It made me think that I have heard SO MANY different tips for how to chop/slice onions without the teary eyes but none have ever worked for me. These are all the ones I've heard:
- Breathe through your mouth, not your nose. (Why this would work, I don't know!)
- Put the onions in the freezer for a few minutes first.
- Store your onions in the fridge rather than the cupboard.
- Plunge onions into boiling water just prior to peeling.
- Run onions under cold water for a few seconds prior to making the first slice.
Has anyone got any onion cutting tricks they use (successfully) to avoid tears?
The fridge one or cold water one should minimise the tearing depending on how cold it gets and when you do the running under water... the boiling water one will probably make it worse. The aim is to minimise the sulfoxides being released from the onion and prevent them getting in your eyes and sinuses.
ReplyDeleteWhat I do is peel the onion and cut it into halves, then I run half under cold water to get rid of the juices and the irritant it releases, then chop that part up quick, then run the other half under water and chop it up quick... then wash your hands. Should have minimal, if any, irritation to your eyes. :)
My best tip is try to guilt someone else into doing it for you. Sort of a "help me prepare so I can make you dinner". It sometimes works, otherwise I just end up with tears streaming down my eyes as I cut into the poor little onion.
ReplyDeleteMetanoia - thanks! Maybe from now on I'll keep one or two onions in the fridge at a time while the rest stay in the pantry. That way when I go to use one, I'll have nicely chilled onions. Either that or I can wear swimming goggles while chopping onions...
ReplyDeleteMel - this doesn't work for me because I'm always the person who gets guilted into cutting the onion! Lauren's always getting me to agree to it! Such a sucker!