We’ve all been there. You’re chopping onions for some dish or another, and just as you start to get a whiff of that familiar onion scent, your eyes start to tear up. You try to hide your face with your sleeve or your hands, but the tears keep coming down.
Suppose you’re like me (and you probably are), then you’ve probably had an awkward moment when chopping an onion. The scent is so “in your face” that your eyes can’t help but water. Sometimes, they get even brighter and watery, and before you know it, you’ve lost your composure, and the tears come out. So, what’s the answer? Some of it has to do with how you chop the onion. The onion tears are caused when air meets the onion vapours (the onion’s volatile oils). It also has to do with the heat, of course.
10 Tips on How to Cut Onions Without Tears
Use a piercing knife
Onions are a staple ingredient in most kitchens, and cutting them is easy. But when it comes to chopping them, some people start to tear up. Try this simple trick to spare yourself these tears: use a sharp knife. The fibres are exposed by cutting an onion into chunks, making it far less likely to make you cry.
Keep a little distance from yourself during the cut of onion
While chopping onions can be an arduous task, practice makes perfect. With a few tips and tricks, you can become an expert onion chopper. Onion odours are noxious, so the best thing you can do is wear gloves to protect your hand from the inevitable tears. Keeping them away from your exposed cuts is important, but keeping them far away from your nose is even more important.
Sliced the onion properly
Dealing with onions can be a pain, especially if you cut yourself. But there are ways you can slice them without crying! Cut the onion properly to avoid tears.
Freezing the onions
To cut down on the tears, you’ll want to chill the onions before you slice them. Once they are chilled, they will start to firm up, and they’ll no longer be as sensitive to whatever cooking implement you’re using.
Run the exhaust hood
Chopping onions is one of the worst ways to end up in tears, but how many times have you made the mistake of doing that? Instead of letting your eyes water, get in the kitchen and turn on the exhaust hood! The fan will help keep the fumes at bay while your onions cook.
Cut the Onion Underwater
Chop onions under water. This might sound like a joke, but it helps. Yes, onions make you cry, and there’s no avoiding it. Even those people who claim they don’t tear up are lying. But there is a way to cut onions without crying. Just cut the onions under water. It’s that easy and absolutely free.
Leave the Root Intact
Onions are a common staple in kitchens everywhere. You’ve probably chopped more than a few onions in your life, so chances are you’ve also shed a few tears. But before you give up onions forever, you can do at least one thing to cut down on your tears: keep the roots of your onion intact while slicing them.
Microwave the Onion
Peeling an onion can often cause tears, so what can you do? Well, the microwave has a solution. Peel the onion and microwave it on high for a few minutes, then with a paper towel, squeeze it and rub the moisture out of your eyes.
Refrigerate the Onion
Cooking with onions can be such a challenge. No matter how you slice it, chopping onions can provoke tears. But not to worry: there is a trick to combat this food-induced crying. Simply place the onion in a plastic zipper bag, then refrigerate it for a few hours. Cold temperatures neutralize the tear-inducing chemicals in the onion, so you’ll be fine.
Rub Lemon Juice on the Blade of the Knife
If you’ve ever wondered how to cook without tears, the answer is simple: don’t cut onions. They have a strong smell that sticks to your knife, even when you wash them, so the first step is to sanitize anything you’ll use to cut them. The next step is to apply lemon to the blade of your knife, then cut the onion. The lemon acts as a natural antiseptic, and since onions are sharp, the lemon juice helps prevent the cut from becoming red and weeping.
Onions are amazing vegetables that are loaded with nutrients and health benefits. However, they rank right up there with garlic when it comes to their pungent smell, and for many people, cutting an onion can be a real struggle. Fortunately, when you cut the tips of the onions, they release less of the pungent smell and much fewer tears.
