Many home cooks are intimidated by the thought of cutting into onions because of the threat of watery eyes, even though onions are a staple of countless dishes.An onion can be easy to handle if you use its internal structure to your advantage and follow simple steps.Put the jar of onion powder down, pick up a real onion, and chop it up!
Step 1: A sharp knife is needed.
It may seem counterintuitive, but a sharp knife is safer than a dull blade.Dull knives slip more easily on round, slick foods like onions.There are plenty of dull knives that are sharp enough to cut you.
Step 2: If you're not an expert, do it the easiest way.
Many chefs and experienced cooks chop onions in part by making horizontal slices parallel to the cutting board and under their hands.If you make a mistake, it can cause serious injury.If you're worried about having a sharp knife in your hand, stick to the methods listed below.
Step 3: The onion can do some of the work for you.
The North and South poles hold onions together, unlike the larger spherical layers surrounding a core.If you attack the onion in the right way, it will fall apart and you won't have to chop it up.
Step 4: The skin on the onion is loose and dry.
Step 5: The onion has a stem that is the pointy end.
Cut off enough to allow you to stand the onion on the flat spot.
Step 6: The onion must be cut in half.
Stand it up on the flat spot, steady it with your free hand, and carefully but forcefully slice down through the root end.
Step 7: Peel off the papery layers.
From this point forward, work with one half of the onion.
Step 8: Cut slices from the root to the stem end.
The onion should be placed on the board with the root facing away from you.Hold the onion with your free hand and pierce it with the tip of the knife near the root end.The onion can be held together if enough of the root end is left intact.It's best to make parallel cuts across the onion at the width you want.
Step 9: You can make a series of cuts by rotating the onion 90 degrees on the board and using a knife.
Use your fingers to separate the onion into pieces.
Step 10: For a diced onion, make your cuts closer together than the 1/2 inch for chopping, but follow the same methods.
Step 11: If you want to do the same thing again, you should do it more closely together.
You can run through a pile of chopped onions with your knife if you find it hard to make cuts this thin.Put your onions in a mound on the board.You can rock the knife up and down through the mound by pinning the tip of your knife to the cutting board.If your teacher used a big paper cutter in school, you'll have an idea of the cutting motion.As needed, pile the onion pieces.
Step 12: Understand the problem.
When onions are released into the air, they become an irritant to the eyes.
Step 13: Try different things.
Every experienced cook has a trick to stop the tears.They are either scientifically-based or downright strange.To name a few.The onion should be put in the freezer.The onion can be cut near a candle or stove burner.Before cutting, dip your knife in oil.Place a fan in the area.You can chew gum, hold water, or have a bread stump in your mouth.
Step 14: People wear goggles.
Try swimming or skiing.You should be able to see clearly out of them.It's not the most fashionable choice if you're trying to impress a date with your cooking skills.