or burnt textures which do not represent the proper technique for sautéing onions.