Efficient Onion Cutting Tips for Tear-Free Results | Expert Advice

[vonfirmath]

I was trying to decide how best to cut onions tonight, and all I managed out of it was getting my eyes so red and bothered that I couldn't see for nearly 2 hours! Help. This is not going to work for a show!

 

[Geekgirl69]

For sliced onion, I would use the mandoline, for chopped or diced, use the food chopper. My BF uses a knife like a pro but I am not that good so to avoid the tears, those are my solutions.Hope that helps.

 

[BlessedWifeMommy]

If you buy sweet onions they cause less tears.

 

[jross93]

For sliced onion, I would use the mandoline, for chopped or diced, use the food chopper. My BF uses a knife like a pro but I am not that good so to avoid the tears, those are my solutions.

Hope that helps.

I do the same thing...ultimate mandoline for sliced, food chopper for chopped/diced....they are the quickest, easiest way! What recipe are you making? Does it matter if they are diced or sliced?

 

[ChefPaulaB]

Someone else mentioned they use the apple wedger to slice the onions for the fajitas... they are just wider slices...

 

[pkd09]

I was recently told that if you put the onion in the refrigerator for 30 minutes prior to you cutting it you won't tear up. Heard this on a TV cooking show.

 

[kam]

I was trying to decide how best to cut onions tonight, and all I managed out of it was getting my eyes so red and bothered that I couldn't see for nearly 2 hours! Help. This is not going to work for a show!

Onions make me cry too - that's why I love using the Food Chopper for onions! I only have to do a couple quick cuts to make it small enough to go into the chopper.

OR...

Perfect opportunity to let the guests get hands on! Ask someone to help you with the onion - they can use the knife and cutting board and food chopper.

 

[babywings76]

I keep my onions in the fridge, but they still hold in their juices and whatever and still make me tear up. I find that once the onion is cut and refrigerated, it doesn't bother me. So maybe cut an onion in half the night before and keep it in a baggie till the next day? I've gotten to where I'm pretty quick at cutting onions because I only have so much time before my eyes get affected. For shows, I would just use the Food Chopper. And if you are super duper sensitive, that's a great excuse to have a guest come up and try it out.

 

[c00p]

I agree with the Food Chopper - no tears when you use that puppy. HOWEVER, I'm a freak about my Forged 7" Santoku and any excuse that I have to use it, I do!!! I do the "slices and sticks" cuts, and then make the dices from that. Love to use it and show it off!!! (Freak, I know.)

 

[candiejayne]

My sister learned a trick in culinary school. Take 2 matchsticks and put them in your mouth so that the part you lite is near your nose. Something about it makes the onions not make your eyes water. You might look like a dork, but I'm sure it will impress the guests. It impressed me when she showed me.

I have also found the vidalia onions are the best for not making me cry. I often times have to grab a towel, walk out of the room and dry my eyes and go back just to finish one onion. Guess I need to invest in some matches and try out her tip.

 

[lisa717]

My sister learned a trick in culinary school. Take 2 matchsticks and put them in your mouth so that the part you lite is near your nose. Something about it makes the onions not make your eyes water. You might look like a dork, but I'm sure it will impress the guests. It impressed me when she showed me.

LOL..I have another dorky solution..i work at a restaurant.....and one of our old customers gets all those Harriet Carter mags etc...well he bought us a pair of goggles that are designed to be worn when we are slicing onions on the slicer.....the other cook usually does that and he does wear them so that tells me that they must work!!!:chef:

 

[chefmoseley]

If you forget to put it in the fridge run the onion under cold water and then dry and chop it. When I get done chopping I run my hands under cold water and I think the cold shocks my body so then I don't cry.

 

[vonfirmath]

I'll have to try some of these. I wasn't using a Pampered Chef recipe -- just making stew. But I had 2 onions to cut up (And they had been refrigerated ahead of time) so I thought I'd try all the ways I knew, trying to figure which worked best. The mandolin, as usual for me, is hard to manage without cutting my fingers. I love the food chopper. I'm okay with a knife. But by the time I got to the knife I was squinting, trying to see through the haze. My husband ended up finishing it all up -- but he won't be there for shows! And, as I said, it took nearly 2 hours for my vision to clear up.

 

[erinb]

If you are cutting the onion with a knife, hold it under cold water while you are cutting it.

 

[ChefPaulaB]

I'll have to try some of these. I wasn't using a Pampered Chef recipe -- just making stew. But I had 2 onions to cut up (And they had been refrigerated ahead of time) so I thought I'd try all the ways I knew, trying to figure which worked best. The mandolin, as usual for me, is hard to manage without cutting my fingers. I love the food chopper. I'm okay with a knife. But by the time I got to the knife I was squinting, trying to see through the haze. My husband ended up finishing it all up -- but he won't be there for shows! And, as I said, it took nearly 2 hours for my vision to clear up.

How do you cut your fingers using the Mandoline? Do you have the old one, because other than the grater, I don't think it's possible to cut your fingers on the new one...

 

[Bluiydangl]

tip for cutting onions: don't- make the guests do it!

actually I am allergic to red onions- they give me horrrrrible migraines once they are cut open. I use white whenever I can- and have the host cut, chop, slice whatever is needed before I get there and keep it in a baggie in the fridge until we need it.

I use the hold N slice- to hold the onion then cut it with the 5inch Santoku- I love my santoku knife.

 

[rennea]

Light a candle next to your cutting board or wash your onion first.

 

[aalbert]

The lighting the candle thing really works. Actually what makes your eyes water when you cut onions are the gases the onion releases. When mixed with the tears in your eyes, it basically forms sulfuric acid....hence the burning feeling. When you light a candle and place it near the onion while cutting, the flame "burns" the gas before it can reach your eyes. You can also turn the eye of a gas range on low and slice the onion near that, but a candle works just as well

 

[amyscookinggear]

leave the root end on until the last possible moment. It's where the onions odor oils are and you release them when you cut off that end. I'll do this at a show and actually cut the onion in half with the root intact and hold them up to my eyes. No tears. I learned that from my director when she did my cousin's show before I was a Consultant.

 

[raebates]

LOL..I have another dorky solution..i work at a restaurant.....and one of our old customers gets all those Harriet Carter mags etc...well he bought us a pair of goggles that are designed to be worn when we are slicing onions on the slicer.....the other cook usually does that and he does wear them so that tells me that they must work!!!:chef:

PC had some of those goggles back in the early days.

 

[kaseydee]

My boyfriend said put the onions in the fridge b/c it will help you not tear when cutting.

 

[chefsteph07]

I'll have to try some of these. I wasn't using a Pampered Chef recipe -- just making stew. But I had 2 onions to cut up (And they had been refrigerated ahead of time) so I thought I'd try all the ways I knew, trying to figure which worked best. The mandolin, as usual for me, is hard to manage without cutting my fingers. I love the food chopper. I'm okay with a knife. But by the time I got to the knife I was squinting, trying to see through the haze. My husband ended up finishing it all up -- but he won't be there for shows! And, as I said, it took nearly 2 hours for my vision to clear up.

For Thanksgiving, my mother asked me to cut about 8 onions into rings and saute them for a green been casserole she was making..Oh lord, it stunk up the whole house, my family was MISERABLE. Candles lit everywhere, we had to open the windows and run the fans...we left around 3pm to my parents house and got back around 10pm, the house still stunk! I told my mom to give me another job next year because my family won't tolerate me doing that again! LOL

 

[Bluiydangl]

For Thanksgiving, my mother asked me to cut about 8 onions into rings and saute them for a green been casserole she was making..Oh lord, it stunk up the whole house, my family was MISERABLE. Candles lit everywhere, we had to open the windows and run the fans...we left around 3pm to my parents house and got back around 10pm, the house still stunk! I told my mom to give me another job next year because my family won't tolerate me doing that again! LOL

Eww. :yuck: