Who likes cutting onions? Anyone? Anyone?
They make you cry. They have those annoying rings which fall apart. They are slippery and make wielding a big knife rather dangerous. And yet, they are crucial in so many recipes.
Behold! I give you: the best possible way to chop an onion! The least tear-inducing, time-consuming, finger-losing method and I’m going to share it with you!
First: Get out Big Sharp Knife, cutting board, and onion. Chop off ONE (and only one) end of the onion.
Second: Remove outer layer. I find that removing the entire outer layer is easier than trying to remove the papery-thin peel.
Third: Using Big Sharp Knife, slice onion horizontally (or vertically, I won’t be picky), but not all the way down! Leave the last centimeter or so uncut or the whole thing will fall apart and I will have taught you nothing.
Fourth: Now turn the onion 90 degrees and slice again, using Big Sharp Knife. (Again – not all the way down or you will have ruined the entire effort)
Also, if you have a deep fryer, you can make one of those cool fried onion flowers at this point.
And lastly: Slice onion all the way down. Make sure you hold the pieces steady – this can be a bit tricky. But overall, I prefer this method to … most others.
I do love the food chopper from the Pampered Chef, but if an onion is the only thing I’m chopping, I would rather use the knife as it’s easier to wash.
Cute! I love the pictures. Thanks for sharing. Always good to get some help in the kitchen.
I second the kuddo for pictures!! I always need a visual! Oh, and I love your blog banner. It’s beautiful.
I like your blog banner too. 🙂
I hate, hate cutting up onions. I’ll have to try this method. 🙂
I knew I wouldn’t be able to explain it properly without pictures. 🙂
And, Gift of Green – Thank Ashley @ Twentysixcats for the beautiful banner. Isn’t she talented? 😀
Yep, that’s how I do it too.
A real topchef told me that, so you really have a good tip! LOL!
I do it under a slowly running tap.
I find that if I use a nice BIG KNIFE it is very satisfying to cut that onion 🙂
I’ve heard doing it under slowly running tap water helps keep you from crying. (I’ve never tried it, since onions don’t make me cry, but my mom swears by that method.)
My DH pointed out to me that chopping onions doesn’t bother him because he wears contacts and it protects his eyes. So last time I got out my sunglasses and it helped a ton! I looked funny wearing sunglasses inside the kitchen, cooking, but my eyes weren’t burning! LOL
CherieB – I have noticed that, too! I used to wear contacts everyday and I thought that people who cried while cutting onions were crazy! But then I ran out of contacts. And wearing glasses does not protect your eyes nearly as much as contacts. I cried so hard!
Interesting. Maybe that’s why I don’t cry. My dad doesn’t either – and we both wear contacts. Neither my mom nor Paul wear contacts, and they have trouble. Ah! And I thought I was special!