How to chop onions quickly and safely?
- Slice the top off the onion and peel, keeping it whole.
- Hold it firmly on a chopping board and slice across into rings.
- Discard the root and stalk ends.
How long should I keep a cut onion?
Method 2 Method 2 of 2: Freezing a Cut Onion for Extended Storage Download Article
- Chop the onion into small pieces. Large pieces of onion—like an onion half or wedges—do not freeze well.
- Put the chopped onion into a freezer-safe container. You can use freezer-safe resealable bags. ...
- Write the date you cut the onion on the container. ...
- Store your onion in the freezer for 6-8 months. ...
- Use previously frozen onion in dishes with soft textures. ...
How to cut onions like a pro?
Instructions
- Slice the stem and root off the onion.
- Make a cut vertically through the middle of the root to the bulb.
- Peel the skin off the onion using your fingers. If you need to, peel off the outer layer of onion if it is soggy or ugly.
- Once the onion is cleaned, take one half and place it on the cutting board. ...
- Dice your onion using horizontal 1/4-inch cuts. ...
How far ahead of time can you cut onions?
Tear or cut for salads just before serving to prevent oxidation. Onions: Chop or slice 1 to 2 days in advance, but keep in a tightly sealed glass container or a double-bagged resealable bag (if you don't double the bags, your refrigerator will likely smell like onions and their aroma will infuse the foods surrounding them).
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How do chefs cut onions without crying?
Using a sharp knife is the best way to do the least amount of damage to an onion. A sharp knife easily slices through the onion, rather than a dull knife, which basically crushes the flesh and causes the tear-jerking gas to spread in the air.
Do you have to peel an onion before cutting it?
Before you chop, cut off the top of the onion and remove the skin. Unless you're making rings or grating, it's easier to peel the onion after you chop it in half from stem to root. Keep the root intact.
Should onions be refrigerated?
Whole onions are best stored in a cool, dark, dry and well-ventilated room, while peeled, sliced, cut, cooked and pickled onions can be refrigerated. Onions can be frozen to further extend their shelf life, but then they are best used in cooked dishes.
Can you use a cheese grater to cut onions?
The best way to grate an onion is with a grater, though a food processor is also acceptable. Follow these steps to grate an onion using a box grater or cheese grater: 1. Peel: Remove all of the outer peel from the whole onion.
How do you properly cut an onion?
How to cut onions: dicingFirst, lay one half onion flat on your cutting board. Point the knife towards the root of the onion, and allow your fingers to guide the slicing. ... Next, start dicing the onion by making horizontal cuts perpendicular to the ones you just made.Finally, cut off the root and discard it.
What happens if you eat onion skin?
Many studies have claimed that onion skins are highly rich in antioxidants, fibre, vitamin A, C, E and heart-friendly flavonoids. It is said that onion skins can prove to be beneficial for boosting immunity and promoting heart health and maintaining blood sugar level.
How do you take the skin off an onion?
0:482:27Knife Skills - How to Peel an Onion - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAfter I take off the papery. Skin if I find that the first layer the onion is looking a little bitMoreAfter I take off the papery. Skin if I find that the first layer the onion is looking a little bit wrinkled. Then I'll take that one off too. Come in with your knife to help you out.
How much of an onion do you peel?
Before showing you how to cut an onion, you'll need to peel it. To peel an onion, start by slicing about a 1/2 inch off the top/ends of the onion, then remove any papery skins. There will usually be a couple of layers of this to peel off.
First, the WRONG Way to Chop an Onion
Many cooking instructors teach a technique that involves making horizontal cuts in the onion. But trust me, you don't want to do it this way — not ever! Even if your health insurance premiums are all up to date and you have a team of Red Cross volunteers standing by to give you a blood transfusion, don't do it!
Trim the Ends Off the Onion
Before you begin, make sure you have a cutting board and a sharp knife. You might also want to review this tutorial on How to Use a Chef's Knife so that you're familiar with the basic grips. And if you need a quick orientation on the different parts of a chef's knife, check out this article on The Anatomy of a Chef's Knife .
Cut the Onion in Half Lengthwise
Your onion now has two flat ends. That's good because you can turn it so that it's resting on one of the flat ends and it won't roll around. You should have the other flat end facing up toward you.
Position Your Onion
We're going to work with one half of the onion at a time. Peel the skin off of one of the halves and position it so that it's resting flat on the board in front of you with the curved part facing up. The two flat ends should be pointing left and right.
Slice Crosswise Through the Onion
Are your eyes watering yet? People ask if there's a way to prevent your eyes from watering when you chop onions. And there is! One of my earliest kitchen jobs was at a French restaurant whose specialty was French onion soup. One of my tasks was to slice 50 pounds of onions every night. After about a month, my eyes didn't water anymore.
Flip the Sections Sideways
Now you're going to flip a few of those sections sideways so that you end up with a little stack in front of you with the rounded part pointing toward your non-knife hand and their flat centers lined up and facing your knife-hand side.
Cut Downward Along the Straight Edge
Unlike most three-dimensional foods, onions come with natural perforations in the form of those concentric circles that radiate out from the center. This technique uses the onion's natural structure to our advantage. If this were a corporation, we'd say we were "leveraging the onion's core competencies," but the truth is, we're just being smart.
Community Q&A
Why would I ever use a fork to dice an onion? Am I trying to cut everything but the vegetable?
Tips
Hold the knife properly. Grip the heel of the blade with your thumb and index finger. Thanks! Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
About this article
This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards.
Tip 1: Freeze the onion
Some people suggest that freezing onions takes away the sob factor. I’m a person, so I tried it out.
Tip 2: Soak the onion in cold water
A cold water bath chills the onion, which slows down the production of the chemicals. Henneman A. (n.d.). https://food.unl.edu/cooking-onions-without-crying
Tip 3: Use a super sharp knife
A sharper knife, like a ginsu, cuts cleaner. In theory, this would damage less onion skin and trigger the release of fewer gases.
Tip 4: Microwave the onion
I couldn’t find an official explanation for why nuking a whole onion would make me less weepy. Maybe the catharsis of crushing my foes. Microwaving the onion only made it slightly soft and, as a result, harder to slice. And it smelled like fried pee.
Tip 5: Keep a piece of bread in your mouth
This sounds totally ridiculous. I looked like a duck. And yet, it worked.
Tip 6: Wear goggles
If goggles can keep water from getting into your eyes, surely they can block an onion fart?
Tip 7: Keep the sliced side on your cutting board
If the cut-side of the onion is face down, fewer chemicals will float toward your face.
Warnings
Keep your fingers away from the knife blade so you don’t accidentally cut yourself.
About This Article
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Hunter Rising is a wikiHow Staff Writer based in Los Angeles. He has more than three years of experience writing for and working with wikiHow. Hunter holds a BFA in Entertainment Design from the University of Wisconsin - Stout and a Minor in English Writing.
