No more tears?

corblimey

This might be fun. Just wondering what people do to avoid their eyes welling up when cutting onions?

I've heard about putting them in the fridge for half a hour; peeling them underwater; not cutting into the middle third (the funnel, so to speak); removing the thin membrane between the skin and the first layer of actual onion; and now this bizarre one

What else you got?

(for myself, I just chop on, cos I'm that manly. I only cry during weddings, Bridget Jones' Diary and the 'here are your best bits' montages from reality shows)

Magic Monkey

Cut it beside an open flame.

The Big Red Button

I just wear swimming goggles!

The simplest solutions are sometimes the best :cool:

Creamy Goodness

chew gum.

pikachucheeks

I've never found anything that worked.
I cry like a baby EVERY TIME.

cHaTbOx

It makes my housemates laugh so I'm not to bothered:D.

But I never cry when i only cut one of two it's only when I cut 10+ as I am quite quick at it .

When you cut onions, millions of onion cells are sliced apart. When these cells break open, they release enzymes that react to form sulfur-based acids. These acids quickly vaporize to form noxious fumes, and if any of these fumes reach the eyes, they will react with water to form sulfuric acid. In response to the presence of sulfuric acid, your eyes will water (you "cry") as your body tries to dilute out the acid.

So knowing this , key things to take into consideration is cutting them with your head as far back as possible, breath through your mouth, wet the onions before chopping and use a sharp knife ran under the hot tap.

If you have a small kitchen like me , having something cooking already helps as the flame will draw it . But this is only if you have a 2m x2m kitchen:o

Dizzyblonde

From the time I start peeling the onions I make sure I'm breathing in through my mouth because if I breathe in through my nose my eyes will water. This works perfectly unless there's someone with me and I'm talking to them, then I forget and my eyes stream.

tfak85

i tend to have my knife wet and if necessary wet my hands..
i have heard having a spoon in your mouth helps but i'm not sure..
my boyfriend once suggested a piece of bread under the top lip but that just sounds a bit awful really!

Snowie

its quite simple really dont breath in through your noise.

Harpic

put a metal spoon in your mouth whilst cutting an onion

00112984

Harpic wrote: »

put a metal spoon in your mouth whilst cutting an onion

Yip, only thing that worked for me.

iwincosimcool

Chop them this way without chopping the root so the onion doesn't bleed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwGBt3V0yvc

Fajitas!

I swear profusely.


It dosn't do a whole pile for the stinging though.

bonkey

It normally doesn't get to me so much, so I'm not so worried about it.

Alun

IMO It's mainly using blunt knives that causes spraying of the onion juices into the air and into the area pf the eyes and nose.

Snowie

Alun wrote: »

IMO It's mainly using blunt knives that causes spraying of the onion juices into the air and into the area pf the eyes and nose.

Id have to agree with that my self and not breathing in through your noise... :pac:

Minder

Avoid tears by getting someone else to chop them:D

Faith

Wear contact lenses . They stop onions, smoke, everything from hurting your eyes!

bonkey

Alun wrote: »

IMO It's mainly using blunt knives that causes spraying of the onion juices into the air and into the area pf the eyes and nose.

From personal experience alone, I'd go with that...blunt, or serrated stuff like Kitchen Devils or Laser (probably showing my age now...don't even know if these are still around).

The Sweeper

Top and tail the onion. Skin it. Cut it in half. You should be able to do this in about 30 seconds or less. Place the onion cut side down on the board. This 'seals' the cut side. Holding the onion together at the sides, make a number of top to bottom cuts without letting it fall apart. Then readjust your grip to make the final cuts, cutting across the onion so the cut slices fall into dice. Immediately sweep the diced onion off the board into a bowl or plate that you push away from the chopping board.

This minimises the exposure of the cut, onion-juice-releasing faces to the air, and therefore reduces your exposure to onion juice.

If you cut an onion by letting it fall all over the board, and then hack and pound at it with a knife to get it in dice, you'll be bawling like a baby in minutes.

trotter_inc

Harpic wrote: »

put a metal spoon in your mouth whilst cutting an onion

If I go home tonight and put a spoon in my mouth while cutting my onions my wife will be on the floor rolling with laughter when I tell her I read it on the internet

Am going to give it a go though...bloody things kill my eyes

Harpic

trotter_inc wrote: »

If I go home tonight and put a spoon in my mouth while cutting my onions my wife will be on the floor rolling with laughter when I tell her I read it on the internet

Am going to give it a go though...bloody things kill my eyes

No dinner for her if she does

NervousNude

Faith wrote: »

Wear contact lenses . They stop onions, smoke, everything from hurting your eyes!

I second this, although since I told my family about the phenomenon I'm Official Chief Onion Chopper for the house!

Lia_lia

The Sweeper wrote: »

Top and tail the onion. Skin it. Cut it in half. You should be able to do this in about 30 seconds or less. Place the onion cut side down on the board. This 'seals' the cut side. Holding the onion together at the sides, make a number of top to bottom cuts without letting it fall apart. Then readjust your grip to make the final cuts, cutting across the onion so the cut slices fall into dice. Immediately sweep the diced onion off the board into a bowl or plate that you push away from the chopping board.

This minimises the exposure of the cut, onion-juice-releasing faces to the air, and therefore reduces your exposure to onion juice.

If you cut an onion by letting it fall all over the board, and then hack and pound at it with a knife to get it in dice, you'll be bawling like a baby in minutes.

Yup. My mother is a chef and that's the way she taught me how to do it!